UNCOVERED: aNDBLACK Design Studio
vol 16 issue 10
October 2017
total pages 132
Specialist: Woodfeather
Design Quest: Vilaasita
RS 100 HOME-REVIEW.COM
INDIA CALLS Minnie Bhatt Design QUIRKY & YOUTHFUL BY DCA
THE GEM IN THE CROWN
Studio Lotus builds a narrative of frames and connections Smart Living tHE Latest IN smart appliances and home automation
Photo: Cyrus Dalal
R
esetting a partly covered terrace into a permanent dwelling, Studio Lotus manages to put a big smile on their client’s face. By inserting an external staircase and an elevator block to an already existing two storey building, it allows the owner to now privately access this newly envisioned home. Studio Lotus explores the relationship the space enjoys with it surroundings and builds a narrative of ‘frames’ and connections’ that link it to the greenery and its historic environ. Using an unpretentious palette of materials, the design team develops an airy plan with a large bedroom, a stylish open kitchen and plenty of space for the artist owner to enjoy her creations. This adaptive reuse project manages to wonderfully gel with the old structure, while providing for the specific needs of the resident to create a home that is a welcoming sanctuary - what more could one ask for! Minnie Bhatt adds to her long list of restaurants in Mumbai with a new Indian eatery. Designed to be Indian at heart, yet not with an overtly ethnic vibe, Minnie works with artists to commission various installations and details that fuse to form a distinctive ambience. Holding pride of place are selected works that are displayed in an art-gallery like curvilinear facade. Other artistic creations include bespoke furniture made of teak wood and natural cane, a striking Indian matchbox artwork created for a focal wall and expertly crafted lampshades made of Indian appliqué fabrics. Minnie manages to achieve a fine aesthetic balance, where the interiors are not in your face and neither are they too minimalist to risk not having a soul. Anish Bajaj, Editor anish@marvelinfomedia.com
Bijoy Jain, Studio Mumbai We get into the mind of Bijoy Jain as he shares his philosophies on life, design values, inspirations and genius innovations. Watch #GetInspired on www. designowl.com/design-videos Presented by Hafele.
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emails + feedback Sparkling Diwali
Metaphoric Musings
Congratulations to Home Review for the dazzling Diwali Special issue that took care of many aspect of home renovation and decoration!
Yoshitoshi Kanemaki’s metaphoric sculptures speak volumes of the complex world that questions mortality and temporality.
By Email V. C. Menon
Sanctuary Of Another Kind It was fascinating to read about the collaborative office space created with exposed structures. Sanctuary Architects have created a marvellous work space. By Email Leila Parekh
Let us know what you love and hate about this issue. Mail us at letters@marvelinfomedia.com
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By Email Sumeet Arora
Pool Rules The stunning feature on ‘Aurelia’ designed by Shroffleon is a fine instance of total serenity, the kind that celebrates its surroundings. By Email Rohan Joshi
28 art
form
20
Danish artist and sculptor, Thomas Dambo just added a bit of art and fun to the forests of Copenhagen
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Cover Story Adding a floor to an existing structure in a heritage area of Delhi, Studio Lotus creates a home for a daughter
Spaces and Design provide a timeless and nurturing ambience to BMA villa located in Raichak
41 By Sayali and Manasi Agaskar
october
44 Minnie Bhatt designs +91, an Indian restaurant with no adherence to any particular trend in interiors
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SMART LIVING
Home Review brings you a wider perspective on the approaching interconnectivity of design and technology in life
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78 The Delhi office of the Nando’s food chain has been designed by group DCA to reflect the work culture of the multinational and showcase South African art collection
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86
product
designer
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Architect Rajendra Chandorkar designed this charming duplex, a rare blend of luxury and intimacy
London’s picturesque Covent Garden neighbourhood is home to the bedazzling 18-room Hotel Henrietta, designed by French designer Dorothee Meilichzon Parisian product designer Jean Couvreur creates objects made with a combination of a clear focus on craftsmanship and the use of apt materials
104 Ahmedabad-based andblack design studio celebrates space, nature and innovation without relying too much on bombastic props
October
Landscapes
108 Mumbai based landscape designer and architect, Kishore Pradhan is responsible for the panoramic and sustainable landscape of a 120 acre residential scheme in Jodhpur
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115
GREEN PROJECT
The student housing complex of IILM is organised from part to whole as court, resulting in the creation of a mini, sustainable cityscape within the existing campus
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Eclectic styles, varied themes, upcoming trends come together in our newly launched segment!
