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    Away from the Bengaluru hullabaloo is this quaint residence by ma+rs that instills humility

    NOV 23, 2021 | By Kashish Kaushal
    Traditional Athangudi tiles resemble a carpet just before the balcony located next to the dining area. A Thangka painting hangs above the bar unit while hanging lights from The Purple Turtles, outdoor chairs and table from Ikea, India grabs attention; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

    Metropolitan city life has its own charms, whims and fancies. With the kind of fast-paced lives people live in these cities, everyone dreams of going back to a home that offers a break from the noise. A quiet, scenic reminiscence of the country life, this home in Bengaluru crafted by ma+rs is a conscious, warm and simple home with abundant use of natural materials and an earthy palette.

    Located in the heart of Bengaluru overlooking the Ulsoor lake, this 1,200 sq ft two-decade-old apartment was previously a compartmentalised and cramped three-bedroom arrangement. Principal architects Sabyasachi Routray and Anisha Menon with Indulekha Paul tore the walls down, opened up the space to bring in abundant natural light and converted the home into a bright two bedroom and studio setup.

    “The primary idea was to create a comfortable, calm and thoughtful space responding to the needs and lifestyle of the people living in it,” reveals Routray.

    Freedom Tree sofa and chairs, hanging light from The Purple Turtles and coffee table from SAR Design Studio perfectly blend into the living room colour palette; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

    Team ma+rs have made a conscious effort to steer clear of following any specific trends. While designing this home their aim was to create a protective, tranquil atmosphere that imparts warmth and keeps peace palpable. “Keeping this in mind we have created a timeless neo-traditional space, to which the couple can keep adding and subtracting over the years,” shares Menon. 

    Cement finish plaster for the window seat niche in the living room is the perfect reading nook with wall light from The Hesperus Store. Women descending from the sky by Tejubehan from TARA books artwork is a great conversation starter. Blindlove by Magari blinds add to the functionality of the space; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

    To achieve that, they seamlessly tied the space, materials, finishes and furniture with elements of Indian kaarigari or craftsmanship, depicting a virtue of humility. Extensive use of teak wood and rattan exudes a homely charm while brass accents, hardware and lights add a touch of indulgence to the otherwise grounded palette. 

    Fabric for chairs from Baro market, cushions from Altrove and Translate Ikat India and rug from Jaipur Rugs offer an evocative lesson on pairing contrasts with materials and textures that have a graceful look; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

    The walls are primarily white, with accents of smooth cement finish plaster in some areas. All the other colours, patterns and textures come in the form of upholstery, soft furnishings, fabrics, artefacts, artwork and the people themselves. 

    Tailor made dining table and chairs by Aanai Design Studio impart an old world charm to the dining area. Adding a touch of elegance are Heirloom Naga throw and cushions from Iqrup & Ritz; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

    A small foyer greets the visitors as the corridor leads them to the living area. Towards the left is the guest bedroom. The living-dining is a linear space with a small balcony attached almost at the centre to the left and on the right is where the kitchen is tucked along with small utility space. 

    Cement finish flooring in the dining area and the Thangka painting above the bar unit makes the occupants feel rooted while enjoying living a modern lifestyle; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

     

    The living-dining is a linear space with a small balcony attached almost at the centre that hosts chairs from The Purple turtles and Terracotta pots from Maati; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

    Walking straight from the living to dining leads to the studio space which has an attached private L-shaped balcony. Turning right just before the studio leads to the primary bedroom with an ensuite bathroom. 

    This passage from the studio to kitchen is done up with smooth cement finish plaster. A custom teak wood storage unit with rattan work from Bamboo pecker creates a dynamic look; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

     

    The kitchen has been treated as an element of pop with the addition of sage green, which creates an offset for the entire space to draw from; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

    The existing white Indian marble flooring has been retained and repolished, which has been kept constant in most areas, unifying the apartment and creating a muted base for all the other elements and materials to counterbalance. 

    Custom teak wood work table along with repolished and repainted work chair graces the studio. Hanging light from The Hesperus store illuminates the space; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

    “Since this is a home for a textile designer, we knew the importance of fabrics in her scheme of things and decided to keep the space understated. This has worked beautifully to offset all the various textures and patterns, which we brought in along with her in the form of fabrics,” further divulges Routray. 

    Hanging lights in the primary bedroom are custom made by Bamboopecker. Bed linen from Saphed, throw by Tangaliyan artisan from Kutch and rug from IKEA, India offer eye catchy details; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

     

    Bed and side tables in the primary bedroom are tailor made from teak wood by Aanai Design Studio against a smooth cement finish plaster bed back wall; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

    Needless to say, after a long hard working day at the office (probably stuck in traffic too), coming home to an apartment like this is a blessing in disguise. Trust ma+rs to make you feel at home, no matter which galaxy you live in!

    Scroll down to catch more glimpses of this space:

    Brass knobs and handles in the kitchen are from Studio Made while the bar chair is repolished and repainted post shopping from a thrift store. Terracotta pots from Maati and white piccolo tiles on the kitchen front and dado adds sophistication to the space; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

     

    Custom wardrobe with rattan work from Bamboopecker sandwiched between glass for shutters with custom teak wood handles adorns the primary bedroom; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

     

    Cement finish plaster above basin height and Cubit terrazzo tiles in the main bathroom creates a gorgeous and cosy, chic look; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

     

    The studio is separated from the living dining space physically with a teak wood and glass partition, with folding doors. The pots are the client Shambhavi Kothari’s creations; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

     

    Lounge chair from Baro India x Freedom Tree, ottoman from Opaque Studio, mirror from The Purple Turtles and rattan planter basket from The Kishkinda Trust magnify the brilliance of the primary bedroom; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

    If this earthy home reminds you of your roots make sure you check out this Kerala home by Evolving Radical Aesthetics!