Project Reveal – A Timeless Transitional Makeover! – Part I

Created by Vinithra Amarnathan on August 23, 2019

In most cases having a large space to work with is any designer’s dream. When I walked in to meet our clients who had just moved from Texas, US to Bangalore, I was struck by how large and massive the apartment was.

Larger even than a standard American home! That became our biggest challenge combined with the fact that it was a rental and the client had a relatively short term stay in Bangalore.

The idea of making this expansive apartment feel cozy and warm within the constraints of not being able to make any permanent changes, staying within a reasonable budget and focusing on adding pieces that the client is able to take back home was quite the challenge.

Added to that the fact that almost every piece had to be tailor made as most retail options would simply not cut the size requirements we had.

 

Shalawn and James wanted a home that was classic but with clean modern lines. Something that was vibrant yet understated. We used paint, soft furnishings, furniture and accessories here to make an impact. The home is punctuated with some beautiful art and color that bring in that vibrancy.

I was excited to work with the clear vision and thoughts they had and the effort they put into their home, no matter how temporary it may seem. I am so grateful I got the opportunity to work on this project.

Entryway

The entryway is a large space that opens into the formal living room. We wanted to make a bold impact here and at the same time be conscious of not bringing in oversized pieces that cannot fit elsewhere.

We painted one side of the entryway a dark charcoal to add some interest and visually recede and ground the space. A gold sunburst mirror and a custom made black and white bone inlay console bring sharp contrast.

On the other end we have a wood bench flanked by a David Mead print of the sun shining through the Grand Canyon. I love this piece with its bold colors and modern abstract feel!

We added a round jute rug to further define the space.

Before

After

 

Living Room

We already had a traditional leather sofa that the clients owned and added to it custom made oxford roll arm chairs in a soft peach. Now that might seem like an odd choice for a living room, but I loved the idea of a soft pastel to complement the bulk of the leather sofas.

We added a beautiful gray and white hand tufted wool rug to ground the space. The rug is heavy and bold on pattern but the colors are neutral which allows it to sit comfortably and balance the space out without letting the leather couches take over.

Before

After

What pulls this space together beautifully is a commissioned art piece by Gulrez Ali. We all loved the style of his art which embodies modern bold brushstrokes of color and the drip.

The colors in the piece with warm blues and whites and grays perfectly ties the room together and makes it feel cohesive.

While there was a lot of ceiling lighting, we wanted to add some accent lighting to bring in that coziness and warmth. Because it was a rental we couldn’t really add chandeliers or pendants. I opted for a standing chandelier lamp that adds a touch of traditional and perks up the corner.

On the other end of the large couch, we added a set of nesting tables and a beautiful pink glass lamp that’s one of my favorite pieces.

Dining Room

The dining room was massive and even after we planned to have an extra-large custom eight – seater dining table in solid wood and metal legs we felt the need to connect the dining and the living.

I love the metal leg detail we used here that brings in a touch of modern to the classic wood top dining table and sort of updates it.

Color has been the biggest tool we used to unify the space. The coral wall does a great job of connecting the living and the dining by picking on the art and the pastel peach tones of the chair.

We reframed some of the existing art that the clients already had that complement the colors of the space beautifully.

Before

After

We added custom made indigo chairs and a patterned rug that picks on all the colors but has an earthy neutral base that grounds the dining area.I think the rug brings together this space so well with its different kinds of wood, upholstery and the accent wall.

A cabinet for crockery and storage  and a metal framed cut work mirror add interest to the coral wall.

Family Room

We didn’t do much here except small changes like new window treatments, reupholstering the sectional to a lighter gray and a lovely striped fabric for the ottoman.

We replaced the country style dining table with a more modern game table for the family to hang out and play games on.

Some throw pillows and art on the walls tie it all in.

Before

After

If you thought color was the predominant story in this home, wait till you see the neutral and serene tone on tone master bedroom that we designed from scratch!

Stay tuned for that coming up next on the blog 🙂