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THE MARKETPLACE Get your hands on the latest products to hit the market
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Editor & Publisher Anish Bajaj Creative Director Natalie Pedder-Bajaj
Devyani Jayakar Freelance Writer An abiding fascination with language, culminated in a Master’s degree in English Literature and a post graduate diploma in Communications Media. Convinced that there is nothing more addictive than luxury, leads her to contribute regularly to several publications on lifestyle topics including interiors, design, architecture and art.
Features Editor Mala Bajaj Assistant Editor Shweta Salvi Contributing Writers Chryselle D’Silva Dias Devyani Jayakar Dhanishta Shah Himali Kothari K Parvathy Menon Kanupriya Pachisia Ramya Srinivasan Shruti Nambiar Virupa Kantamneni Designers Asif Shayannawar Darshan Palav Pooja Modak Snigdha Hodarkar
Ramya Srinivasan Freelance Writer Hailing from Bangalore, Ramya Srinivasan is an IIM-B graduate, who worked in the corporate world for twelve years before switching to writing full-time. She has written features, travelogues, book reviews and personal essays for multiple online and print magazines.
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Editorial & Marketing Mumbai Mr. Saurabh Shah B-62, Cotton Exchange bldg., Cotton Green, Mumbai 400 033 T 022 23736133 / 23736131 / 23743069 E response@marvelinfomedia.com Chennai Mr. S. Venkataraaman Flat No. 2, 3rd Flr, E-Block, Hansa Garden, 30 Madampakkam Main Rd, Rajakilpakkam, Chennai 600 073 Tel 044 22281180 / 09444021128 Email: svenkat@marvelinfomedia.com
Studio Lotus The Gem in the Crown, Page 20. Lotus works on the principles of conscious design - an approach that celebrates local resources, cultural influences and a keen sensitivity. The firm prides itself on its collaborative work environment, which brings the best out from within the team of 45 talented and highly committed individuals from multiple disciplines.
Publishing Director Mr. R.I. Bajaj Distributed in India by India Book House Pvt. Ltd. 412, Tulsiani Chambers, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400 021. This issue has a total of 132 pages comprising of a 4 page cover and 128 inside pages. We welcome unsolicited material but do not take responsibility for the same. Letters are welcome but subject to editing. All rights reserved. Nothing may beprinted in whole or part without written permission of the publisher. The editors do their best to verify the information published but do not take responsibility for the absolute accuracy of the information. All objections, disputes, differences, claims and proceedings are subject to Mumbai Jurisdiction.
Minnie Bhatt Design India Calls, Page 44. Principal architect of Minnie Bhatt Design,a seven year old firm, Minnie Bhatt designs spaces which are tasteful and timeless with an emphasis on authenticity. Her design style is eclectic and contemporary and she endeavours to steer clear of doing repetitive work.
Editor Mr. Anish Bajaj. Published and Printed by Mr. Anish Bajaj on behalf of the owner Marvel Infomedia Pvt. Ltd, B-62, Cotton Exchange bldg, Cotton Green, Mumbai 400 033.
DCA Architects Quirky & Youthful , Page 78. An award winning, nationally and internationally acclaimed, group DCA is a multi-disciplinary design firm, based out of New Delhi. Since its inception in the year 1996, group DCA has been focused in its approach as a skilful balance of talent, experience and hard work. Spearheading group DCA are architects Amit Aurora and Rahul Bansal, who through their individual expertise have contributed towards the firm’s robust image in the design industry.
