At Home and At Work

A physical expression of material and meaning

At Alkove-Design’s new home, architecture isn’t staged. It is lived, felt, and occasionally, best experienced barefoot. The entrance foyer welcomes with river-washed stone, its cold floors ripple like the surface of a quiet pond. “Walking barefoot on the natural Kota stone or feeling the lime-washed walls, they connect with how textures and tactility bring design to life,” muses Ninada.

The studio didn’t always breathe this way. It once lived a more confined narrative, its spaces locked into a linear rhythm, its light less generous. But under Komal and Ninada’s reimagining, the old partitions gave way, making room for a refined foyer, a pantry, two cabins, and a sunlit conference space. Fixed glazing above the new partitions now draws daylight deeper into the studio. What was once a tight grid of enclosed, isolated workstations expanded into a more collaborative, free-flowing spatial sequence.

Design follows intent

There’s more to Komal and Ninada’s shared vision that stretches beyond a fondness for lived-in homes. In the vendor discussion area, a timber grid frames the studio’s logo against lime-washed walls, offering hints of Alkove-Design’s ethos—material as memory, texture as narrative.

Following the pantry, the corridor unfolds, flanked by two cabins on either side — one designed as a workspace for the architects, the other for clients. At its far end, the conference room reveals itself in warm honey hues, thoughtfully divided. One-half anchors a ten-seater table for more formal gatherings, while a snug discussion nook by the window invites informal exchanges. The conference room also bears a visual marker of the studio’s facade, a strip of windows with movable lattice screens, a distinct spectacle that’s visible from the street below.

Rich materials and honest expressions

Woven rattan chairs settle easily into a veritable composition of natural textures while ceramic wall plates — earthen, sky-hued and gentle — grace muted walls, all of it reflecting the studio’s larger philosophy of celebrating artisanal detail. Komal Mittal emphasises, “A key facet of our studio’s design philosophy and a common thread across all our projects is our deep appreciation for craftsmanship and the spirit of collaboration. This is why we have sourced materials, art and artefacts from a range of skilled artists and vendors.”

Leaning into the tender design language of wood, lime, and sepia tones, the expansion wasn’t just about acquiring space, it unlocked an entirely new working dynamic between clients and architects. Conversations begin long before the formalities, with the stone underfoot, the timber overhead, the filtered light, all weaving their part into the dialogue. A rich tactile experience rooted in honest textures of natural materials, the studio becomes an invitation for those curious to understand their work.

Read more: Inspiration emerges through nuanced minimalism in this office by Polka House Interior Design