Straight out of a Manhattan high-rise in Kolkata

This home by Ajay Arya of A Square Designs is a balance between two temperaments

30 Jan 2026

How do you meld glamour with minimalism? This home answers the question.

In the middle of Kolkata’s glorious, thrumming chaos sits a home that feels improbably composed, as though it has slipped in from another latitude. It looks like it belongs to a Manhattan high-rise, the kind with discreet doormen and an unspoken dress code. Sprawled across 5,000 sq ft, the home is designed by Ajay Arya, principal designer at A Square Designs, with a brief that resisted the obvious. “This Kolkata home’s material palette is a curated mix of rich, luxurious elements, including Portuguese marble, composite terrazzo, sculptural stones, bespoke wooden inlays and intricate glass screens,” reaffirms Ajay.

This was never meant to be a maximalist showpiece, nor a monkish exercise in prudence. Instead, it reflects the contrasting aesthetics of its homeowners: one’s glamorously social but warm demeanor and the other’s preference for sophistication and visual appeal. The home’s defining moment is the glass sunroof, which washes the 21-foot atrium in shifting daylight from dawn to dusk. Imagine Miranda Priestly walking in, pausing just long enough to approve of the design, then noticing the details. This pause matters here.

“This Kolkata home’s material palette is a curated mix of rich, luxurious elements, including Portuguese marble, composite terrazzo, sculptural stones, bespoke wooden inlays and intricate glass screens”

- Ajay Arya, Principal Designer at A Square Designs

An olive tree by Gomti adds an organic touch beside the sculptural pool table; Styling by Kunal Pratap Dass; Photography by Gokull Rao Kadam

Between two temperaments

In the foyer, a sculptural Calcutta Console from Arya’s Bengal Narrative Series punctuates the space, a nod to the city’s architectural lineage without lapsing into nostalgia. The living area houses furniture from Ochre At Home and rugs from Jaipur Rugs while art by Sunil Das hangs across the space. An olive tree by Gomti sits with poise, giving the living room a touch of groundedness. It eventually flows to the dining space inspired by Persian gardens. Here, graphic wall art converges with a series of miniature Persian carpets, intricately woven and suspended from the ceiling like floating tapestries. It is ornate, yes, but also playful: more Succession than Mughal court. It adds a sense of whimsy without disturbing the home’s composure.

The informal living area defined by furniture from Ochre At Home and White Domus, art by Jit Chowdhury and rug by Cocoon Fine Rugs; Styling by Kunal Pratap Dass; Photography by Gokull Rao Kadam

A detailed painting forms the backdrop to a thoughtfully set dining table; Styling by Kunal Pratap Dass; Photography by Gokull Rao Kadam

Calibrated glamour

The entertainment lounge effortlessly shifts gears, housing a state-of-the-art home theatre and pool table, equally suited to champagne-fuelled evenings and quiet nights in. But it’s the 21-foot atrium living space that lingers in memory. Capped by a clear glass sunroof, it draws the eye upward, where a jute artwork by Pran Gopal Ghosh traces the full vertical span causing the observer to let out an inevitable gasp. Ajay shaped the home as a sanctuary that absorbs the temperaments of its owners, allowing them to converse through the design like a well-written dialogue.