A young couple in Bengaluru calls this earthy and minimal apartment home

Design firm From Around Here focus on an open plan and spatial versatility in this assignment.

Curated by: Rupali Sebastian
Photographs: Shravan K Acharya; courtesy From Around Here

The site

The residence is a three-bedroom apartment, approximately 1,060 square foot in carpet area, overlooking the upcoming developments of south Bengaluru on one side and the Turahalli Forest Reserve on the other. It has huge sliding doors and a balcony along the east which allow daylight to stream into the house.

The brief

“Dhatri and Shyam, a young couple, approached us to design their home with neutral tones while following a contemporary, minimal aesthetic combined with a touch of traditional elements in wood and brass,” reveal architects Shreya Daffney and Saran Babu of design studio From Around Here. “Dhatri, being a yoga practitioner, required a dedicated space for her practice sessions. Since the couple worked from home, the interventions called for multipurpose spaces to both work and unwind in.”

The design intent

The interior mediations focus on accentuating the existing open plan and designing versatile spaces that cater to various functions and moods: for instance, switching between entertaining guests, working from home, practising yoga and having a quiet night.

The civil intervention

Since the selected chromatic direction was light monotones throughout, the architects went with dark wood for the floors. “This permitted all the vertical surfaces in the space to reflect as much light as possible, while achieving a striking contrast with the wooden floors,” they elucidate.

The spatial configuration

The home opens into a small foyer consisting of a shoe unit, a seamless wooden seat and a full length mirror. This creates an illusion of continued brick and blue lime wash wall treatments, adding volume to this otherwise narrow space. The living-dining area flows into the kitchen on one side and the balcony on the other. 

The puja space is a traditional and dainty inclusion in this open plan. The dining ensemble is strategically positioned in a corner to facilitate free movement. Its wall-mounted bench with elegant brackets and quartz table top enhance the simplicity of this cosy home. A breakfast counter with sleek brass legs allows a gentle transition between the kitchen and living. Past the living-dining area, the hallway is intercepted by the master bedroom, yoga room and common washroom.

The design and material details

The use of rattan furniture, linen cushion covers and throws, jute planters, jute organisers and cane pendant lights set a neutral, natural tone through the entire house. With its curved form, yellow lime backdrop, wooden finish, brass deities and Mysore style paintings curated by the client herself, the puja space adds a subtle contrast to the muted tones of the living space.

Olive green ceramic tiles for the backsplash and wood and fluted glass overhead cabinets infuse the kitchen with a charming earthiness, balanced by brass handles. A custom-made set of fluted-glass flap doors between the kitchen and utility cleverly separate the areas without compromising on the natural light.

The yoga room features a Murphy bed to optimise space. Abstract designs inspired by chakras are inlaid on the foldable panel of the Murphy bed, drawing attention to the detail that marks this narrative.

The guest bedroom is simple with hues of blue on the wall. A wicker weave pendant light in the nook accentuates these blue textures while bringing into light the green leaves of a Monstera plant. A comfortably placed full-length mirror reflects the daylight throughout the room. As one enters the master bedroom, the rattan headboard against the geometrically similar wallpaper lends a certain playfulness to the space.The use of brick, brass, wicker and grey lime finishes in the study/yoga room, lend it a calm feel.

“We thoughtfully lit the spaces using various pendant lights, cove lights and chandeliers to create an array of light settings for various moods,” reveals the duo. “The pendant lights proficiently highlight the texture on the lime finish walls, while gracefully illuminating the pops of soft furnishing in the foreground.”

The challenges

“The main challenges were to allow all the light in as the apartment had most openings on one side only, to curate spaces that flowed into each other and give the home a more spacious feel,” disclose Shreya and Saran. “We deliberately set a cool white colour as the base tone for the kitchen to embrace and reflect maximum sunlight coming from the huge east facing windows in the living area. The inclusion of a Murphy bed makes the yoga/study dynamic, allowing room for various activities. The residual space in the corner has been utilised to create a bookshelf.”

Fact file

Project: Dhatri and Shyam Residence
Location: Bengaluru
Area: 1,060 sq ft
Principal architects: Shreya Daffney and Saran Babu
Design team: Shreya Daffney and Hita Bhat
Contractor: Imran Baig