The Colour Cure Abode
This bijou apartment places a colour-doused palette and timeless design narratives at its nucleus to conjure a home for a young family in the residential hub of J.P. Nagar, Bangalore. An adept amalgamation of distinct yet complementary design styles, this home summons forth Mid-Century Modern, Eclecticism, French-Country, and Vintage Indian nuances with seamless grace whilst paying homage to the inhabitant family’s heritage that hails from Kerala. The exuberant yet reposed employment of colour channels an engaging and stated persona; each space replete with character in its own right and in complete harmony with the overruling identity of the residence.
Conceptualised and executed amidst the erratic lockdowns across November 2020 and March 2021, the Colour Cure Abode’s design scheme places a strong emphasis on creating a pragmatic home that hosts a collage of hues interwoven with a hearty dose of neutrals. The client brief focused pivotally on the moulding of a minimalist residence which also anchored a rustic and earthy sentiment, coupled with enlarged open and light-filled spaces that were reminiscent of capacious Kerala country homes.
Typology and Square Footage – 3-BHK Family Apartment, 1,455 Square Feet
Text Credit – Lavanya Chopra
Photography Credit – Nayan Soni
The welcome challenge at hand was to unite a plethora of spatial requirements with the blueprint and a budget-sensitive proposition. The original shell of the builder-grade apartment was resolved in sections to achieve a cohesive floor plan that was responsive to the needs of the family. The standard and often unsightly utility space in most urban apartments, in this case, has been converted into a breakfast nook that becomes an extension of the kitchen, the common bathroom has been tactfully fashioned into an inconspicuous utility cum laundry section and the conglomerate of communal spaces function uninterruptedly in the renewed spatial layout. The surrounding verdure witnessed from the large fenestrations and balconies is a persistent source of inspiration; doses of natural greens and serene colours bathe the home, blurring the boundaries amidst the indoors and outdoors.
The apartment opens into the heart of the layout with the absence of a formal foyer space that preludes the common spaces. A modern take on the classic telephone bench grounds the entry space whilst echoing the openness of the surrounding areas. Laden in warm wood tones and geometric-print upholstery, the entryway is dotted with a brass wire lamp and a rustic wood frame mirror that defines the space.
The adjoining living area is a vision doused in primary colours that are balanced elegantly against the umber tones. The prayer nook is composed of an open-leg semi-circular sleek console in cobalt blue crafted by Be Vintage under an ethereal ceramic portrait. The formal living is peppered with a play of vermillion and ochre seen in the spindled sofa and armchair respectively, adding just the quintessential amount of visual vigor that offsets the vintage charm of the wicker-shuttered credenza. The picture ledge crowning the living area has been stacked with a montage of dated prints that build on the demeanour. The fluted taupe television focal wall elongates the space visually, lending it an enhanced sense of volume wherein false ceilings have been steered clear of consciously.
The connected dining area is distinguished by the reeded wooden half wall that exudes material tangibility in the zone, welcoming a sense of added dimension. A towering sculptural indoor plant canopies the wooden dining ensemble which is completed elegantly with dining chairs by Solid Bench, illuminated by a brass and glass chandelier. Warm and inviting in its DNA, the space nods to impeccable craftsmanship and durability of materials from an era bygone whilst donning the cape of a modern aesthetic.
Ruled by pastel hues of teal, salmon pink, and grey, the open-plan kitchen is the beating heart of the home’s activity. A conversation-starter kudos to its sublime sensibility, the kitchen ties in idyllically with the larger communal fragments of the home. The L-layout of the kitchen is functional and the right circulatory fit for the space. The delectable candy hue-inspired highlight pastel tiles in the chimney segment have been laid in a herringbone style and juxtapose brilliantly against the crisp geometry of stacked white subway tiles across the backsplash. The light grey cabinetry dotted with brushed brass hardware culminates as a stack of open wooden shelves that hold culinary miscellanea. The kitchen flows into the quaint utility-turned-breakfast nook via an arched entrance and daylight streams into the kitchen through the suave black French window that steals views of the picturesque spot.
The passageway connecting the common areas to the private bedrooms is a transitionary space that is swathed in an antiquated grace. The objet d'art is the rescued rosewood and glass sliding door that cordons off the utility from the passageway. The amber glass pendants dot the axis of the corridor and introduce an interplay of sciography, complementing the wooden open shelves styled with bric-a-brac, brass wall sconces, and vintage trunk adorning the adjacent wall. The tall dark-stained bar case customised by Be Vintage at the threshold of the dining and passage section creates pliant circulation in these areas while hosting.
The ensuite master bedroom is a haven for the couple — dreamy, hewn with function, and laced with colour, the bedroom is effectively designed to a ‘T’. Accents of sage green, wood, salmon, brass, and blues dot the space gracefully. The pièce de résistance in the room was the preowned low bed around which the design scheme was devised; the sage green wall panelling has been created to host the bed against its lively presence, creating a visual of zen! The authentic Mid-Century Modern nightstands are topped off with brass sconces and hold between them the Japanese watercolour print of flowering cherry blossoms. The umpteen storage in the form of a dedicated wall of white wardrobes with beaded shutters is bookended by an arched teakwood mirror that amplifies the space’s volume and also functions as a minimalistic vanity nook. The statement Aanai Design Studio Ashwood dresser rests in the niche and is adorned with grooved, Moroccan fabric and sleek leg detailing. The bedroom is a custodian of a neoteric yet classically ingrained aura that speaks to the lifestyle of its users.
Beaming with a soft ivy green as the signature colour and suggestive of untainted old-world charm, the elderly mother’s bedroom makes for a tranquil sanctuary! The layout has been conceptualised around the creation of a tucked-in bay window that is sandwiched amidst two wardrobes veiled in the viridescent colour. The resting space is framed by a teakwood beading ledge detail against an elegant arched wicker headrest bed. A preowned classic trunk belonging to the inhabitant of the room masquerades as a nightstand and is paired with a sleek mirror and vintage art. The scarlet Moroccan rug, natural linens, and dainty florals are the harbingers of pattern and feminine panache that straddles timeless design.
The four-year-old’s bedroom is demure, engulfed in tonal play and a vivacious space for the youngest family member! A muted aubergine half-wall colour blocking wraps itself around the room’s perimeter, pairs pleasantly with the matte grey cabinetry, and washes over the ceiling with its homogenous presence. This room doubles up as a work from home nook for the couple and has come in handy throughout the lockdowns! A modern palette dictates the room’s design ethos and is echoed via the linear geometry, rug pattern, and choice of subdued colours and textures. The running wood desk leads up to the stacked cubby storage styled with personal knick-knacks and extends as a bench flanked by the wardrobe on one end. The choice of art, ergonomic furniture, and employment of hues harness the ability to evolve with the child’s changing needs.
This home affirms warmth, gravitas, and a contagiously happy rendezvous with colour; a dwelling that feels like an escape despite its urban context. A residence that bears its doors open to become a backdrop of memories for the folks that call it ‘home’.