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    Subtle, serene and snatched—Project Crest by Chestnut Storeys artfully balances monochromatic moods

    OCT 4, 2021 | By Twinkle Tolani
    The blue of the Baxter sideboard, the brass filled inside the hand created cracks of the Bocadolobo coffee table, the suede and leather upholstered Fendi chair, and the neat pleating and detailed leg representing a thorny bush of the Koket sofa render the informal seating arrangement eclectic; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala
    The guest bedroom is flush with gold and beige tones. Bedding from Address Home and accessories from Souk complete the look of this room; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala
    The living area of the home is designed to accommodate a crowd of guests when necessary and provide a picturesque setting for family memories otherwise; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

    Project Crest, a four BHK apartment in Chennai, is marked by subtlety, simplicity and modernity. Designed by the principal architect of Chestnut Storeys—Farah Agarwal—the 3,800 sq ft apartment is home to a family of three.

    Neutral tones and sharp lines form the primary design elements of the design—a flashy colour or a soft-edged piece of furniture occasionally stirs interest. Each space in the home is touched upon by luxury and seamlessness.

    A narrow foyer bracketed by a black marble inlay flooring and wood-panelled ceiling perfectly hints at the style of the spaces to unfold. At the end of the passage, a wood-panelled wall connected with the ceiling forms the backdrop for a gorgeous circular marble console. 

    The entrance foyer is a long, narrow passage that welcomes visitors with a marble console juxtaposed against wooden panelling; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

     

    The passageway sports black marble inlays. The marble and metal console from
    Meriadini marks the turning point from the foyer into the passageway; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

     

    The living area’s simplicity is coupled with colourful elements such as the Baxter sideboard and the Porada dining table; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

     

    Grey Minotti single-seaters in the living room emanate a comfortably social vibe, encouraging interactions; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

    The foyer turns into another passage. The passage has two doors leading to a guest room and a worship area, before the entryway to the spatially generous living area. 

    The living area is a confluence of a formal and informal seating arrangement and a dining area. The entire space flaunts European furniture and accents of Indian origin. 

    Seamless combinations of European furniture with Indian artefacts is the central theme of Project Crest; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

     

    A yellow tiger artefact atop the Baxter sideboard is the most eye-catching accent in the space; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

     

    The Moooi chandelier brings in pattern play by projecting a reflection of concentric
    circles on the ceiling. An exquisite hand-painted Rugiano sideboard adds texture to the corner; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

     

    The wall adjacent to the dining set sports bespoke installations of metal and fibre by local fabricators; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

    As per the running theme, neutrals dominate the interiors in the living area. While the formal seating and dining area are doused in a subtle and crisp beige tone, the informal seating area speaks of a bolder and casual brown hue. 

    The red Porada dining table and the blue Baxter sideboard accentuating the informal seating area bring a dash of excitement into the space. The placement of the dining table in juxtaposition with wooden panelled and grey-toned walls amplifies its glamour.

    The door between the kitchen and dining area has a round glass cut out to allow light to come in; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

     

    The kitchen is sleek and modern in its design by Poggenpohl; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

     

    The entire composition has marble finishes in varying shades, exemplifying the theme of subtly breaking monotony; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

     

    A washroom flush in marble and gold accents is characteristic of design of Project Crest by Chestnut Storeys; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

    In the informal seating area, however, the sideboard is in tune with the brass filled, hand-created cracks of the Bocadolobo coffee table, the suede and leather upholstered Fendi chair, and the neat pleating and detailed leg of the Koket sofa.

    Adjacent to the dining area is a modern and well-finished kitchen from Poggenpohl. The separating door has a round glass cut that allows peaks between the space, assigning a cheeky character to the otherwise solid door.

    The wooden finish adds warmth and cosiness to the primary bedroom at this Chennai apartment; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

     

    The Fendi chair against the full-height windows constitute a perfect cosy corner for lazy winter mornings; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

     

    The sliding shutters of the walk-in wardrobe area are panelled with mirrors to induce spaciousness and expanse into the bedroom; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

     

    A wall-mounted study table in a corner of the guest bedroom oozes serenity; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

    The primary room is engulfed in wooden veneers—reminiscent of a wooden cabin during winters. The Arkitepo bed and full-sized window do just enough to support the aura. A modern Fendi chair, ideal for morning news readings, and mirror-finished sliding shutters of the walk-in closet add a pinch of grandeur to the humility of the room.

    Next, the guest room is straightforward yet impactful. A wooden frame Shake bed and leather backing impart to its characteristics. A quaint study table in the corner in line with the accessories brings in welcome contradictions.

    Bedding from Address Home and accessories from Souk bring out the best features in the guest bedroom; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

     

    The tropical printed chair from Desiree atop a circular grey rug adds a fresh look to the spare bedroom; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

     

    A simple study arrangement in the spare bedroom adds to the peacefulness of the space; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

    An extra treat in the form of a spare bedroom graces the home. A bespoke blue bed against an ivory panelled wall makes for a complacent match. The other walls clad with acrylic panels sync perfectly with a tropical printed chair from Desiree.

    The daughter’s room stands out from the rest of the house. Dictated by effeminate pink tones, the room is a cheat-code escape from neutrals. A colour-blocked Fendi bed and a pink-based Cole & Son wallpaper in the dressing corner establish dominance in the space. A gorgeous bookshelf from De Castelli and a butterfly chandelier from Ingo Maurer add balance.

    The greyish-blue bed headboard against the ivory panelled wall creates a modern and sophisticated vista. The printed cushions from Address home gives a break to the otherwise solid colour scheme; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

     

    The gorgeous bookshelf from De Castelli, and the Butterfly Chandelier from
    Ingo Maurer add quirky vibes to the daughter’s bedroom; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

     

    A pink base printed wallpaper from Cole & Son marks the dressing area of the daughter’s bedroom; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

    For Agarwal, the project was one of the least challenging ones from her portfolio. Easy-going clients and an understanding of their personalities made it uncomplicated to deliver a house befit for them. “The only challenging bit would be waiting for Italy to open up for furniture procurement owing to the pandemic, but that really wasn’t a challenge as we were all in it together”, concludes Agarwal.

    If you liked this eclectic home, do not miss out on this grand Manhattan home by Aamir Khandwala