Ruby Residence | The Design Chapel | Mumbai
They say ‘Home is where the Heart is’, but in current times with the pandemic raging, the Home is where everything is. Today our homes have doubled up as our work spaces, as our gyms, playgrounds for our young ones, as (home) theatres on the weekends and Masterchef kitchens for all those with a flair for cooking. Homes have never been this important especially to people living in Metros with their entire lives revolving around this one space now. Designed by Preshita Shah Gupta of The Design Chapel, for a couple with a young son, the Ruby Residence unwittingly became the nucleus of their lives during the pandemic and in their own words, a house they enjoyed and cherished. A house, that made staying at home pleasurable and gratifying.
When the U.S return couple approached The Design Chapel to design their residence, we were told this is the 1st time they were investing in getting their house designed. Hence we decided from the get go that we need to make this house special for them, the way they have envisioned their future home would be.
For Preshita Shah Gupta, the principal designer of The Design Chapel this project has been an exercise in designing a house that becomes an extension of the client’s needs and personality. The design was meant to be tangible and expressive. Each space in the shared and private zones of the house pay homage to the end user’s preferences and lifestyle. Our intention was not to confer to trends but to create a design that can be germane for the space and can be timeless.
We stripped the entire house to its bare shell, breaking a few walls to modify the existing spaces and integrated an open kitchen and central free multifunctional space, mostly for the young son’s benefit. A space for him to play and to make his own. This space became flexible in nature, where it becomes the breakfast area in the mornings, a play area in the afternoons and an extension of the open kitchen and a bar counter during parties to mix and mingle with guests. We got rid of the existing floor tiles, redoing the flooring in a neutral grey and repurposed the common washroom to accommodate a decorative basin outside for ease of use. The blue and grey open kitchen with gold breakfast stools and a gold artwork makes the space more expansive and gives us space to make a wall of memories with framed family portraits.
The living room was kept airy and spacious with a foldable dining table so that it can be closed off when not in use and the space can be kept open for the son to run around. The entire living room is enveloped in muted tones of Grey with gold highlights that can be seen in the customized furniture, wallpaper, artefacts, loose furniture and light fixtures. A royal blue sofa, a pouf and dining chairs in the same blue becomes the focal point of the otherwise monotone living room. A beautiful blue floral rug with a white backdrop from D’décor binds the seating area together whereas a custom designed wood and glass sliding door separates the living room from the areas beyond.
By the window is the seating space with storage below enveloped in wooden paneling making it an ideal space by the window to have that early morning cup of coffee. Since the clients were very clear of not wanting a TV unit in the living room, we went ahead and made the long wall running through the length of the room, our piece de resistance. A bull skull with gold horns (a favorite of our clients) was framed in molding patti and mounted above the console with 2 custom designed tall units flanking it on either sides. A game of lights and shadow is played by the focus lights from the ceiling and makes the wall look more dramatic.
The master bedroom continues the color palette of grey, wood and blue used in the common areas and becomes an exercise in simplicity while designing. The columns protruding behind the bed back have been hidden behind the colossal paneling that scales the wall creating a sense of gravitas. A full height mirror adjacent the bed and side table creates an illusion of increased scale and the wardrobes in grey follows the grooving of the paneling for homogeneity.
A shelving niche in blue and the headboard adds that pop of color and ties the entire room together. It was very important for us to use clean design details and make sure a coherent design language travels through the whole house. Addition of Japanese floral paintings with birds makes the wall come alive with color and pattern.
The kid’s room is the son’s territory with ample storage for his many toys and games. He was also given a sofa cum bed for when his grandmother and friends visit and stay over with a cozy window seating for his reading. A study table and small house shaped alcove (his safe space) have been integrated in the toy storage. Knowing that he is a fan of big trucks and tractors, trains and trailers, we made sure the wallpaper and the blinds include this as a reflection of his love for the big boy toys. In addition to the grey and the blue, we added a punch of yellow to brighten up his space.
Our idea was to make the tight spaces in the 2BHK look spacious and open by employing a uniform color palette which envelopes the entire house. This is punctuated with color in the form of art, upholstery and wallpaper. This made the house into a calming sanctuary where occupants feel relaxed and at ease while adding drama where needed. The lighting design here played a very prominent role in allowing the varied spaces come alive at different hours and in altering the mood of the house to the tune of the changing seasons.
So much of this project stems from the clients love of a particular color and material palette, certain artefacts that were important to them and hence were given a place of pride and their specific functional requirements accompanied by the Designer’s modern and artistic approach. This is an apartment with a beautiful blend of functionality, harmony and luxury.
The Design chapel followed a clear narrative from the start, of providing a modern urban home for the inhabitants that possess charm, congruence and warmth.
FACT FILE :
Project Name : The Ruby Residence
Studio Name : The Design Chapel
Principal Designer : Preshita Shah Gupta
Client’s Name : Mr. Shailendra Prajapati, Mrs Madhuram Harit
Design team : Preshita Shah Gupta, Kajal Kamath and Simran Agarwal
Project Location : Mumbai, India
Carpet Area : 900 sq. ft.
Project Year : 2020
Photography Credits : Biju Gopal, Bizou Photos
Text Credits : Preshita Shah Gupta
