The Contemporary Craftsman Apartment

Created by Vinithra Amarnathan on March 28, 2023

A 1400 sq ft apartment in a busy Bangalore suburb and a young family that was seeking a classic home for a refuge. Saini and Sampath are self-declared home bodies and they wanted a home that was comfortable, cozy, inspired by a traditional craftsman style within the trappings of a small city apartment.

We came in with a very clear brief and very engaged and very involved clients and what ensued was a design process filled with the best kind of collaborative energy and a shared vision to create something that felt transportive in nature.

Saini loved the classic and traditional feel of American Craftsman Homes and wanted to see those details interpreted in an updated way apt for modern day living with a young family! And we loved the idea of creating a warm cozy space for three!

The entire home is grounded with warm wood floors – a classic walnut tone herringbone for the main living areas and plank styled floors in oak and walnut tones through rest of the home.

Living/ Dining

The living room mimics a classic fireplace clad in red brick to create a warm focal point, crown moulding runs through the ceiling and a traditional English roll arm sofa and tufted back chairs frame the layout.

A lattice wood door conceals a cleverly placed laundry area next to the guest bathroom.

A board and batten wall runs the length of the wall from the entryway into the dining to create a beautiful banquet seat…. something that Saini wanted from the get go and one of my favorite features in the home in how it embodies the classic aesthetic and is also extremely functional in how it utilizes the space.

The banquet seat is flanked by a tall crockery cabinet for storage and a gallery wall atop grasscloth wallpaper that lines the wall!

Kitchen

The kitchen is possibly my favorite space in this home. In a very small footprint this kitchen needed to not just be uber functional for someone like Saini who loved to cook and bake, it also needed to be light and stylish!

A beautiful gray and white classic harlequin floor and soft ivory cabinets bring this classic kitchen to life. We designed it as a galley kitchen with one side functioning as a dry section complete with drawers and warm wood shelves for both storage and ample counter space for prepping!

Master Bedroom & Bathroom

The master bedroom and bathroom are decked in tones of grey and beige complemented with beautiful walnut veneer wardrobes and a vanity. A classic tufted back bed framed by vintage botanicals creates a calm serene vibe.

Study

The small study is wrapped in a warm shade of terracotta all over and creates a cozy inviting space for work and after hours.

Kidsroom

The kids room is bright airy and has soft details like a polka dot wallpaper behind the wardrobe, a painted arch background that frames a bench seat to create a small reading nook!

This home is such a warm classic space with every small nook thought through to fit the clients lifestyle and personalities.

We hope you enjoyed walking through this home!

All pictures shot by Nayan Soni.

The Midcentury meets Tropical Kochi pied-a-terre

Created by Vinithra Amarnathan on

Our clients are a family based in the US and connected with us after seeing some of our past work and resonating with it. They desired a clean modern home but one that brought in facets of their Indian heritage, color and art in a way that was intentional and curated.
Ajith a doctor based in California and his wife Indu an educator reached out to us in early 2021 to design their apartment in Kochi. It was a place meant for them to stay in during their travels back home and also as a home for their parents in Kerala to visit and use.
Ajith clearly loved the mid-century style and furniture that I personally love and use generously in our designs. From the get go we wanted to create a sharp modern classic mid-century aesthetic married with the modern tropical vibe that Kerala had. While the home is modern in its persona it beautifully integrates color, tropical patterns and art that’s so representative of its immediate surroundings.

The apartment is an approximately 2000 sq ft 3 bedroom apartment overlooking the beautiful Mangalvanam Bird Sanctuary situated on Marine Drive in Kochi.

Living & Dining

The apartment opens into a large L shaped living dining space that is a large multifunctional space that opens into a wraparound balcony overlooking the bird sanctuary and with lovely ocean views.

As you walk in a large mid-century credenza offers storage and doubles up as a landing strip and entry console. The entire wall spanning the entry and living area is panelled in beautiful oak wood and sets a beautiful mid-century tone to the space.

A dove gray classic mid-century sofa sits in the heart of the living room flanked by mustard velvet chairs and a geometric rug. A round marble top coffee table and 10ft long built in media unit round off the space. A nelson pendant replica over a small concrete corner table perks up the corner.

Anushka Kalro’s art of Indian jewel pieces offers a striking contrast to the oak walls.

The dining area is framed by a large live edge dining table and cane back chairs that hone in on the tropical modern feel and a large Shekhar Roy painting sits on the wall. On the opposite side a small Pooja clad in white brick wallpaper and vibrant kitschy Indian frames adds a burst of color.

Kitchen

The kitchen was changed from a closed kitchen to an open plan kitchen. A deep navy in the lower cabinets beautifully contrasts with the open top and natural wood shelves. The kitchen also contains a large sink and a complete pantry on the left that maximises storage.

A small bar counter separates the kitchen from the dining which also houses a fun bar nook clad in the same navy cabinetry and bold geometric tiles.

Master Bedroom

The master is beautifully situated in the corner of the apartment and faces on two sides into the bird sanctuary with a balcony. A deep blue fluted panelled headboard spans the length of the room and anchors the bed. Cane front bedside tables and a simple painted wardrobe with slat details elevate the space.

Guest Bedroom

Teak wardrobes, a classic modern cane back bed and a tropical patterned upholstered chairs make this small room come alive. A hint of blush on the walls complements the warm tones beautifully.

The other guest room is painted a tone of blue and features a wood bed and marble top bedside tables.

This home was designed as a space for the family to use upon their visits and by their parents and is very thoughtfully designed to use materials that are natural, durable and age well owing to the climate in Kerala and the nature of use. Breathable cotton and linen upholstery, cane/ rattan and wood are widely used in the home.

All pics – Justin Sebastian Photography