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PAST & FUTURE
E V E N T S 09 14 SEP
Design week Mexico will involve exhibitions, installations and talks across the country’s capital from 4th to 8th October 2017. The festival will bring together the entire design community of Mexico as well as international design enthusiasts. This year the festival will also be showcasing an exhibition titled ‘Hundred Years of Swiss Design’ in honour of this year’s guest country, Switzerland.
TO
CIFF Shanghai 2017, Shanghai
www.designweekmexico.com
The recent CIFF Shanghai, held from 11 to 14 September 2017, was certainly no exception. A rich edition, which provided the possibility of celebrating this unique business platform, is now in its 40th edition, in the best way possible. An unparalleled edition, which, in more than 400,000 square metres of exhibition space, hosted 2,000 companies from all over the world, and was visited by 91,623 professional visitors from 200 countries and regions, therefore recording 8.18% more visitors than the previous edition.
Hundreds of showrooms feature the top product lines available to interior design professionals, with luxury residential furnishings etc. in the Architecture & Designing, Furniture, Home Furnishings & Home Textiles industries. This two day event for interior design, architecture and luxury custom home building is capped with two special evenings: Chairs for Charity on October 3rd and the 9th Annual Chicago VIP Luxury Gala on October 4th celebrating the best in Chicago and Midwest Design.
TO 04Design 08 Week OCT Mexico, Mexico
The annual AIGA Design Conference is one of the most diverse design events of the year. AIGA design conference is hosted annually by AIGA, the professional association for design, as a means of connecting the design community through rich conversation, inspiration, networking and education. This year’s conference theme is ‘Connect’. The speakers include such eminent names from the design community as Sean Adams, Mariana Amatullo, Dana Arnett, Annie Atkins, Michael Blerut, Michael Cina, Brian Collins and many others.
www.ciff.furniture
Chicago
Design Chicago is a 2 day event being held from 3rd October to 4th October 2017 at the Merchandise Mart in Chicago, United States Of America. This event showcases products like custom home furnishings and interior design.
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Minneapolis
www.designchicagoevent.com
CIFF Shanghai was presented as a reinvented fair, not only in terms of its increasingly highquality exhibits and excellent onsite events, but also in terms of its logistical arrangements, conceived in order to optimise the visits of professional operators and buyers. Great efforts were made to welcome journalists and buyers in the best possible way, improving not only the press office, but also the VIP lounges found throughout the fair.
TO 03Design 04 Chicago, OCT
TO 12AIGA 14 Design OCT Conference,
Design Week Mexico was founded in 2009 to promote design and creativity as important values in Mexican societal development. In accordance with its aim of improving relations between industry professionals and the general public, the festival features a guest country and guest Mexican state every year, widening the spheres of dialogue on the topic of design at both a national and international level.
The event will be held at the Minneapolis Convention Center, the largest convention center in the Upper Midwest. Moreover, AIGA’s Match program is designed to take the anxiety out of choosing which sessions to attend or who to meet.Matched with a peer, attendees will have an opportunity to experience the AIGA Design Conference from a different, shared perspective. www.designconference.aiga.org
PAST & FUTURE
E V E N T S 12 14 OCT TO
MumbaiWood, Mumbai
The 3 edition of MumbaiWood is scheduled be held from 12-14 October 2017, at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, in Goregaon, Mumbai. Leveraging the success of the last two editions in 2013 & 2015 and capitalizing on the momentum Indiawood 2016 and the Delhiwood 2017 has brought in, the 3rd edition of MumbaiWood 2017 will now be featured as an national event and is set to attract visitors pan India. rd
The most significant and distinct sourcing platform in Asia -(IHGF Delhi Fair Autumn 2017), now gets bigger & bolder, bringing you much more of everything - more space, more exhibitors, more sectors, more enhanced facilities, more days and of course. The five power packed days with over 2750 exhibitors, spread over 190,000 sq. Metres area, brings you an entire range of Home, Lifestyle & fashion, with traditional artistic finish in perfect harmony with modern designs & contemporary colours. IHGF Delhi Fair Autumn 2017 is a distinctive business platform for importers, wholesalers, distributors, retailers, fashion designers, potential franchises, mail order companies and a few more to source an unparalleled variety of handicrafts, gifts and lifestyle products, from a cross section of handmade manufacturers from India. www.epch.in
IHGF is amongst Asia’s largest gifts & handicrafts fair, held biannually (Spring & Autumn edition) and is organised by Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH).
