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    In the lap of the outdoors — Houseof9Design concocts a modern Bengaluru home nostalgic of the tropical Kerala

    AUG 8, 2022 | By Pratishtha Rana
    The living room models Athen armchair and sofa by Magari, coffee table by The Purple Turtles, cushions from Good Earth, side table by HouseofThings and Jaipur Rugs carpet. Art by HR Das sourced from Iartgalleria, lighting by Olie and the console presents a Garuda sculpture by The Purple Turtles and sketch by JMS Mani; Photograph by Nayan Soni
    West Elm light over the island in the kitchen executed by Amber Kitchens in HSR, custom made dining table and chairs by Cane Boutique topped by a chandelier by The White Teak Company accompany the tropical painting by Roy John; Photograph by Nayan Soni
    The main bedroom for the grandparents features art by Artisera, The White Teak table lamps, bedding from Oma Home and rug by Jaipur Rugs; Photograph by Nayan Soni
    The bathroom in the grandparent’s bedroom is crafted with fittings from Hansgrohe and Villeroy & Boch, marble work by Marble Italia, Bangalore and tiles by Ceramique; Photograph by Nayan Soni
    The guest bedroom embraces a serene mood looking outdoors with a cosy bed and bedding from Cotton and Satins; Photograph by Nayan Soni
    The daughter’s bedroom plays on a subtle vibrant tone. A custom PU painted queen bed with soft bedding from Cotton and Satins and hanging lights by The Purple Turtles; Photograph by Nayan Soni
    The gorgeous family room is decked with rug by Jaipur Rugs, custom made sofa and coffee table by Cane Boutique; Photograph by Nayan Soni
    Chairs by Gulmohar Lane and side table by West Elm adds to the charm of the family room; Photograph by Nayan Soni

    Wouldn’t it be adventurous and rhapsodic if the space that you call home transports you to a mood of zen and nostalgia right when you set your foot in? 

    A glance at this Bengaluru home crafted by Nain Belliappa, Founder-Creative Director of Houseof9Design spills the secrets of concocting precisely that kind of a dwelling…modern in visuals with a traditional soul.

    houseof9design bengaluru home
    The living room is a vision of design and art with Claymen sculptures Envy Surpressor, vase by Oma Living, Athen armchair and sofa by Magari, coffee table by The Purple Turtles, cushions from Good Earth, Jaipur Rugs carpet and lighting by Olie; Photograph by Nayan Soni

    The curious brief

    Crafted with execution partners at Creative Geometry, the duplex sprawling a capacious 6,000 sq ft area, dubbed ‘Windmills of your Mind’ stands in the heart of Whitefield. A Total Environment flagship project, the four-bedroom home, as Nain describes, “We wanted the home to feel transportive in nature to their hometown Kerala and imbibe the vibe of modern city-style living.”

    The grand duplex opens up to a birds-eye view of a lake and lawn-roof villas with a sprucely curated landscape design guided by Navneet from Plants of the Shade.

    Tour every turn of the home

    Ambling into the foyer, rather spacious, the sight in focus is that of a beautiful Ganapati sculpture sitting with poise on the client’s old trunk delineated with an artwork on the wall by Ganapati Hegde. Marking an enrapturing entry, a mirror reflects the living area and garden deck. Nain says, “We sourced an old door through Studio Red Door and converted it into a large 6.6 feet mirror.”

    The foyer unveils a beautifully reused old trunk of the client paired with a Ganapati sculpture, art by Ganapati Hegde, custom made storage unit and an old door repurposed into a grand mirror; Photograph by Nayan Soni

    Delicately but dramatically struck with natural light, the double-height living room exemplifies volume in the most design-centric ways. Dripping warmth and a textured appeal, the white brick-clad wall romances with an array of colours seen on artworks, furnishings and the unmissable view of the green outdoors! Nain adds, “The custom-painted art piece by HR Das is the showstopper of the living room.” 

    The living room set up with Athen armchair and sofa by Magari, coffee table by The Purple Turtles, cushions from Good Earth, side table by HouseofThings and Jaipur Rugs carpet. Art by HR Das sourced from Iartgalleria, lighting by Olie; Photograph by Nayan Soni

    Next, an open plan dining and kitchen area await with a custom six-seater dining table, preceded by a traditionally chic Nandi bull installation by White Domus on the wall. Awash in minimal tones of white, grey and black, the space presents a finely balanced modern narrative. The culinary zone was executed by Amber Kitchens in HSR—the 10ft long island also leads to the outdoor deck, while making statement with Roy John painting trickling the glory of Kerala at every glance. Nain informs, “We worked on all the art in the home closely with IartGalleria where she spoke to each artist and curated artworks for the home.”

    The cosy, petite powder room translates into a moody environ with a delightful peony print wallpaper and a green vanity with a black stone sink and sleek gold fittings. 

    Kitchen executed by Amber Kitchens in HSR decked with West Elm light; Photograph by Nayan Soni

    Navigating further, the main bedroom is definitely not one to miss! Consuming spectacular views every second with access to the outdoor deck, the room models a subtle elegance. A custom teak and cane kind bed, nightstands and a carved study outline the space, while the oleographs of Raja Ravi Verma, Pichwai art by Artisera add a certain pull here. 

    Grandparent’s bedroom models Artisera art, The White Teak table lamps, bedding from Oma Home and rug by Jaipur Rugs; Photograph by Nayan Soni

    Reuse and redesign form the nexus of the many areas in the home, be it the old objects, floors, closet doors and so on. Nain divulges, “We re-used the floors given by the builder in the guest and master bedroom, the color didn’t match our aesthetic so we re-polished the floor to a darker stain and now it looks fabulous!”

    The master bathroom was reimagined, too, bringing true indulgence home in form of a jacuzzi-like bathtub and a black metal French glass shower cubicle.

    The master bathroom features marble veining with herringbone tile from Ceramique. Shower fittings by Hansgrohe and the WC and WB around the house are from Villeroy and Boch sourced from Ram Ceramics; Photograph by Nayan Soni

    Entering the primary bedroom, one would want to repose and sink into the design moodboard instantly, while enchanted with the views of the lake and villas outside. A Ventura Gallery bed in a cool oatmeal shade sits with plush bedding from Oma Home and artwork by Praveen Kumar, sourced from iartgalleria.

    Nain elaborates on the look of the 7-year old daughter’s bedroom, “The floral wallpaper adds a bit of charm to her room. We kept the space white and bright and re-painted the wardrobes to a shade of white, too.”

    Powder bathroom features herringbone subway white tile by Ceramique and a peony print wallpaper; Photograph by Nayan Soni

    Carving out a functional study room with finesse, Nain and her team embraced a moody, dark palette. The wall behind the custom study is panelled with fluted panels with open shelving designed in wood and metal.

    Ideas to bookmark – colours and materials

    Astutely curating an apt material library for this home then, Nain says, “The material palette is natural. We used a lot of teak wood, brick and rattan weave.”

    Eclectic yet very pronounced in its details. This Bengaluru duplex symbolises design that serves statement visuals and brings out the functions of every room equally well, too. Not to mention, the indoors paint a restful escape, trickling enjoyably to the outdoors and the scenic outdoors find a way back indoors just as seamlessly.

    Loved the Bengaluru home by Houseof9Design? Check out Houseof9Design imagines a Bengaluru home of nonchalant living amidst a buzzing city life