With an idyllic location in the suburbs of the IT city, Bangalore, Bharath and Chandana’s spacious apartment offers a calm and serene retreat that’s far from the madding crowds. Their home is so peaceful, in fact, that the young couple prefers to stay indoors than venture out, even on a holiday!
When they started the search for an interior designer, Chandana and Bharath knew that their busy lives would not allow them the luxury of making décor decisions on their own. They also could not spare the time to visit the site every day and liaise with the workers themselves.
Chandana explains, “We had actually reached out to our friends to help us find carpenters to work on the interior of our home. But we found that the carpenters would take a much longer time than we would like. Plus, it would have required us to closely supervise and follow up with them. That’s when I decided to do some online research!” Her Google search led her to HomeLane, and their promise of delivering the desired outcome within 45 days helped to clinch the deal!
The couple’s brief to HomeLane designer Dheeraj was simple. They were looking for a clutter-free, minimalist environment that made the most of the lovely views across the cityscape. In response, Dheeraj created a home wrapped in a simple palette of black, white and browns, painting a design story that embodies understated elegance.
Walking into their lovely home, you are greeted by clean silhouettes, muted colours and beautifully functional spaces. Lighting is key here, and brings out evocative depth and soft reflections that highlight patterns and textures.
Here’s a glimpse into how the design of the Muthus’ home unfolded!
The living room explores Scandinavian interior influences, with an abundance of light and an airy ambience. Luxurious suede couches offer comfortable seating and allow the couple to unwind in the evenings in front of the television. The space opens out into a lovely balcony that boasts uninterrupted views of the city.
The simple entertainment unit features a long, glossy black counter with drawers below, against a backdrop of delicately veined, fine white Italian marble. Thin gold strips inset into the marble add an opulent touch. Continuing the glitzy theme are the delicate gold-tipped candle holders and gleaming golden vase, strategically positioned on the countertop.
Separating the living room from the dining space is a partition, finished in white marble and glossy black laminate, offering space to display carefully curated artefacts. Clean lines, a complete absence of unnecessary ornamentation, and a minimalistic muted design vocabulary help to achieve the perfect visual balance between the various décor elements in each space.
Functionality drives the design of this mostly white kitchen. Every corner is thoughtfully designed, and the pared-down detailing makes the spaces appear larger than they are. The emphasis is on horizontality, with deep and wide drawers and cabinets that add to the minimal aesthetic while offering ample space for the storage of larger utensils.
LED strip lights below the upper cabinets throw light on the counters during meal prep, while spotlights in the ceiling provide evenly consistent ambient lighting throughout the kitchen.
In keeping with the ‘less is more’ narrative, the upper cabinets are faced with glass shutters on thin aluminium frames that add both transparency and lightness. Warm yellow spotlights help to showcase Chandana’s collections of pretty ceramic mugs and glassware.
The second run of upper cabinets runs up to the ceiling on one side only, and helps to stash away seldom used kitchen items. Lift-up hinges allow easy access, and the handle-less cabinet shutters open up with just a soft touch.
Lustrous Italian marble in the backsplash adds a luxe touch and beautifully complements the white Quartz countertops. Corner L-shaped shelves are accessed through double-hinged glass shutters that open completely to offer easy reach. Large glass doors lead out to the wraparound balcony, with corner French windows that allow 360 degree sightlines and seamlessly bring the outdoors in. The designers have made a conscious decision to leave the expanse of glass curtain-free, maximising the panoramic views. This is the perfect spot from where to take in the city views, watching the world go by below!
Talking about their experience while finalising their bedroom interior, Bharath laughs, “We were quite demanding when working with the designer; we must have made changes to the design at least 10 to 15 times, including the wallpaper and other details!” Dheeraj’s patience has paid off—the delicate floral wallpaper perfectly complements the room.
Chandana is also all praise for the HomeLane team’s attention to detail. She says, “Dheeraj even collaborated with us late into the night, sometimes until 11 or 12 o’clock! It felt like I was working with a friend, I could freely give suggestions and tell him that I didn’t want something, and he would make modifications accordingly! It was all very easy.”
The strip lighting in the bedroom ceiling casts an enchanting glow, blending well with the drop pendant globes on either side of the bed. Sleek and sophisticated, the headboard is upholstered in soft beige and goes well with the matching linen bed covers.
Bharath and Chandana are not big fans of bringing work home, but there are evenings when it’s impossible to get away from the rigours of a corporate job. A work desk painted white sits snugly in a corner of the room, with just enough space for a laptop and work essentials.
“We were genuinely amazed by how quickly it all came together.” Chandana says, adding, “In just a week, we received a message that all the wardrobes were ready! And in terms of the finishing and the quality of the product, it was such a pleasant surprise that everything has come out so well.”
Octagonal side tables in a lacquered wood finish hold bedside essentials and add a touch of raw warmth to the bedroom décor.
The Aristo wardrobes are fitted with floor-to-ceiling mirrored sliding shutters that reflect the views from the balcony. Large mirrors placed across from the bed are completely contrary to Vastu principles, a fact that Chandana smilingly acknowledges. “Everybody in the family told us that no, you should not keep a mirror in the bedroom! But this design was one of our favourites, and we wanted to do this. We totally disregarded Vastu when we opted for this!”
And finally, when their relatives came for their housewarming, they were stunned. She says, “All they could say was, seriously! You’ve done so much with this house! It exceeded their expectations…and honestly, ours too!”
Are there any downsides to living in such a lovely home? Quite surprisingly, the answer is yes! “Even when we travel, we always end up comparing any place we visit to our home. This has, in fact, discouraged us from going out!” Chandana laughs. Bharath agrees, “Whenever we go on a trip and book a hotel, we can’t help but think that our house is so much better than this!”
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