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TO 19WestEdge 22 OCT Design Fair, Los Angeles
World Design Summit, Montreal
www.mumbai-wood.com
New Delhi
www.worldgbc.org
16 TO 25 OCT
MumbaiWood 2017 brings together over 250 exhibitors, 10,000 trade visitors in over 8,000 sq. mtrs. The event will bring together the best and influential decision makers within the woodworking and furniture manufacturing industry from across India and is perfect platform for furniture manufacturers and woodworking industries.
TO 12IHGF 16 Delhi OCT Fair (Autumn),
As Montréalers, it was one of our proudest moments. This event, whose built legacy still marks the Montréal skyline, defined and inspired many of the leading architects and designers of today. On Expo’s 50th anniversary in 2017, Montreal, a proud UNESCO City of Design, will also be celebrating 375 years since its founding, while the whole country celebrates Canada’s 150th.The World Summit and Congress of Architecture + Design + Planning, will celebrate these momentous occasions with an eye towards the future.
This ambitious, multi-disciplinary forum tackles the oft-discussed theme “how design can shape the future.” Designers, policy makers, NGO’s and entrepreneurs will be at the 10-day design immersion in Montreal. From October 16 to October 25th 2017, the World Summit and Congress of Architecture + Design + Planning, which will be held in Montréal will be the largest gathering of designers, planners, architects and related stakeholders ever assembled and is the first of its kind. The year 2017 has an important historical significance for Montréal. 50 years previous, Montreal welcomed the world to Expo 67; this event remains one of the most successful Universal Expositions in history and millions from around the world have fond memories of the exchanges created there.
WestEdge Design Fair, the West Coast’s premier contemporary design fair, featuring a highly curated selection of domestic and international manufacturers and independent designers and makers, returns to Santa Monica’s Barker Hanger. The highly-anticipated fair returns to the picturesque setting of Santa Monica’s Barker Hangar to celebrate its fifth year. Featuring 150+ exhibitors, WestEdge Design Fair announces DIEM: Talks Design, recordbreaking exhibitor participation, and a Samsonite-sponsored street art auction during the opening night party benefitting Los Angeles Ronald McDonald House. The fair offers the opportunity to shop from premium home furnishings brands-many new to the West Coast and meet the designers behind thousands of inspiring products. In addition, attendees gain insight from leading names in the design industry with a full series of educational programs and special events. www.westedgedesignfair.com
THE GEM IN THE CROWN 20 Home Review October 2017
Adding a floor to an existing structure in a heritage area of Delhi, Studio Lotus creates a home for a daughter - enabling her to be close to her parents, while retaining privacy for both generations. The intervention keeps several factors sharply in its cross hairs, even as it negotiates skilfully between the requirements and the restrictions. “We needed to add a floor for artist Anjum Singh, with an independent entrance to the existing structure - all without really building,’ says Ambrish Arora of Studio Lotus. “So we decided to convert the previous barsati into a liveable space. This is a contemporary adaptive re-use residential project that explores its contexts of old-new vocabularies and inside-outside relationships to build a narrative of ‘frames’ and connections.” On the third floor, a rooftop garden on the terrace is used for entertaining whenever Delhi’s climate is conducive to being outdoors.
