Luxury apartment, Mumbai

The Agarwal residence is a very modern Indian home with a play in white and neutral shades. The entire family has a devout belief in Lord Krishna and are devout ISKON followers and in keeping with tradition, have numerous gatherings with large groups various times through the year. Blending this contrast of traditional systems along with a modern minimalist brief was a challenge for the studio. Natural beauty of various materials like stone, wood, metal is enhanced with natural light filtering through windows on two sides. White Lhasa marble flooring brings a soft glow to entire space and also forms subtle backdrop for minimal intricate Italian furniture.

The living room is divided into 3 functions – the seating space, the dining area and the temple area, keeping areas free for re-distribution of the furniture to accommodate frequent gatherings of family and friends. The textures in the living room are subtle in colour yet draw your eye from the time you enter the apartment due to selection of materials with 3 dimensional surfaces. Whether it is the GRC hexagonal pattern forming backdrop of seating space, the MDF CNC cut panel, the marble CNC cut panel near the temple or the metal frames separating the living and the AV room and the kitchen, each element draws your attention without overpowering the calmness and harmony of the room.

Each bedroom is designed specifically for the user, incorporating personal aesthetics and quirks of personality, making each room very individual in nature. While the daughters’ bedrooms have a very playful and youthful vibe, the modern theme runs seamless even through the master bedroom and guest room.

The juxtaposition of very different materials creates for frames which highlight the material and contrasts in textures and the nature of the material. The sophisticated warmth of wood against the rustic white bricks or shiny metal along with white marble just adds to an enrichment of details. The play of grooves in a singular surface also adds to the beauty of the surface, which adding a separate element. This helps in making the spaces feel larger due to lack of clutter in the design.

The Agarwal residence is a modern home with vibrant details spread across the house and each play in detail highlights the simplicity of the design and enriches the space without overwhelming and making it very cluttered. As Da Vinci said, ‘Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication’.