It folds, flows and feels like home

Hipcouch lends calm and rhythm to a Bengaluru home

10 Apr 2025

Stillness. The word evokes countless visuals. Of places and moments, where slowing down and quiet pauses win over everything else. Often the charm of such a pace lies in between our routines of shuffling pages of morning newspapers, murmurs of the post-lunch walks and the aroma of later afternoon coffee breaks. This feeling is what Hipcouch set out to achieve inside a 2,500 sq ft apartment in Bengaluru. Balance is key here — composed, textural and attuned to the ebb of everyday life.

A room of requirements

The apartment’s calm begins with its bones: archways framed in teak, thresholds left wide to let one room melt into the next. In the living room, a micro-topped feature wall shapes the rhythm, morphing fluidly into open shelving, a breakfast counter that catches the warmth of morning light and a concealed passage that leads to the master bedroom.

“The theme can be described as Tranquil Modernity — an amalgam of contemporary elegance with organic, earthy elements.” — Ridhi Agarwal, Co-founder of Hipcouch

Designed as one fluid narrative, the living and dining space balances warmth and function tied together with organic materiality; Photography by Shamanth Patil

“The most challenging part of designing the house was the multipurpose room,” shares Ridhi Agarwal, Co-founder of Hipcouch alongside Parikshat Hemrajani. With overhead beams carving out the ceiling and vast openings framing views of the backyard, the space came with its own temperament. A mood board of everyday rituals layered with texture, aroma and a sense of ease. An oak-framed window invites the light to pool on a community table, while writing desks tucked into corners let ideas steep. A rain shower hums softly in the backdrop, cooling the senses, grounding the space.

Step in, slow down

“The theme can be described as Tranquil Modernity — an amalgam of contemporary elegance with organic, earthy elements,” adds Ridhi. Tucked away from the clang and call of Bengaluru, you enter the ground-level apartment through a beautifully crafted oak door.

At the foyer is a shoe rack crafted from a solid oak plank with cane shutters, your shoes slip off against cool stone and footsteps quieten by the grain of well-laid oak. Further ahead beyond the living room, a sandstone expanse strewn with crystalline veins catches the sun just right — casting shifting shadows that move across the floor like reflections in rippling water. The plush sofa is where the day begins to soften.

White oak sets the tone in this dining nook pairing natural materials with soft lighting by Oorja; Photography by Shamanth Patil

The living room is designed for slow living, featuring Jaipur Rugs, Oorja Lighting, Stonelife sandstone, Altrove furnishings, D’Decor fabrics, locally sourced white oak, Bangalore ceramic tiles, Norrysis switchboards, HMG Stones granite, and Kaipanee's microtopping; Photography by Shamanth Patil

Aesthetics with a purpose

The master bedroom sticks to this theme of warmth and detailed minimalism. Micro-topped walls here hold a soft, tactile warmth, while the oak veneer adds a grounded, familiar grain that’s easy on both eyes and hands. Again every element serves a purpose, a collapsible study table folds away with ease, letting the room breathe between moments of work and rest.

Reading lights embedded into the headboard take away from the traditional nightstands that clutter the space. The walk-in closet, veiled behind fluted glass panels, offers both elegance and discretion. Sunlight gushes in through floor-to-ceiling windows and as you step out, the basalt stone underfoot holds the day’s coolness.

In the guest bedroom form folds into function, quite literally. A murphy bed blends with the oak veneer wall, but it’s the sculptural study unit that quietly steals the spotlight (especially among the bookish lot), with its sleek suspended light and thoughtfully placed hooks that cradle books, bags or a well-loved satchel. In the kids’ room an L-shaped storage unit keeps clutter charmingly in check, while a Murphy bed folds away to reveal space for playtime. A cushioned ledge overlooking the water body offers stillness for study sessions and storytime.

Between a busy street and a quiet waterbody, this home does what Bengaluru rarely does — it waits, it breathes, it pauses.