This apartment feels spacious, thanks partly to enhanced fenestration

Kalpavriksh updates a 28-year-old Mumbai home with minimal yet smart intervention.

Curated by: Rupali Sebastian
Photographs: Prashant Bhat; courtesy Kalpavriksh

Design firm Kalpavriksh was tasked with the overhaul of a 28-year-old, 1,200-sq-ft, apartment in a span of 11 months. “The primary requirement as stated by the client,” says the studio’s founder architect Vaibhavi Shah, “was to keep the house spacious.”

Thus, the overall design revolves around the core idea of spaciousness and minimal alterations to the existing structure. To this end, the flooring and wooden windows were retained and refurbished with minor alterations. False ceilings were also kept to the minimum by restricting their presence to portions that needed to conceal services.

Layout wise, the fluidity of the spaces has been kept intact to maintain the connectivity and openness. Minor relocation of doors and windows improved the existing circulation and suited the functional needs of the end users. The introduction of the punctures in the kitchen wall connects the utility and the dining space visually. The furniture layout serves to highlight the site’s positive features. For instance, the seating in the hall has been customised to accentuate the circular bay.

The material palette has been kept quite simple and natural, and the colour scheme is cool toned neutral. The lighting is colour-tuneable to suit the varied choices of the users and occasions.