Guardian of Identities

This Contemporary Pune home designed by Alkove-Design, weaves a kaleidoscope of identities- Indian and global, through adaptive processes of design. 

Text by Rama Raghavan

The world continues to shrink by the day with communications across distant geographies becoming something of a norm. Design firms too have adapted to this new normal. Alkove-Design, for their project of designing a 4-BHK home in Pune, embraced the challenge of adopting purely remote means of communication right from inception to handover, with their Australia-based Indian clients, the Pachares.

“The design process was extremely unique since all the back-and-forth interaction with our clients was remote through WhatsApp messages and video calls to Australia. Right from discussing concepts, to material selections and site decisions. Despite this, the process was smooth since channels of communication were seamless and open.” cheerfully adds Ninada, Principal architect at Alkove. The client brief was simple. The couple had a global outlook and wished for a contemporary home that was serene and peaceful- to ensure relaxed, extended getaways in India. 

For the Pachares, “Home” has multiple meanings. It encompasses sentiments that are a memory jigsaw of places and people. They grew up in India and eventually moved to and settled in Australia. It is this mixed bag of their experiences that they wished to encapsulate in their new abode, cherishing memories of time spent in both these countries. The designers set out in their task of picking design details, colour palettes and gestures that could conjure a contemporary oasis for the family.

Vibrance of the blazing scarlet welcomes visitors in the entrance lobby, as they pause and admire reflections from an arched- window mirror.

The spacious home with an area of 2800 sft  is a combination of pastels and colour pops to create a layered ambience. One that brings together the vibrance of Indian colour palettes in social zones, mellowing down to subtle hues of tranquillity in the resting areas. The entrance lobby of the home, in a blazing scarlet, welcomes the visitor with reflections from an arched window mirror. As one enters the living room, royal-blue accent walls create an atmosphere of congeniality, just as the glowing orange of the setting sun reflects off of wall-mounted pebble mirrors, bathing the entire space in soft, golden light.

The living area is set aglow in gold, ideal for contemplation, as the crimson sky in the horizon seeps into the space through the west. The hanging light from Tiswa glimmers, while the cherry red abstract art emits tones that add further warmth. A midnight blue diwan from Tianu offsets the warm tones. Cane furniture in the balcony from Cane concept, Nagaland, reminds one of simpler times.

Indigo accent walls contrast against the pleasant taupes and whites, as the pebble mirrors in the dining area reflect light to enliven the space.

The living area becomes a setting to reminisce sojourns, as a display case in an off-white with collected memorabilia comes to spotlight against the royal indigo.

Striated mouldings add gentle mannerisms to the accent walls, while abstract art pieces created by the 4-year-old granddaughter become highlight conversational pieces as one enters the lobby towards the resting areas.

The Dining Area carries elements from Australia in the form of aboriginal art that add nuanced detail, their primitive flavours resonating with the neolithic, unfinished stone table top of the dining set. From here, one transitions to a pristine white kitchen- segregated, yet connected through a porous sliding door. The Kitchen is meant to cater to a food connoisseur- Mrs Pachare, providing a sanctuary for her gourmet culinary experiments. Wrapped in the Calcutta Lux striated stone finish, the kitchen personifies elegance in white and greys.

The nuanced Australian aboriginal artwork converses with the neolithic stone-finish tabletop of the dining, adding depth with primal aesthetics.

The Kitchen segregated with an engaging patterned sliding, glows in warm light in transition to the elegant dining space accented with indigo.

A white and grey Kitchen wrapped in elegant Calcutta Lux stone finish becomes a culinary sanctuary for gourmet experiments. 

The show stopper of the home, the entertainment lounge, is the most striking of all spaces. The clients wished to have the room resonate a certain quality of “Indianness”, that the designers translated through exuberant colour palettes of reds and yellows and exquisite Rajasthani craftsmanship. A vibrant S.H. Raza re-creation done in-house by the Alkove team, planned as a surprise gift to the client, splashes across the shutters of a built-in unit, adding a layered dimension of painted emotions. Several pieces of finely detailed, handcrafted furniture were sourced from Jaipur, while a recliner sofa that exudes regality is inspired by traditional Maharashtrian Peshwai-era furniture.

The entertainment lounge emanates tones of Indian symphonies through the use of exuberant colours and exquisite craftsmanship. A wooden centre table and peshwai-style recliner are handcrafted and sourced from Jaipur.

Pops of colours add the feel of a movie set, with a retro-themed hanging dome-light resonating cinematic nostalgia. 

The study room is planned as a workspace, hobby area and a reading lounge. Organised work-stations for the couple along with bookshelves and a pull-up desk for hobbies like painting or embroidery, all feature in a soft oak palette. A lime-green recliner from Tianu becomes an ideal reading spot. The focal point of the study comes from the Bindu- energies gathered through the re-creation of a vivid Raza painting by an architect at Alkove- Rutuja Ravindrakumar. 

Dynamic art, a re-creation of an S.H. Raza painting brings a punch of energy to the otherwise understated study area.

The home library in a graceful oak is meticulously designed to double up as a hobby area. An elegant black Kalakari Haat wallpaper becomes the backdrop for the pull-up desk, and  brings an atmosphere of creative energy. A Teal recliner from Tianu beckons one to relax and pause. 

Variations of browns and beige form a classic combination to make for a suave and sophisticated wash room attached to the study.

The bedrooms personify placidity with serene pastels. While their son’s room that doubles up as a guest bedroom breathes refreshing tones of tea green and mauve, the master bedroom wraps itself in poise with beige and pastel turquoise. Chic furniture from Tianu, select art pieces, moulding gestures, and soft patterned wallpapers add another layer of detail to the bedrooms. Both spaces bathe in golden light during sunsets, that filter in through sheer curtains, adding an ethereal character to the resting spaces. 

Tones of tea-green swaddle the guest bedroom in restful repose. An abstract painting by an Alkove architect- Rutuja Ravindrakumar adds poetic beauty amidst refreshing palettes.

A sanctuary in mauve and tea- green where time pauses, and repose takes over. The subtle golden wallpaper with grooving adds a comforting backdrop to the soulful den.

A soothing combination of serene greens and gentle oak engulf the resting space in a dreamy atmosphere. The recliner from Tianu becomes a spot to pause, read or reflect. 

The master bedroom invites the inhabitant to pause, and rest, as muted tones of pastel turquoise and off-whites wrap the space in meditative bliss. The swanky reclining chairs from Tianu are chic additions to the space. 

A blend of minimal tones and delicate wall mouldings render a vintage charm to the master bedroom. A contemporary-styled console is a deviation with its circular pattern, while a dynamic knife painting of the fiery King Protea flower adds a hint of passion amidst the pastels. 

“The handover of the project was a deeply emotional moment. When the clients stepped into their completed home physically for the first time, and we saw their eyes glistening with tears of joy, overwhelmed with the end results, that was the most unforgettable memory for us. It is moments like these that make our creative profession so gratifying.”, fondly reminisces Komal, Principal architect at Alkove. The home melds into an intangible emotion, that which remains immeasurable and can only be experienced through habitation. It silently takes shape as the guardian of layered identities.