This modern and inviting Surat home reflects the clients’ personality

Karya Design Studio takes the help of earthy colours and natural materials to craft a distinctive environment.

Curated by: Rupali Sebastian
Photographs: MK Gandhi; courtesy Karya Design Studio

The site

Located in Surat, the residence is an example of a zero-maintenance home with a lot of lighting area design. This residence, with a footprint of 1,886 sq ft, has been carefully crafted to optimise natural light. It uses colours, textures and geometry minimally, while laying emphasis on employing natural materials. The 25-foot-wide plot faces the north-south direction.

The brief

The objective of the project is to create a modern and inviting interior space that reflects the client’s personality, preferences, and lifestyle. The client desired a contemporary design style with a touch of minimalism. “They appreciate clean lines, simplicity, and a clutter-free environment,” reveals interior designer Dhruv Mehta, principal of Karya Design Studio. The overall ambience therefore had to be serene, calming, and sophisticated. The client preferred a neutral colour palette with a combination of warm and cool tones. Earthy hues such as browns, greys, and beiges, are favoured to create a sense of warmth and comfort.

The design intent

“We strove towards a narrative that created a harmonious and welcoming environment, something that enhanced the clients’ daily life and aligned with the vision for their home,” says Dhruv. The concept embraces a minimalist approach, where less is more. The emphasis is on quality over quantity, with carefully selected furniture and decor pieces that enhance the overall design without overwhelming the space. The chosen colour palette creates a soothing and inviting ambience, complementing the natural surroundings and enhancing the overall sense of tranquillity. The bungalow’s design emphasises on the open floor plan that maximises natural light and creates a sense of spaciousness. Large windows and glass doors are strategically placed to allow for unobstructed views of the scenic surroundings, bringing nature into the interior. The design concept recognises the importance of personalisation and ensures that the bungalow reflects the homeowner’s preferences and lifestyle. Incorporating personalised elements, cherished artwork, and comfortable furnishings adds a touch of individuality and makes the space feel like a true home.

The design and material details

The living room reflects a minimalist, contemporary aesthetic. Each room features a carefully chosen collection of clean-lined, modern hand-crafted furnishings that have been enhanced with subtleties like olive green upholstery, vibrant artwork, fresh greenery, and eye-catching lighting.

The master bedroom is designed as a house within a house with essential furnishings that assist to create a clutter-free space for leisure. The presence of a neutral colour scheme in the room with the usage of common wood veneer finishes has been crucial to achieving an opulent aesthetic. The wide balcony next to the room lets in plenty of natural light, reducing the need for artificial light during the day.

The highlights

The central feature of this house is a freestanding triple-height form-finished wall that divides the living and dining areas, and culminates in a roof with strategically positioned skylights on either side. A cut-out in the slab allows the skylights oriented east-west to capture the sun from morning to afternoon, and bathe the wall with natural light. To allow penetration of natural light and fresh air, a clean composition of internal volumes and voids was designed which also enables the spaces to flow into each other while merging with the outdoors.