Mumbai Houzz: A Minimalist Home Inspired by Dunes and Brutalism
Limited Edition Design Studio sets up cosy, intimate interiors with wooden accents, sandy surfaces and bold lighting
The homeowners asked Bhumika Patel and Chintan Patel, head designers and co-founders of Limited Edition Design Studio, to design a clean-lined, modest apartment with lots of storage space. “The homeowners entertain friends often and wanted a home with a warm and inviting ambience. However, they were open to experimenting with new design trends. Adhering to this brief, we designed an apartment inspired by sand dunes and brutalism – a home that was minimalist and intimate, yet utilitarian,” says Bhumika Patel.
Curves and arches on the ceiling and niches soften the angular lines and are reminiscent of traditional desert architecture.
Next to the arm chairs, a fluted cerise-pink bar unit and a green indoor plant inject a burst of vibrancy to the muted palette. A niche arch wall with shelves to display curios and a cluster of lamps above the bar unit draw visual interest.
Across from the bar unit is a wall-mounted circular mandir shuttered in metallic tones that merge with the overall interiors.
Behind the grey couch a brass counter demarcates the living and kitchen areas while maintaining a visual connect. The terrazzo backsplash in the kitchen brings in an interesting interplay of patterns and the brass breakfast island imbues subtle glamour to the understated design scheme.
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The rectangular open-plan kitchen also features a grey storage unit, a folding table and high chairs made of wood and metal. With its blocky appearance, the kitchen accentuates the brutalist style characterised by a deliberate plainness, monochromatic palette and utilitarian feel. The Nordic pendant light installation above the breakfast kitchen is by Hatsu Lights and the furniture from Kangaroo Furniture.
The passage from the kitchen leads to the bedroom. On the right is the powder room and on the left, the master bedroom.
An arched mirror with panels at the end of the corridor creates the illusion of expanse.
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In the master bedroom, muted curved walls behind the bed soften the decor. Pendant lights flanking the bed and recessed cove lights in the ceiling create a layered lighting scheme. Next to the window is an arched full-length mirror framed in black, which conceals storage behind it.
By the window the fluted wood cladding on the lintel continues as the shutter for a cupboard. Arched shutters finished in veneer on the wardrobes give continuity to the design narrative of arches and the use of the circle or its parts as a design element. It imbues a sense of warmth and offsets the cool grey flooring. The black niche shelves and cabinet handles break the monotony of browns.
“The master bathroom has a black framed custom mirror and matching basin,” says Bhumika Patel. The frame extends upwards to form an inverted archway, in the bottom of which the mirror rests. Nude tiles from Vardeco underpin the minimalist theme.
Read more:
Mumbai Houzz: Greys & Browns Create Drama in This Home
Mumbai Houzz: This Sun-Soaked Home Is an Oasis of Calm
Tell us:
What did you like most about this home? Tell us in Comments below.
Read more:
Mumbai Houzz: Greys & Browns Create Drama in This Home
Mumbai Houzz: This Sun-Soaked Home Is an Oasis of Calm
Tell us:
What did you like most about this home? Tell us in Comments below.
Who lives here: A family of three
Location: Mumbai, Maharashtra
Year built: 2021
Size: 60 square metres (650 square feet); 1 bedroom and 2 bathrooms
Interior design firm: Limited Edition Design Studio
Photos by Kuber Shah
“The home breaks away from the misconception that wall-to-ceiling coloured textures tend to create dark, gloomy spaces. Even though we have hardly used white surfaces, the apartment is bright and airy,” says Chintan Patel.
The main door opens into an open-plan living room which is swathed in natural light. The design narrative of the house is influenced by Brutalism, which is derived from the French term beton brut. The term literally means raw concrete. Across the apartment, the seemingly unfinished texture of the walls accentuates that rawness.
Wooden flooring juxtaposes the sandy textures of the walls, which are influenced by sand dunes. A grey couch and two arm chairs offer seating, while the geometrically patterned rug ties the look together. Track lights on the ceiling anchor the couch.
Carpet: Rug Republic; arm chairs: Blue Loft; sofa was custom-made; paint throughout the house: Asian Paints, ICA Paints and Colour Coats