Text By Devyani Jayakar Photographs Courtesy Ravi Asrani
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Sanctions were obtained to attach a temporary structure in metal to the house and to install a lift. “An external covered mild steel staircase and lift block has been plugged to the building in response to providing an independent entry. Borrowing from the existing colour palette of the building’s openings, the structural framework of red cantilevered lines and columns imparts a strong graphic identity to the new insert: blurring yet linking previous and current constructions,” says Ambrish. Even though the singular purpose of the staircase and lift block was to create independent access, also to the separate studios of the artist couple, it has become a junction of social activity with constant movement and conversations between floors. Natural light pours into the space from the two transparent sides and the roof, enlivening all pockets of the stairwell and enclosing views of the surrounding greens. The spiral internal staircase in the rear verandah leads up to the green terrace; it derives its distinct character coming from the treads which consist of a series of metal plates that fold over themselves and form the risers. “The gaps between the risers are slender, so that an insecure feeling is not imparted to the senior citizens using it,” says Ambrish. The underbelly of the metal plates is painted a cheerful red, imparting a distinctly sculpturesque feel to the staircase - its presence having the same visual effect as a large installation. “We created several prototypes and an off-site fabrication enabled a quick and clean installation,” he adds. “Another challenge was that the original house had an existing character, which we had to work with,” says Ambrish. White walls had striking red fenestrations – an aesthetic which Studio Lotus has used throughout their intervention in the form of red metal inserts, including frames of windows and doors, keeping the new architectural language in resonance with the rest of the house.
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The white walls and upholstery take a deferent backseat to the ubiquitous red frames of the sliding glass windows. An polymer concrete floor poured over the existing floor is used to fluidly tie the entire interior. The existing internal staircase was terminated at this floor - providing space for a walk-in closet from the bedroom, and a large bathroom suite looking into an enclosed green court. There is no view into the bath from the outside. Poured cement covers the floor of the bath, its taupe and pale grey tones creating a quiet backdrop in this space. Adjacent to the living room, this bedroom shares its balcony. “I wanted a large bedroom, so refrained from breaking up the space to create two separate rooms,� says Anjum.
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The kitchen is an open one, but also enjoys a measure of privacy through its porous dividers. Dark metal shelving from the Mangrove Collective substitutes for walls, flanking the entrance; it is filled with vases, bottles, tea cups and bowls, in a carefully orchestrated display. “In oxidised mild steel and oak, the shelving has a timeless, warm feel, unlike glass, which can be quite cold,” says Ambrish. “I would have never thought of using the shelving like this,” adds Anjum. A sliding glass door can shut off the kitchen when required. There is no false ceiling; a metal grid on the ceiling has an infill of stone slabs. “Traditionally, this has been used in Delhi for a long time,” says Ambrish. Mid-coloured sandstone imparts its own character to this space, while sunny yellow shutters for cabinets and the red window frames impart a Mondrianesque aesthetic.
The living room is awash with light from the front
of the building
as well as
at the rearwhich overlooks the dome of a
monument.
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The existing courtyard at the rear of the building was made the focus of the intervention, with the addition of metal balconies projecting outwards so that the living spaces on the first and second floor can enjoy views of the lush greenery. “Now the cross ventilation is great and stepping out onto the balcony gives the feeling of floating between the trees,” says Ambrish. “Since the owner had a large art collection, we showcased that along with ensuring that the apartment imparted a light, airy feel with plenty of greenery and sunlight. The framed views of old monuments imparted a sense of history to the space,” says Ambrish. “Removing ourselves and our personalities from the project in order to get closer to the person we build for, is key to our projects,” he says. “Ambrish is an old friend who knows me and the way I live. He had visited my earlier home several times. I told him that I wanted to recreate it here…but what he has done is taken it several notches higher,” says Anjum. Home Review October 2017
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“Every part of the spaces he’s created is actively used. I have enough wall space for art, yet the house merges with its surroundings. In the end I have got much more than I had visualised - the staircase, the details and finishes and the entire level of design, are all beyond what I had ever imagined,” she says. “The entire effect is one of an art gallery, without the sterility. I guess our long friendship has given an edge to the design, which I am able to engage with at several levels.” As in many ventures in life, the client has the last word. contact@studiolotus.in www.studiolotus.in
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‘Hill Top Trine’ rests on the hills of Hvidovre. Her outstretched palm is quite a cosy spot from where one can enjoy the panoramic views of Avedøresletten.
