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    Iram Sultan and Mohit Kansal engaged with Gautam Seth and Prateek Jain to create their gallery-esque home in the capital

    JAN 8, 2021 | By Sonia Dutt and Iram Sultan
    In Gautam Seth and Prateek Jain's Delhi home, a plush grey sofa from Apartment 9 pairs well with the monotonal, wall mounted artwork in the living room; Photographs by Tanuj Ahuja

    Serenity and textural interplay are the two defining features of this beautiful abode that the uber-talented cofounders of Klove Studio, Gautam Seth and Prateek Jain, call home. The three of us have been close friends for more years than we can count and I’m super thrilled to have played a small, supporting role in helping them design their residence.

    As designers, we are all rather restless and like changing how our spaces look, in tandem with how we are feeling. Gautam and Prateek wanted to add a new room and reconfigure some of the internal layouts along with giving the home a fresh look. This is where we stepped in. My partner in crime Mohit Kansal fashioned a lightweight structure, bringing in both ample space and light.

    Reinforcements were added to existing structures where needed. A new, spacious master bathroom was carved out and a skylight was fitted at the entrance of the home to flood it with daylight and create a courtyard-like setting.

    The TV room features a sofa in velvet fabric from Nirmals Furnishings, Khotan rug from The Carpet Cellar, a Klove Studio light with a straw skirt and wooden flooring from Span Floors; Photographs by Tanuj Ahuja

    The living room, with kitchen and dining areas on the left, follows after. From here, doors lead to the guest rooms, as well as the master suite, which comprises an entertainment room and the master bed and bath.

    An extravagant Klove Studio chandelier shines above the six seater dining table; Photographs by Tanuj Ahuja

    Both men had great clarity when it came to their wish list. We retained the partially prevalent Ita gold stone flooring, for its golden lustre, while oak was selected for the new sections. All the walls were painted in a chalky white organic paint by Nilaya.

    A pair of seagrass wall pieces and a ceramic artefact from Iceland, collected during the homeowner’s travels, are displayed on the right of Dayanita Singh artwork called Museum Bhavan; Photographs by Tanuj Ahuja

    Then it was down to the brass tacks. Textures, colours, fabrics, carpets, lights and the other little things that coalesce together to breathe life into spaces. All the materials have been chosen to resonate one simple thought—quiet beauty.

    One of the living room walls features a bespoke heart installation and table lamps by Klove Studio. Also seen are a Shilpa Gupta artwork on the adjacent wall and a carpet from Humming Haus; Photographs by Tanuj Ahuja

    The stellar art collection ranging from large works by Shilpa Gupta and Sehar Shah to poetic canvases by Biraaj Dodiya also alludes to the reigning aesthetic. This home is a black and white photograph augmented with hints of sepias, golds and greens. It whispers timeless elegance.

    Bold and subtly patterned bed linens from Shades of India contrast against the floor covering from Humming Haus in the master bedroom; Photographs by Tanuj Ahuja

    The bespoke jute and hemp carpets, linen upholstered sofas and brushed cotton velvet on the dining chairs are all tactile elements that encourage one to explore the home in different ways. Lights are obviously from Klove Studio.

    While the bespoke dining room chandelier grabs eyeballs, the serene display of hand blown Klove lights in a seagrass skirt in the guest bedroom is no less stunning. The conceptualisation and overall design of the space was certainly a combined effort. Gautam took the lead in some aspects and Prateek in others.

    If I had to pick my favourite accessories in the home, they’d have to be the ones collected by Prateek during his many travels. What I love most about this abode is its ambience. Peaceful, warm, welcoming, nuanced and oh-so-cosmopolitan—just like the beautiful duo who lives in it.

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