Homes

Native to Vinithra Amarnathan’s design aesthetic, this south Bengaluru home exudes California chic

SEP 22, 2021 | By Ankita Rathod
The open plan kitchen was the only major structural change made to the home; Photographs by Shamanth Patil
Open bright and airy, the primary bedroom in this apartment has a beautiful understated chic aesthetic; Photographs by Shamanth Patil
The living area features a beautiful caramel leather mid century sofa against the oak built in cabinetry. The upholstered chairs are contrasted by classic mid century wood armchairs on the other end; Photographs by Shamanth Patil

Relaxed and laid back in its demeanour but at the same time beautifully nuanced and detailed—Vinithra Amarnathan from Weespaces creates an elevated space in south Bengaluru inspired by the California chic aesthetic.

 Spread across an approximate area of 3,200 sq ft, this apartment is home to a US return couple, their father and five-year-old daughter. “The clients reached out to us, just before the pandemic hit and were keen on working with a design team to bring home their laidback modern aesthetic,” shares founder Amarnathan.

 Blending California chic style with unexpected eclectic and colonial elements defines Amarnathan design aesthetic. Reflecting the same design philosophy, she highlights, “One of the key design elements in the home is the use of warm wood tones complemented by blacks and whites.” Further adding, “Warm wood peeks through in the walls and the furniture extensively while rest of the elements play a textural role. The palette is defined by ivory, grays, sage to olive tones and warmth from wood and leather in several places.”

The entryway is a well defined spot anchored by a waterfall console in oak finish and a jute rug. A large mirror and coat rack create a striking moment; Photographs by Shamanth Patil

 

The other end of the foyer has a beautiful built in mudroom in a earthy green tone with a seating nook accented by simple leather wall hooks; Photographs by Shamanth Patil

The apartment opens into a small but well-defined foyer area, styled with earthy elements. Highlighted by a simple waterfall console table clad in oak veneer and lit by a table lamp makes for an inviting cosy entrance. The mudroom on the opposite side, painted in shades of deep sage, complement the raw wood console that offers storage for all entryway essentials and a small bench seat accented with sharp leather strap hooks.

An oak veneer wrapped wall unit encompasses the width of the living room wall bringing in warmth and cohesiveness. A pastel tonal rug and a boucle inspired fabric upholstered chair bring in a soft contrast; Photographs by Shamanth Patil

 

The living room is peppered with hints of black and brass to bring in visual interest and contrast; Photographs by Shamanth Patil

The living area is layered in natural warm tones of oak, featuring distinct pieces of furniture in tones of ivory, gray and classic tan leather. Classic mid century forms inspired by clean lines are beautifully set on a pastel rug from Jaipur Rugs. The built-in wall of cabinetry draped in oak veneer houses a television and additional niches for display and books. A sharp cluster coffee table from Blue Loft offers contrast while a simple brass chandelier completes the space. 

The dining in the open plan features a beautiful oak finished dining table and upholstered chairs flanked by curve back arm chairs at the head. A natural wood and cane sideboard sits behind the table and adds much needed storage; Photographs by Shamanth Patil

 

Grounded by a jute rug the tone on tone feel of the dining brings in an airy California chic aesthetic. Oversized pendants add volume and sit afront the large tonal artwork; Photographs by Shamanth Patil

Set right next to the living, the dining area is punctuated by an oversized art print that brings in a California desert feel with muted earthy tones. Two voluminous ivory pendant lamps sit atop a simple oak finished dining table with upholstered chairs and classic bent wood head chairs. A natural wood and cane credenza adds to the much-needed storage in the dining area.

The kitchen is anchored by a beautiful island in the centre with glass pendants that retain the light airy look and warm leather strapped bar stools; Photographs by Shamanth Patil

 

The kitchen features a chevron grey wood tile flooring and a classic shiplap inspired ceiling; Photographs by Shamanth Patil

 

This kitchen corner with an apron sink and built in glass door cabinets brings an airy vibe with open shelves and brass sconces; Photographs by Shamanth Patil

The beautiful open kitchen completes the living and dining area, “We brought down the wall dividing the kitchen from the living and dining areas to create a large expansive open kitchen,” says Amarnathan. Incidentally, the kitchen was the most challenging aspect of the home, she adds, “Opening the space up to the living and dining areas meant it had to have flow with the rest of the spaces and its own identity. It was also important for us to ensure symmetry in the space without losing sight of functionality as this was one of the most important spaces for our client.” The kitchen now speaks to the living and dining area, which was perfect for the lady of the house who loves to cook and bake.

