4 Bangalore homes that are modern works of art

Residences by TaP Design Inc., Treelight Design, FADD Studio, and Shernavaz Interiors that creatively use art, patterns and textures to craft stylish urban pads

A Bangalore Home With Earthy Textures and Jewel Tones

A globetrotting couple wanted a home with a calm, minimalist vibe, with plenty of comforts—an ideal place to retire to at the end of the day. To design their Bangalore home, they approached TaP Design Inc. co-founders Iesha Parekh Shellugar and Sneha Talati, and the two with their creative cartridge loaded filled the home with earthy textures, Botticino and grey tundra marble, patterned tiles, and pinewood and cement finishes. “The home has a perfectly glocalised design ethos,” says Talati.

The living room sports elegant materials, with wood, cane, marble, metal, leather and soft fabrics. Dove grey wall panels serve as a backdrop to the seating layout, which is zoned by a tufted, bottle green sofa from Simply Sofas. “Customised tables and accents from Magari enrich the recesses, while a mammoth handmade rug from Carpet Kingdom provides a tactile underpinning layer,” shares Parekh Shellugar.

Silvery mirrors and hushed grey panels cocoon the dining room like a smoky, shimmery veil. From the heart of the room, rises a dining table, “painstakingly curated for the dining space, with assistance from Simply Sofas,” says Talati. The straight lines and angular base of the table are fittingly tamed by custom-designed upholstered chairs from Magari. The wallpaper and sleek mirror panels breathe quiet sophistication.

A Monochrome Penthouse That Turns Art into Functional Decor

Perched on the 17th floor of a high rise, this 4,000-square-feet penthouse is home to a young couple. The idea behind the design was to create a space that evokes the senses. “We wanted to design a home with art pieces that draw the eye to a monochromatic yet rich, textural base with each room glorifying a different 19th to 20th century artist, be it painters or sculptors,” says the principal architect, Amitha Madan of Treelight Design. And so, Helen Frankenthaler’s rich colours, Franz Kline’s textural lines, Piet Mondrian’s geometry, Jackson Pollock’s coloured strokes were some of the reference points that were translated into different elements throughout the home.

The focal point in the living room is the sofa that Madan describes as “edible.” The sculptural piece inspired by Bellini’s iconic Camaleonda is by Magari Furniture, Bangalore and is set against an exposed concrete staircase. The upper floor houses a cosy lounge area. The space features comfortable, low seating and a hand-painted ceiling inspired by Jackson Pollock. There’s also a wooden coffee table that is embellished with black metallic studs which add texture and an edge to the piece. The master bedroom has large floor-to-ceiling windows that are balanced with a Mondrianesque pattern using different fabrics.

A Contemporary Home That’s a Playground for Patterns and Textures

Farah Ahmed and Dhaval Shellugar of FADD Studio gave this 7,500-square-feet residence in Yemlur, Bangalore, a crisp new identity, the interiors reflecting contemporary aesthetics peppered with classical highlights. Soft curving forms counterbalance stark, straight lines, soft furnishings are rendered in subtle, complementing shades and surfaces are enriched with intricate patterns and textures.

Marble lines of the flooring and the deep, linear projections from the ceiling act as a visual cue, guiding one from the foyer towards the lobby. These marble lines go on to form an arresting pattern inspired by a vintage rug photograph from the Claridge’s Hotel in London. The linear projections above curve effortlessly into a graceful form that loosely mimic the patterns below but are kept devoid of intricacies, the articulation of both creating a dramatic gesture.

Natural light streaming in through large windows and a pristine white backdrop further augment the sense of spaciousness in the open living room. The seating arrangement is conceived around a centre table by DeMuro Das while a hanging light from Arjun Rathi graces the corner. A print by Shahid Datawala framed on the wall injects a hint of quirkiness within the space.

A Parisian-Style Nest Abode a Family Bungalow

This phenomenon of transforming light served as the cue for Shernavaz Bharucha when it came to designing a couple’s two-bedroom nest in the Garden City. Perhaps it’s the piano-key marble tiles that inspire harmony across the foyer, or the classic mouldings punctuated with large mirrors, but there’s something about the foyer that reminisces, ever so slightly, a black-and-white, silent-movie-era Paris of decades past. An artwork lends a pop of colour to the muted monochrome, while a sculptural chandelier by Aura blossoms from the ceiling.

In the formal living room, indigo and white cut a stoic, yet sophisticated presence, leaving no room for pomp or whimsy. Sofas by Goodlines anchor the seating area, while an elevator void masquerades fittingly as a spectacular art exhibit. “Smack dab in the middle of the room, the void was dull and ugly. We decided to take advantage of its location and turn it into a focal point with wall panelling and a special objet d’art. It now hosts a mosaic mirror sculpture by Yehil Cherain, a noted Parisian artist,” says Bharucha.

The king of carpets 

Bengaluru-based Carpet Kingdom is the oldest manufacturer of carpets in South India with a legacy going back 125 years

Despite being the most unobtrusive of home furnishings, carpets are an important part of every space. Modern industry practices use carpets for lining walls of elevators, creating bespoke mouse pads, as upholstery for chairs, and even as the textile of choice for shoes and handbags. Carpet Kingdom, the oldest carpet manufacturer from South India, going back 125 years, is one of few brands at the forefront of this change.

The brand’s journey began on the streets of Amritsar, and then moved to Bengaluru, to service the large British cantonment there. English patrons loved the thick hand-woven Kashmiri carpets, and by 1950, they had opened their first store in Commercial Street.

Ali Akmal Jan, Founding Partner of Carpet Kingdom, says, “Most of our designs are exclusive and conceptualised in-house. Having been in the business for over a century, we bring an expertise that has been handed down through generations and allows us to stand apart from the competition. We believe that our quality, after sales service and the level of customisation we offer to clients, are unparalleled.”

Claiming that their modern and transitional designs are increasingly more popular than traditional classics, he adds, “We have used carpets in all kinds of places, including on walls as a design feature and for acoustic value.”

Additionally, to meet the demands of younger and more discerning customers, Carpet Kingdom offers a range of carpets made of eco-friendly materials such as PET yarn, sisal, natural fibres and even upcycled silk sarees. These are based on the ideation of their R&D team that frequently discusses use of colours, designs and techniques, while attempting to stay eco-conscious.

When asked what’s next on the cards, Jan emphatically says, “Going green by adopting various eco-friendly practices and introducing more eco-friendly products.” His team also hopes to expand their presence to other parts of India.

Carpet Kingdom primarily retails through their Indiranagar store in Bengaluru, believing that carpets require touch, feel and experience, before being bought. However, they offer a select range on third party online sites, and also ship internationally.