House of Niches
The focus of the design of this serene and vibrant home is on simplicity and comfort for the young couple inhabiting the home. House of Niches embodies the working professionals’ desire for a clutter-free and functional home..
A kit of design elements, including horizontal veneered ledges, fluted wall paneling, and veneered curved surfaces, was developed to create a cohesive design vocabulary throughout the home. These elements add depth, layering, and character to the spaces, while also providing opportunities for personal expression. The veneered ledges, in particular, allow inhabitants to curate & showcase their personal likings, making the space truly their own and, at the same time, animating the walls.
The fluted wall paneling lends both texture and elegance to the living and dining areas. The thick veneer finished planes meeting at rounded corners create a seamless and calming environment by mitigating the protruding beams and columns typical of builder floor construction.
^ photographs: Studio Noughts & Crossses
A calming beige color palette dominates the apartment and is complemented by the texture of oak veneer. Strategic pops of pastel hues in light blue, ochre, and peach add a touch of vibrancy, setting the tone for each bedroom. They are repeated on different surfaces of the central living & dining space, simultaneously tying the entire home together and offering distinction to spaces.
The playful yet subtle use of pastel hues against the beige background of wall & ceilings and the fluted & veneered panels offer a sense of continuity & flow along with little pauses, making the spaces feel expansive yet inviting. There is a delightful fractal-like spatial scaling from the room to the nook to the niche. The multiple scales respond to the multitude of our bodily, emotional & mental invitations.
Working within the constraints of a typical builder apartment, some creative problem-solving helped us overcome the tight layout. By employing simple, minimal elements and exploring surfaces rather than objects, we successfully created a language and articulation that unifies the entire home. Sliding shutters for wardrobes became essential for two of the three rooms, while finishing them in wall paper enhanced their animation. The necessity of bedside tables in these rooms has been addressed with little ledges, which serve the purpose elegantly, without being obtrusive. To avoid compromising the high ceiling, painted MDF channels have been employed to facilitate electrical conduiting and installation of light fittings.
Most of the elements from the design kit for the house of niches were employed in the articulation of the basement to transform it from a dark & ill ventilated space into a vibrant home office and library featuring an elaborate bookshelf wall.
Our pleasure and satisfaction from creating this abode is multiplied by the clients’ words of appreciation, “Design Pendulum’s ability to incorporate lighting elements, wood work, and aesthetics while seamlessly translating our design requirements was truly remarkable. We now have a home that is a work of art.”
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