The recipe of slow living brews at this Indian modern Bengaluru home by Studio KE Architects

Brewing the idea of slow living into a solid mood board, a three-bedroom home in Bengaluru becomes the cocoon-worthy cove for a couple and their two kids.

Principal designers Esha Tipnis and Karan Danda of Studio KE Architects imagined the home in their signature theme of SLOW — sustainable, local, organic and whole. “The key was to have archetypal and timeless design moves and interventions, encouraging more family time and moderated time spent on screens, while fostering individuality,” explains Esha.

The curious brief

While slow living and organic innuendos emerge as two of the main characters of the narrative, the space also discernibly lays out the family’s love for the moon, hence naming the home ‘Nelavanka’ (Telugu for crescent moon).

“The syncopation of geometric forms of the phases of the moon has influenced the lines and shapes of spatial elements as well as embellishments seen in the house,” reveals Esha.

Tour the Bengaluru home by Studio KE Architects

Spilling hints of calm and comfort throughout, the 1,550 sq ft residence opens up with the foyer leading indoors. A louvered shoe cabinet with inbuilt seating poses along with an eclipsed moon mirror.

The first sighting of the living room expresses a resounding symphony of simplistic, democratic and minimal design. Observe keenly, and one would find a TV set missing from the scene. The intention? To reduce screen time and foster more off-screen conversations.

The living, dining and open kitchen are separated with a retractable screen that can hide behind wood panelling and be revealed as required, designed to offer privacy and some visual outlet parallelly. Esha informs, amidst the dominating palette of minimalism, colour is ushered in through upholstery, accent pillows and art.

A striking mix of conventional and sculptural pieces of furniture find their spaces each, transpiring a balance between classic and statement.

Strolling towards the dining zone, a conspicuously textural canvas greets the eyes, with the ‘Snow Top’ dining table and ‘Bombay Brass’ chairs from Studio KE’s other vertical Fill In the Blanks (FITB) bordered by Stack credenza that doubles up as a serving platform and a crockery unit. A ‘Dala Horse’ rug by Bareeki and bespoke reclaimed wood lights further embellish the otherwise neutral area.

“The open kitchen design continues with the colour scheme of black and white with texture and hue introduced through the wood shutters, shelves and fluted panelling,” says Esha. The custom bar chair like many other decor accessories unveils itself as a subtle but discerning abstraction of the phases of the moon.

Enter the primary bedroom, and a splash of rustic, organic undertones paired with brass accents demand attention. Dark flooring lays juxtaposed with lighter material tones, that of rattan, wood, brass and so on. The room also hosts not one but two workspaces along with a laptop table titled Flamingo by FITB. 

Interpretation of the phases of the moon emerge yet again with ‘The Som’ painting by artist Bhavesh Davane, a brass installation and brass lights from LTBL. “While one of the corners houses a formal study desk, we found a way to have a more cosy and casual workspace overlooking the window,” Esha divulges.

A rather pronounced contrast to the whole understated and minimal interior grammar, the kids bedroom is all colours and vivid alongside a trundle bed with arch-nook headboard and attached study table. The colour scheme takes a leaf out of the kids’ love for Spiderman. The guest bedroom furnishes a clean, rustic appeal and is curated as a multifunctional space to host the couple’s parents and other family members who may visit regularly.

Ideas to bookmark – a clever material play!

Indian modernism with a constant touch of slow living wraps around this home. Moving away from any short-lived trends, a sense of timelessness is sewn in with materials such as locally sourced teakwood, brass, rattan and a rough tinted concrete texture.

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