The Contemporary Taupe | Spaxis Design | Vadodara
Sanjana Kantawala and Helly Shah of Spaxis design undertook a project of designing a home that felt like a warm embrace – a haven where you can relax and unwind! Aptly titled “The Contemporary Taupe,” this home is a tribute to the paradox of employing a variety of timeless materials, patterns and textures in a neutral palette to create a modern contemporary look.
“The idea behind this project was to make the home feel welcoming, modest and just a little bit offbeat. We wanted to experiment with the patterns, and see how even a little use of texture can break the monotony that the muted colours would otherwise bring. Playing with minimalistic Earthy colours and blending it with symmetric, clean patterns surely hits the brief,” they explained
The foyer is made interesting with the textured tiles and the reverse lighting that immediately shift focus to the display. Lord Ganesha – said to be the God who casts away any obstacles, is placed to ward off any negativity when people enter the house. This surely gives off very positive vibes and creates an environment of peace and contentment in the house.
The living room is a museum of greys and browns. The white walls, ceiling and the texture of the drapes along with the natural light coming in from the French windows results into the room looking warm and bright, without the overuse of colours. The Television is made the focal point in the room by adding a contrasting touch of close-knit wood paneling and reversed lighting. The center table breaks the monotony by adding an element of surprise with its shape and structure.
The dinning room is a testament of the saying “less is more.” The brick wall, that immediately catches your attention, is an extension of the exposed brick wall of the exterior of the house, whisking the interior and exterior together in a fine style.
What’s really interesting is the Italian Marble dining table and the wooden chairs, designed in-house by the Spaxisdesign team. The patterns are kept quirky by replacing the straight lines with soft curvatures, the colours chosen blends the bright white of the walls and the drapes, and the matte red of the bricks.
The Entertainment Room has an added splatter of colours that makes it lively and engaging. The room is tied-in with the rest of the house by having a neutral tone for the furniture and the same whitewashed walls. What’s distinct is the pop of colour that the muted sofa and the choicely cushions add to the ensemble. The wainscoting on the walls is another feature that adds texture to the room. The two-levelled TV unit and the elongated end of the sofa call out to the offbeat elements in the house. The overall feel of the room is snug and congenial.
With subdued colours of grey-cream-brown, the master bedroom is an oasis of calmness. The box-bed, the floating side table and the elongated headboard are surely an element of surprise. The vanity, with closely paneled wood and a matching table create the right ambience with the backlit mirror and the reverse lighting.
The sons’ room is designed keeping in mind the need of something that is more colourful and quirky. The soft pastel shade of the wall, with the matching bead-boarded headboard that’s broken by the bed-frame of a rich brown, and the eccentric wood paneling on the wall are all evidence of a design well executed. The different side-tables also add a punch of variety to the room.
The parents’ room, as per requirement of the client is kept minimal and modest. The colours are all soft and welcoming, with being just a shade darker and more contrasting from the colour scheme employed in the rest of the house.
Another masterpiece of furniture designed in-house is the bed and the harmonious side-tables. While they are simple in structure, they are surely rich in their wooden details. The zigzag pattern of the wood paneling gives the room a very timeless feel.
FACT FILE
Project Name : The Contemporary Taupe
Design Firm : Spaxis Design
Principal Designers : Sanjana Kantawala & Helly Shah
Project Category : Residential Interior Design
Project Execution by : Shaarda Interiors
Project Location : Vadodara, Gujarat
Project Size : 1900 Sq. Ft.
Project Status : Built
Photography Credits : Pixellus Photography
Text Credits : Khevana Dixit
