Do you think of exposed brick walls as a trendy mix of design minimalism and anti-fashion or just a cost-effective gimmick that is best left for the outdoors or a countryside kitchen? Decorating your den solely with nude walls can be an overkill that would make your grandmother swear off ever visiting again, but like in this gorgeous Ahmedabad home designed by Ankita Jain and Dhwanil Patel, the founders of ADHWA-architecture.interiors, the brick walls and exposed RCC are used as accents to pepper the decor across this three-storey home.
Ahmedabad Bungalow: Bare Necessities
The 5000-square-feet, joint family home is located on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, far away from the city. The plot is surrounded by lush green terrain that permeates the indoors given the house's open layout. The residence's main entrance is at the first floor adjoining the garden, while the ground floor comprises the parking and other indoor amenities. The triple-height foyer with glass slits, scatters wind and sun all over the house along with the glass skylight on the roof. “We used lines very carefully throughout the residence, in accordance with the slits that were present on the exterior. We used linear wooden profile lights in the exposed RCC corrugated sheets instead of having a false ceiling, making for an elegant lighting solution, while retaining the charm of the predefined design,” says Jain.
Ahmedabad Bungalow: Minimum Intervention
“The client emphasised on a home that is minimalistic, not too flashy or gaudy, but at the same time, not underwhelming either. We were commissioned to enhance the architectural elements earlier designed by a Rajkot-based architect,” Jain says as she lists the instructions that were given to her when she took up the project.
Ahmedabad Bungalow: Nuanced Approach
The basis of the design process was to build on the existing architecture. This included a hanging staircase, exposed RCC, brick, and Kota stone. The house is on a variety of levels, starting with the first floor. “We decided to retain the triple height in the foyer making this an excellent communicative space. To represent this aspect of the house, we made use of something we like to call a ‘deconstructed chandelier,' or hanging lights that have a clear presence on each level. The stairwell is also at a triple height and is open to all the rooms,” Jain describes.
Ahmedabad Bungalow: Personal Tastes
When it came to designing the bedrooms, each space had to be imagined separately owing to the different generations that lived in each. “In the master bedroom, we went with a more contemporary look and built it around the exposed brick. For the kid's bedroom, we added a pop of colour with minimalistic elements to create a lively and cheerful atmosphere. Finally, for the client's parents, we designed a room that is an ideal blend of contemporary and Indian aesthetics through a seating area with handmade tiles on the ceiling, as well as on the floor, along with an elegant tapestry with a traditional print for the seating area,” the architect says.
Ahmedabad Bungalow: Colourful Touches
An alcove library was tucked into the spare room ,created through an extension in the staircase. To add a pop of colour that breathed life into the bare shell walls, Jain decided to add patches of yellow on a variety of elements like the library, the railing of the staircase, and the courtyard.
