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    A lyrical dialogue of modernity is this Ahmedabad home by Veeram Shah of Design Ni Dukaan

    JAN 11, 2022 | By Pratishtha Rana
    The curvy staircase faces the cocooned mandir creating a sense of utility that fuses with a certain unspoken mystery; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala and styled by Saniya Tadha
    The staircase is ideated in a way so as to avoid any perfect curve or an intention to craft anything other than its function; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala
    The floor adorns a rug by Jaipur Rugs and pops of colour here and there that complement the earthy palette overall; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala
    The lower floor is a joyous hub for family and friends to socialise while revelling in the statment interior elements around; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala
    From the staircase to the mandir and towards the drawing room, every step of the way is seamlessly connected; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala
    A lounge area that is recreational and multifunctional with minimal arrangement of furniture; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala
    With arresting views of the sky and outdoors, the lounge area becomes one of the most alluring zones in the home to spend leisure and work hours at; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala
    Eye-catching artefacts and decor pieces find a cosy but conspicuous corner in the lounge area; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala
    The guest bedroom is draped in a combination of green and warm wood; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala
    The clutter-free study room makes for a befitting space to gather thoughts and bring out creativity; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala
    The parent's room models a neutral palette. The cupboard’s large volumes are finished in lime plaster adding an earthy feel to the space; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala
    Hues of indigo make up most of the son's bedroom moodboard; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala
    The daughter's bedroom has a rather unconventional layout but even so magnificent. A combination of wooden sections with grey lime plaster, brass details seeks attention too; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

    Before the grey concrete, textured bricks and suchlike materials transpire into a cosy dwelling called home, the very foundation of the space and its unfinished corners breathe myriad ideas and possibilities of bringing alive designs and interiors that fit the lifestyle of its dwellers like perfect pieces of a puzzle. 

    Anchored on a similar tenet is this majestic home in Ahmedabad, Gujarat that precisely unravels a transfixing journey of imperfection to perfection, candid to composed and earthy to elegant. 

    Dubbed The Terracotta House, the project is authored by architect Veeram Shah of the multidisciplinary design studio Design Ni Dukaan and styled by Saniya Tadha. Stretching an ambit of 9,600 sq ft across two floors, the home celebrates creativity, smart planning and functionality while staying a step ahead of trends.

    The lower floor entails a conversation-igniting staircase, a mandir that looks to the drawing room, dining and other areas adjacently; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala and  styled by Saniya Tadha

     

    The staircase is not just for the footsteps to trek up but for the creative souls to take a halt and cnuggle up in that cosy waiting zone underneath the stairs; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

    Shah was first introduced with the space over three years ago, when the structure stood without brick infills. The brief for the home was to convert the dual floors into three master suites, study room, guest room and a spacious family lounge along with sections of subsidiary areas.

    Shah elaborates, “When we put the plans on the drawing board, we got rid of all the unnecessary walls.” He adds, “The luxury of having two floors to fit in functional requirements gave us the liberty to expand the utility areas like kitchen and dresser units.”

    The staircase leads to the upper floor while revealing a journey in itself decked with a mural-chandelier installation; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

     

    Facing the staircase, the mandir is as novel as any other corner of this home with a rolling shutter that opens and shuts flexibly; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

    For Shah, an imperative aspect of birthing a home to perfection is to make the space bereft of beams and columns jutting out, even before the furniture and decor comes into picture.

    Swathed with layers of warmth and aesthetics, this resplendent residence leads into the entrance marked by two defining entities of the space—a statuesque staircase, a waiting zone and a neoteric mandir designed into a splendid cocoon that closes and unveils as required.

    The dining area on the lower level brims with a delightful colour plaette and use of wood work; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

     

    A departure from the use of brass, the kitchen fashions usage of rose gold finishes to complement the woman of the house; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

    Sauntering into the lower floor of The Terracotta House, one witnesses a design-forward yet unhurried tenor of the public space that encompasses a kitchen, dining, drawing area, guest room, a study, parent’s room, the waiting zone and a mandir.

    Treading to the upper floor, a prominent section of the stairs is bedecked with a svelte, curvy mural-chandelier custom designed in-house, inspired by the works of Brazilian architect-artist Burle Marx. 

    Modern but mellow, the lounge is where family spends hours socialising; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

    Next, a private space unfolds, holding a large family space with a hidden pantry, master suite and rooms for the son and daughter. The one common element is the private balcony enjoyed by both the floors of the home.

    The guest room is arranged with an elegant earth green hue along with woven details in textiles; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

    While one absorbs the vast sea of detailing and exemplary design elements, an unmissable question surfaces—why the name ‘The Terracotta House’? Shah muses, “It is because of the overall palette being so earthy that is all closely related to the colors and materials of earth.”

    The mandir is cocooned inside the wooden shutters; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

    On the journey towards achieving results better than yesterday, Shah likes to challenge himself by manifesting concepts that go beyond the extraordinary. For instance, the staircase in this home doesnt feature measurable curves, which is why, “To make the delicate brass railing we made moulds in various sections of the staircase and hand bent it on site.”

    Similarly, the rolling shutters of the mandir models a custom-made bearing mechanism that slides 75 sections of wood on hinges on ellipsoidal tracks. Every moment of creating here has been laced with novelty and techniques that elevate the entire look and mood of the dwelling.

    The son’s room enjoys hues of indigo and beautiful textile details; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

     

    The daughter’s bedroom has functionality laced in with aesthetics of breezy tones of turquoise; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

    The architect doesn’t believe in establishing his design practises based on scale. Weaving everyday inspirations from literature, art and cinema, Shah creates homes that speak a unique vocabulary fused with preferences of the home owner. Pronouncing nuances of this home, he says, “While every room and section are based on various colors, textiles, finishes as per the wants of the user, there is a certain earthiness and continuity in the materials that bind all the spaces together into a home.”

    Scroll down to catch more glimpses of this spectacular space…

    Just like other spaces, the master bedroom is marked by multiutility. Two rooms were merged to birth this space. Here. the side tables double up as a console for the entrance; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

     

    A restful nook is arranged in the master bedroom with brass detailing; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

     

    The parent’s room pursues a neutral but neat colour palette with every element of tapestry, textiles, furnishings, and furniture custom-made to render a sense of harmony in the volume; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

     

    The pre-existing kitchen was broken down to create a more roomy, open space for culinary and creative practises; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

     

    Steeped in unmissable details, the dining area exhibits murals designed as forms deconstructed from the Ghats of Mathura and Brindaban; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

     

    The parent’s bedroom is a homely sanctuary of sober tones, warmth of wood and modernity of fabrics and textiles; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

    Collected a ton of home inspiration from The Terracotta House, then you must check out this home by Minnie Bhatt that uses canes, wood and colours in abundance