This Bengaluru home melds a little bit of vibrance and a little bit of nostalgia

Swati Seeran of By the Riverside deftly weaves the clients’ preferences and her ‘designer’ touches into a soulful narrative.

Curated by: Rupali Sebastian
Photographs: Nayan Soni; courtesy By the Riverside 

The brief

A person’s roots do not change, but as they progress in life and achieve new heights, the different experiences garnered along the way do give a fresh spin to the basics. Proving this case in point is this villa in Bengaluru owned by a family of four hailing from a village in Kerala. 

When this well-educated couple with two young children approached Swati Seeran of By the Riverside for decorating their 2,000-sq-ft 3BHK home, they used words like ‘Scandinavian’ and ‘modern’ and mentioned their aversion to anything antique or too vernacular. Both of them had the same preference: a home doused in neutral colours, an abode that was classy. “While I was impressed with their research, I also knew that I would have to gently nudge them towards introducing some vibrance in the spaces,” she says. And that’s just what she set about to do. 

The spatial flow

Starting from the entrance, a humble foyer sporting a wooden console and mural, and a vivid painting by Swati paves the way for a hybrid narrative in the home. In the living room, plush green sofas surround a graphic black-and-white centre table. Across it, a TV unit in timber with rattan detailing and an artwork gifted by Swati to the couple put up a sophisticated display. 

Behind the sofa, artefacts made of coconut shells arranged in dainty black metal frames quietly draw attention. This installation is something the south Indian couple proudly flaunts and immensely thanks Swati for. “Even though they wanted a home that reflected their current development and status, these little musings reminiscent of their hometown, quickly occupied a corner in their hearts,” the designer tells us.

The serenity of the living area is offset by the rustic charm of the combined kitchen and dining area. A raw-looking, unfinished garden bench underneath playful Channapatna lights makes for a cheery dining ensemble. The kitchen, flush with printed backsplash tiles and brass details like cabinetry handles, matches the dining area’s offbeat charm. 

The master bedroom’s most striking feature is the green ceiling-to-floor wardrobe finished with brass hardware. Bracketed by a niche window on one side and the wardrobe on the other, a compact study nook functions as a work-from-home desk for the husband. The fluted details on the desk beautifully amplify the softness of the room. 

The guest bedroom, where the couple’s parents stay when they visit, is awash in a swanky yet grounded outlook. A large accent chair, brought from their old home and reupholstered, hints that the room is all about relaxation and resting. 

The children’s bedroom, too, makes use of beds from the old home. Lodged between two single beds is a vintage-looking chest of drawers that takes the aesthetic a notch higher. What’s most innovative about this room are the blackboard-finished walls that provide the children room for creativity and learning, simultaneously. 

The civil intervention

“Originally, the dining area was not fused with the kitchen and was a separate space facing the balcony,” reveals Swati. “But the moment I stepped in, I knew the potential of the space and wanted to give it a more fulfilling function than being a dining area.” Courtesy of her intervention, the space is now a patio-like area that overlooks the timber-laden balcony, and is perfect for a tranquil evening filled with silence and tea. 

This home remains a witness to how a client can be coaxed to meet with a designer midway. All that is needed is a little gusto, the willingness to go the extra mile with a dash of unwavering perseverance, and the result is a project that makes both the residents and designer happy!

Fact file

Project: Under the Palms
Location: Bengaluru
Area: 2,000 sq ft
Principal designer: Swati Seeran