The contemporary house with a classic twist

Modern, edgy yet timeless— Check out this contemporary house with a classic twist
Every home has its character. It defines not only just the space but everyone inhabiting it. Hence, the brief for imagining this project was simple: Create a space with traditional roots but a contemporary ethos. Another facet that this studio tried to touch upon was reflecting the family’s association with education including the entrance sign of Goddess Saraswati, the deity of knowledge, in brass.
Two adjoining row houses have been carefully restructured and combined to accommodate a family of four. Throughout the house, there is a semblance of old meets new and a mood of timelessness is set with the designer's choice of light walls and floors combined with subtle ambient tones and accents. Let us delve deep into understanding how elements have been balanced for designing the landscape of every room, nook and corner of this house.
One of the first things you notice about the front yard, apart from the Saraswati welcome sign, is the beautiful balance of soft and hard skip textures with curvy lines to bring out harmony through the fluidity and softness of the space set in earthy tones. A kota floor and a stepped landscape give the entrance a holistic perspective.

The compound wall is designed with a white textured cement finish and terracotta jaali bricks allowing partial exterior vision.

The living room follows a mix of contemporary and traditional themes. There is a stark division (with a more modern formal seating and a conventional low seating incorporated with other elements) created in this space to bring out both these elements and then intercept them into a seamless structure.
The use of warm wooden tones gets highlighted against the light beige-coloured marble flooring. Since the windows are situated on the narrow ends of the elongated living room, the seating area is kept minimal with light walls to usher in loads of natural sunlight. The dark patterned veneer at the back of the television set complements perfectly well with the adjacent low seating with a wooden swing and a delicate wooden jaali partition placed next to it.
The temple is one of the most important aspects of the living room. Hence, it is built on an elevated floor to mark its significant position. The jaali partition with small hanging bells and wooden columns completes the ethnic look. The panelled mirror makes the area look spacious and rich.

Sleek, and clean with a horizontal line work - The kitchen gives off a modern, edgy yet very comfortable and easy look. The space is designed in shades of grey with a mix of pine wood cabinets with a light-coloured platform, which is an innovation in itself. But the masterpiece of this structure lies in its attractive and durable marble wash basin which was customised on-site hiding perfectly below the flight of stairs.
After the social areas on the ground floor, let us move to the upper floor where private areas, including bedrooms and study, of the family are housed. These can be accessed by a cosy wooden staircase.

The staircase leads to a small passage with designed flooring in Jaisalmer stone and G5 marble opening up to a spacious study. The overall appeal of the room is colourful, and playful with a touch of modernity.
The room is made to look light to the eyes with its long floating desk and multiple shelves on the wall. The aluminium profile sections and the linework followed in the design highlight the length of the space. White back-painted glass is used as a writing board which adds that edge to the space.

Best part about the study? It opens up on the terrace which is shaded by a beautiful, giant mango tree. The terrace has a wavy flooring pattern in the VIBGYOR combination which again interestingly lifts the space. The study room and a bedroom share the terrace.
As per the client’s taste, a contemporary theme with floating furniture in solid colours is created here. The bed is tucked into a side. To further create an illusion of space, the floating technique is used. For the uninitiated, it is referred to as a style where furniture is fixed on walls and does not touch the floor. This leads to the space looking lighter and bigger.

The highlight wall has moulded with turquoise blue colour and white wooden textured battens as a headboard. The bed has a unique geometrical design for its base. The low-level window forms a perfect sit-out to unwind after a long day. All the window and door frames are designed in white G5 marble adding a sleek look to the design. All the doors on the upper floor have ventilators ensuring light and ventilation to inner areas.
The second bedroom in the house has a combination of peach and white colours along with dark wood tones to blend with the rest of the house and also to suit the interest of the teenage daughter. The extended base of the bed adds a playful element to the bedroom. The small size of the bedroom is tackled with foldable furniture. The peach-coloured cushioned headboard reaching the ceiling adds a chic look to the bedroom. The cupboards with white back-painted glass shutters make the room look spacious.

Coming to the master bedroom is a classic design with a tall headboard and symmetrical wall panelling. One sees a combination of soft pattern and wallpaper at the head of the bed. Accents like textured batons add to the overall get-up of the room.

Not at an outset, but the baths add up to a very important facet of a house. All the bathrooms are designed with designer white base tiles. The common bathroom has a modern look highlighting the designer blue tile and the irregularly shaped mirror whereas the master bathroom has a minimal and clean look. The false ceiling with diffused light creates a relaxed atmosphere for bathing.
As mentioned before, this house is a perfect example of space created to house two different generations. While most of the details are contemporary, the look and feel of the project remain traditional.