mamama blends the charm of ethnic India and the breathtaking beauty of sweeping African grassland to create a contemporary, minimalist home.
Curated by: Rupali Sebastian
Photographs: Yadnyesh Joshi; courtesy mamama
The site
Design studio mamma’s clients, a middle-aged couple, had spent a better part of the last two decades in Kenya. Then, sometime in 2020, they decided to relocate back home to India and purchased this spacious 4BHK apartment in the heart of south Bengaluru. The couple and their two young daughters aspired for a contemporary, minimalist home that still carried a certain sophisticated Indian charm.
The design intent
“The client’s vision for their home was a harmonious blend of tradition and modernity. They desired a design firmly rooted in India’s cultural heritage, utilising natural materials to evoke a sense of warmth and authenticity. They sought a timeless aesthetic that would be well-suited to their contemporary lifestyle,” reveal architects Anoop Rose and Anoop Bhat. The client’s design philosophy was characterised by striking simplicity, where clean lines and minimal geometries were skilfully integrated to create a visually unique space that was both timeless and contextually sensitive. The family’s deep connection to Kenya and the Masai Mara reserve is reflected in the thoughtful curation of materials, textures and colour choices throughout the apartment. Paying homage to the rich tapestry of flora and fauna found in the reserve, the design palette draws inspiration from the natural surroundings to create a sense of warmth, connection, and continuity with the landscape.
The civil intervention
The apartment had a generous layout in that all the rooms in the house were quite spacious; even the rooms’ hierarchy and the apartment’s general structure did not warrant any significant reworking.
The visual anchor
It soon became apparent that a central focal point was necessary to bring cohesiveness and a sense of narrative to the otherwise disparate spaces. The foyer wall, which shared the wall with the kitchen and the powder room, was identified as the feature element. The wall weaved along the main circulation path, which connected multiple spaces such as the foyer, elder daughter’s bedroom, living and dining areas, kitchen, powder room, and the three bedrooms at the far end of the apartment. It was decided to render this wall in a lovely lime-plaster finish and in a colour that evoked the image of dry grassland. With its slightly recessed yet central position, the wall presented an opportunity to create a unique storage solution for the family to display their collectables and store some essential items. “In this exercise, we were also able to make the access to the kitchen more prominent while allowing the wooden door to the powder room to get obscured,” reveal the architects.
The material and colour details
The living-dining expanse is a sanctuary of refinement crafted to foster a sense of intimacy and relaxation. The living portion consists of a plush three-seater sofa, whose presence anchors the entire composition. Complementing its comfort are two tufted single-seaters, upholstered in a lovely ivory fabric, paired elegantly with a sleek wooden armchair and a pair of nesting coffee tables. A richly hued rug, sourced from Jaipur Rugs, serves as a unifying thread, pulling the entire ensemble together with its exquisitely patterned design. On the other side is a large, eight-seater custom-designed dining table with a chevron-patterned tabletop done in teak veneer. The largeness of the table is balanced using fully-upholstered, fresh-grass-coloured dining chairs and a large canvas with one of the clients’ stunning captures of the Masai Mara reserve. Together with the feature wall and carefully curated set pieces, a balance of scale and proportion is achieved without losing out on the airy spaciousness of the expanse. In addition, the rich undertones of the darker teak wood used in the furniture help add a more profound sense of warmth and grounding, creating a space that is both sophisticated and deeply rooted in tradition.
The kitchen utilises every inch to create a functional and efficient space tailored to the needs of Indian cooking. The selection of materials further enhances the overall aesthetic, with white spotted quartz stone adorning the backsplash and complementing the cabinetry’s soft, pastel brown and beige hues; the result is a sophisticated and modern kitchen that elevates the cooking experience.
The master bedroom and two daughter bedrooms continue the design theme of earthy hues, drawing abundantly from the Mara grasslands. The consistent use of dark teak wood throughout the bedrooms adds warmth and character to the spaces. “The clients desired a sense of dignified elegance and understated richness in the bedrooms, which was achieved through carefully selecting fresh, atypical materials with rich textures and timeless quality,” discloses the duo. The use of simple geometries, brass bedside lights, Himeya sheets, heavy-handed curtains, hand-done wall textures, concrete planters and Varnam table lamps, and other elements, create a unique aesthetic that is both familiar and distinct. The ample natural light that floods each room only accentuates the organic colours and textures of the chosen materials.
The MA004 apartment exemplifies mamama’s commitment to clean and pragmatic design solutions that are both timeless and promote a modern Indian aesthetic. The use of natural materials and the clear expression of the client’s aspirations in the design make for a space that is both visually striking and functional, promoting easy, maintenance-free living.
Fact file
Project: MA004
Location: Bengaluru
Area: 1,700 sq ft (approx)
Principal architects: Anna Rose and Anoop Bhat
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