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art form
The Six Unforgettable Giants Danish artist and sculptor, Thomas Dambo just added a bit of art and fun to the forests of Copenhagen as a part of his mission to not limit art to just within the walls of a museum.
Have you ever gone exploring in the woods and come across giant wooden sculptures that appear out of nowhere really, but still manage to draw you in closer? Each of them perhaps has his own story to narrate, and while one tumbles into the world of stories and tales, one also walks back home with an important lesson - recycling is the only way to sustain and move forward! Thirty seven year old, Copenhagen resident, Thomas Dambo is an artist and sculptor renowned for creating iconic art through the use of recycled materials. Talking to Home Review about his latest installation, “The Six Forgotten Giants” which is set in the woods of Copenhagen city, Dambo gives us a glimpse into his art, and thought process.
‘Teddy Friendly’, Dambo’s favourite piece, is made from scrapwood, sourced locally.
Text By Priyanka Menon Photographs Courtesy Thomas Dambo Home Review October 2017
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“I believe we need to take care of our planet. Recycling is a big part of this process. And now it is my life’s mission to involve others in this endeavour.” Dambo is of the opinion that discarding things without understanding their value is criminal. And we couldn’t agree more. “I make big, positive and interactive projects to show people that recycling can be much more than just trash.” “I start with the location,” Dambo remarks when asked about his process of creation. “That and the materials inspire me. If I find a lot of dark brown wood, I make a sculpture with dark brown fur. A bunch of twigs is converted to hair.” Hidden in Rødovre, Hvidovre, Vallensbæk, Ishøj, Albertslund and Høje Taastrup, the giants, who are essentially siblings, are part of a treasure hunt to get people to become more involved with nature and take note of their surroundings. Dambo spent days biking around the city scouting for places that would help bring his philosophy to life - places he believes people don’t visit very often as they are “off the beaten track”. One of the first things you will notice about Dambo’s sculptures is how easily they mix with their environment, almost as if they are in their natural habitat. “Some of them grab trees, some lean back against the hill, or even sit on the ground.” “I believe people are no longer curious and don’t explore their surroundings as much. As we grow older we start living in a triangle of sorts - between home, the workplace and the supermarket,” Dambo laments. He goes on to say that you don’t need to travel long hours to different places to experience life.
Another shot of Little Tilde peeking through the trees.
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According to Dambo, life resides in your own city, sometimes even in your own backyard. By placing the giants in the woods, he wants the residents of Copenhagen to revisit their city and take in a new experience.
‘Oscar Under the Bridge’ is installed in Ishøj and is named after an artist from Chile who traveled all the way to Copenhagen to assist Dambo.
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“I believe placing the sculptures in the woods would give people a much bigger experience than if they were installed in the city square where people would barely give it more than a passing glance.” All of Dambo’s sculptures are made entirely from recycled wood. “The giants are made from six hundred pallets, an old wooden shed, a fence and whatever else I managed to scavenge,” he says. Dambo works with his two assistants and three interns on projects that have been installed across the world. “The sculptures can only be found by using a treasure map, or by following the instructions set in a poem engraved into a stone near each sculpture,” he adds. “I have been sleeping for a year; I wake up when I feel like it. Crawl in to my belly, and join me - but not if you snore. I’m from a big group of siblings, and we are hidden to humans. They call us the forgotten giants You can find my sister ‘Little Tilde’ in Advedøre At the grassland, behind the hill filled with cows and sheep.” But why is it a treasure hunt? Dambo wanted it to be a family experience, one that both parents and kids would be able to partake in. “The treasure hunt adds a bit of mystique and adventure to the project,” he says. ‘Teddy Friendly’, Dambo’s favourite giant, is an illustration of Dambo’s thought. Located in Hakkemosen, the place is home to beautiful lakes and a little forest. Dambo placed the sculpture on the banks of a stream. “Its arm extends to the opposite bank, thus creating a bridge for children to cross.”
‘Teddy Friendly’, Dambo’s personal favourite giant, stands on the banks of a stream with his right arm stretched to the other bank, thus helping people to cross.
