5+1 Peas In A Pod | KaMa Design Studio | Chandigarh, India
MODERN YET CONNECTED TO IT’S INDIAN ROOTS :
Set in the heart of Chandigarh, 5+1 Peas in a Pod is a contemporary dwelling for a family of five and a newborn. A calm and tranquil residence, the spaces are inspired by the diversities in the personalities of each resident but united by their common love for travel, food, ethnic culture, art and modern aesthetics.
The idea was to create spaces that flow seamlessly into one another. An open plan living and dining room merge into one another,ensuring enough room to host weekly dinners for large groups of friends and family. A puja room, set against the backdrop of palm trees, is segregated with printed flooring and a sliding-folding glass and fabric partition screen. A double height window forms the background for the mandir, adding an element of interest to the plain-white façade of the house.
THREE DISTINCTIVE PERSONALITIES, THREE DISTINCTIVE BEDROOMS
While the common areas of the house follow a white and blue theme inspired by the Cycladic island, the bedrooms are totally unique in terms of the design, materials, space organization and utility.
The Parent’s Bedroom features a classic red brick meets concrete design with teak wood-work. A sitting ledge against the window doubles up as a storage unit, combining form with function. A self-made resin art bedside table adorns the room keeping in mind the artistic sensibilities of the mother. A sacred lotus motif is carved in concrete panels on the bed back wall, symbolic of spirituality and purity.
The Daughter’s Bedroom is fresh as a dewy morning with tones of pastels and white to match her personality – an artist, an architect and a dreamer. A study nook has been created to be used as a perfect setting for creativity and imagination. Terrazzo flooring combined with an exposed concrete ceiling and aquirky wallpaper completes the room. “Staring at the wall” gets a whole new meaning with the botanical prints carried forward on the wardrobes and the bathroom niche.
The Brother’s Bedroom, on the other hand, is minimal, fuss-free and chic to accommodate a young couple and a newborn. A slider door-window opens up to the outdoor deck where the baby can play in a safe environment while the new parents can enjoy a moment of silence during the evenings. There are no corners to bump into and storages have been tucked away sneakily in every corner.
THE BASEMENT HOME OFFICES
Unlike most basements, the basement of this house has been flooded with daylight from a double height window which functions as a skylight. The basement houses a common reception and waiting area, an Architect’s design studio for the daughter, an eye and dental clinic for the father and daughter-in-law respectively, a cozy den for the brother, a powder room, a pantry and a storage room.
All the offices follow a uniform theme with lots of white to bounce off the light coming in from the light wells on both ends of the basement. This was done as a conscious decision to keep the interiors light as opposed to dark and dingy while also connecting the users to the open skies and lots of greenery.
FACT FILE
Project Name : 5+1 Peas In A Pod
Architect Firm : KaMa Design Studio
Principal Architect : Ar. Kashish Mahajan
Project Location : Chandigarh, India
Site Area : 2100 sq. ft.
Built Up Area : 1600 sq. ft. (Ground floor + Basement)
Completion : December 2020
Photographer Credits : Nakul Jain Photography
Wall Coverings : Nilaya by Asian paints