The guest bedroom vignette brings together warm wood against pale green walls accented by simple botanical prints and a wall sconce; Photographs by Shamanth Patil

 

Woven linen drapes add textural contrast in the guest bedroom occupied by the client’s father; Photographs by Shamanth Patil

The open balcony adjoining the living space has a beautiful wall mounted bar table, where one can sit with a drink and experience the views. As you walk into the foyer to the right is a well-appointed worship space, clad in custom Kolam inspired wallpaper that leads into the guest bedroom. The guest bedroom is designed in pastel shades of sage green accented by a warm walnut coloured bed and bedside tables. Botanical prints and wall sconces on one side and a wall mounted built-in desk and chair offers a functional spot to work or write. 

The home theater is a monochrome space dressed in black and white all over. A custom metal and glass partition brings in privacy and blocks off sound. A large built in L shaped desk runs the length and width of the room and features fluted black cabinetry. An Eames replica offers a spot to relax; Photographs by Shamanth Patil

Walking along the kitchen into the hallway, the apartment opens into the private spaces. “We converted the open family room into a home office for our clients,” reveals Amarnathan. The home office is separated by a custom metal and glass partition and continues the shiplap look ceiling detail from the kitchen. A large L shaped custom desk spans from one end of the room to the other. The desktop is made of black stained pinewood while the bottom shutters showcase a fluted front. The home office has a nook created with an Eames chair replica and an oversized pendant that makes for a perfect spot to sit down with a book and relax!

The kids bedroom brings in an unexpected character with its custom wallpapered ceiling. The mid century chandelier draws your eye up to the soft floral pattern. A custom built-in window seat brings in function as well as a space to relax! A rattan pendant accentuates the window seat; Photographs by Shamanth Patil

 

A lavender upholstered bed featuring white cabinetry in the kids’ room completes the space; Photographs by Shamanth Patil

“One of my favorite details in the home is the wallpapered ceiling in the kids room. We wanted to bring in a little bit of whimsy without having an overwhelming pattern. Adding an oversized floral pattern to the ceiling brought in a sense of scale to the otherwise small room,” says Amarnathan. Simple furniture, a mid century inspired chandelier juxtaposed with a lavender upholstered bed featuring white cabinetry completes the kids room.

The entry to the primary room featuring a Thibaut wallpaper in Moss and a metal wall piece; Photographs by Shamanth Patil

 

A circular shaped mirror is placed on the right side of the bed on the primary bedroom; Photographs by Shamanth Patil

 

The Thibaut wallpaper in Moss grounds this simple yet striking primary bedroom. Brass sconces from Bo Concept and a custom platform mid century teak bed sit pretty against the verdant textural landscape; Photographs by Shamanth Patil

 

The walk in closet is an all white space elevated with brass hardware and hints of warm wood tones; Photographs by Shamanth Patil

 

Bronze mosaic tile act as the backdrop for a simple brass mirror flanked by globe sconces in the primary bathroom; Photographs by Shamanth Patil

The primary bedroom features a Thibaut grasscloth wallpaper and a classic platform mid century bed. Brass sconces from Boconcept bring in a minimal touch to the space. A beautiful fluted wood and white dresser flanks the bedroom wall and leads into an all-white walk in closet. The wall opposite the bed houses the TV and a set of beautiful David Drost prints of the Grand Canyon. The bottom section offers a length of concealed storage for the couple. “We kept the bathroom simple by adding mosaic tiles in a bronze tone, a round brass mirror and simple brass sconces,” concludes Amarnathan.

If you liked this home, make sure you check out this stunning abode by Kavan Shah!