Placed near and far (you have to follow the map to find your way), the giants are Dambo’s way of bringing a community of people closer. His aim, of course, is to spread awareness about the importance of recycling. However, he chooses to do so in a manner that is not just unique, but also augments and blends in with nature. ‘The Six Forgotten Giants’ have their own voice. And they speak a common tongue - reduce, reuse, recycle! www.thomasdambo.com
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Located in Raichak, a modest hour away from Kolkata, the BMA villa is serenaded by the breeze of the River Ganges. This sprawling 4500 sq ft villa is designed as a vacation home where one is guaranteed an exhilarating sense of freedom.
Designing a vacation home can be liberating. There are lesser restrictions than a project in the city, and hence it becomes easier to express yourself and also have some fun while you are at it. When you enter the BMA villa, that infectious feeling of abandonment simply wins you over.
Text By Ramya Srinivasan Photographs Courtesy Vivek Das
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SERENADED BY THE GANGES
‘Spaces and Design’ have designed this holiday home as rustic chic - rustic in its use of natural materials for flooring and wall cladding, chic in the choice of plush furniture and accessories.
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The pool is the heart of the residence; the large seashell mimicked seating and the backlit onyx bar counter by the poolside add a luxurious touch to the dĂŠcor.
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Built for the management team of BMA Wealth Creators Ltd., this leisure home is where nature is at its best. Not just when you step outside, but also when you’re lazing in your couch or walking around the house. Pooja Bihani, principal architect, Spaces and Design, describes this as an “inside out” approach, where the outdoors are welcomed into the living space with perceptive use of materials and architectural elements.
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For example, to access the dining space in the ground floor, one has to step outside the living room and walk through the outdoors. Definitely an unusual approach, something that’s not done in a typical residence in the city! But in this farmhouse setting, it works brilliantly as an excuse to connect with nature. It respects the landscaping not as just paraphernalia, but as something that is integrated into the core design. The outdoor bar counter studded with a black onyx stone and a wine cellar is a wholesome entertainment hub, where one may socialise with guests and relax. There is another dining area in the back garden that opens up from the master bedroom and the dining room. Decked up with a charming outdoor dining table and a bright umbrella, this garden also has a barbecue for quick party hors d’oeuvres.
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A splendid space for hobnobbing with friends while soaking in the greenery! Another instance of the strong connect with the outside is the L-shaped pool at the entrance, setting a relaxed mood as you step in. This pool is visible from all rooms except one; so wherever you are in the house, the refreshing, cool waters influence your mood. As you crossover a small bridge from the pool, to the left is the tastefully designed living room with calibrated leatherfinished kadappa stone flooring. The leather finish is distinct in its wet look and smooth texture, rendering a rustic sensibility. “As you walk on the stone floor with your bare feet, its undulations feel natural and charming,” says Bihani. So, even when you’re inside, you experience a bit of the outdoors all the time.
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This choice of rustic materials and textures is extended to almost the entire house – whether it’s the bush tiles on the façade of the steps that create a play of light and shadows or the clean granite finish in the dining space. It is also as much for maintenance as for the look-and-feel. “Raichak is a humid place, and so the selection of materials is extremely important. In these weather conditions, the walls usually tend to deteriorate after a few years. So, we decided to paint only about 5% of the walls. The rest is all done by cladding with a careful choice of natural materials,” explains Bihani.
An outstanding model of an ‘inside out’ design, the master bedroom blends the view of the green outside with the comforts inside seamlessly.
Sleek contemporary interiors complement this countryside ethos. Bihani describes this beautiful balance as “rustic chic”. The life-size horse sculpture, the shocking pink couch, grass turf ceilings and the Italian marble backdrop in the living room are some of the signature elements that add a touch of luxury and even a bit of quirkiness gesturing that it’s time to unwind. While a vacation home is traditionally designed for adults,the children often tend to be ignored. Not here in the BMA villa. A spacious children’s bedroom on the first floor welcomes as you ascend the steps, transporting you into a world of its own.
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All-white walls and blue rugs with boyish, sturdy furniture turn on the charm of this place. The room opens to a balcony that takes you down through a flight of steps directly to the front lawn circumventing the ground floor. While the children get to enjoy some outdoor fun and freedom, the adults don’t have to worry about the main spaces getting dirty! The room is also designed with bunk beds to accommodate at least four children at a time. Bihani shares, “The bathrooms are planned for multi-use with cubicle baths and double washbasins, so the kids can get ready together. Also, no study tables on purpose! So no one feels pressured to take the books out!”
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The fleet of birds on the left faรงade of the staircase signifies a sense of freedom and unrestrained expression that one is surrounded by in this vacation home.
This rugged themed bathroom is attached to one of the two guest rooms on the first floor.
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The bathrooms are planned for multi-use with cubicle baths and double washbasins.
It is this level of careful attention to minutiae and the incredible effort by Spaces and Design to provide a timeless and nurturing ambience that makes the BMA villa a holiday home that will have its owners coming back to it regularly for years to come. info@spacesanddesign.com
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Celebrating Artisanship
By Sayali and Manasi Agaskar
DESIGNQUEST
Design brand Vilaasita collaborates with master craftsman and specialized artisan groups to create premium quality, one-ofa-kind, handcrafted furniture and home decor products. The exotic furniture range includes sofas, accent chairs, coffee tables, side tables and some great storage chests. Other products include upholstered furniture, metal furniture, a copper and brassware range, unique lighting solutions and even a vintage-inspired collection.
Text By Anindita Ganguly Home Review October 2017
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The products are created in-house, right from designing and prototyping to production. Vilaasita focuses on reviving handcrafting techniques that are slowly dying, a time consuming process involving the collaboration of artisans and the design team who jointly create. The brand is driven by the passion for aesthetics, quality craftsmanship and sustainable products that celebrates the beauty of Indian craftsmanship and makes artisan products more accessible.
Charlotte Chest
Handcrafted products demand the use of premium quality raw material. Vilaasita uses only the finest quality raw materials be it wood, copper or fabrics. The sofa range is exclusively crafted in teak and the storage chests are made with the finest quality pinewood, while the copper collection is handcrafted in 99% pure copper.
Copper Azura Planter
Tamara Copper Bowl
Co-founded by sister duo Sayali and Manasi Agaskar, Vilaasita attempts to create a youthful, contemporary yet elegant furniture range that celebrates artisanship and techniques, appealing to the young, well travelled Indian demographic. The brand aspires to create timeless pieces that will pass through generations.
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Lotus Oxidised Copper Tea Light
Cake Stand
The vision is to combine traditional handcrafting techniques and the functionality of contemporary design. Vilaasita works with artisan groups across India to preserve their age-old traditions and help them access new markets. The inspiration for the brand also came from the huge gap we saw in the Indian market. The brand foresees increasing demand for handcrafted products owing to the growing awareness and global appreciation for them. The vision for Vilaasita is to create a dynamic, symbiotic brand. It takes many voices to create a movement, and Vilaasita isn’t just one, it is many.
The sofas, accent chairs and metal furniture collection from Vilaasita is extremely popular. In the words of Manasi Agaskar, “Our copper and brass collection is also quite popular. This collection is developed in collaboration with artisans from the copper cluster in Pune. The collection consists of vases, planters, and lighting and serves ware. The specialty of this collection is the signature handbeaten detail, traditionally known as mathar kaam”.
Vilaasita is at a niche space in the furniture and décor industry in India and the brand looks forward to seeing its design and production philosophy become more mainstream. Vilaasita endeavors to be better with each passing day. According to Sayali, “We would consider ourselves successful if we are able to consistently connect more and more artisans with our customers and are able to educate our customers about the importance of adopting handcrafted, sustainable and ethical products”. care@vilaasita.com
Madisson Side Table
In the near future, the brand hopes to collaborate with talented designers to create bespoke, contemporary and functional designs. The aim is to also have more retail presence in India and internationally.
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The curvilinear facade with uniform windows inspired the art gallery approach to the design of the space.
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INDIA CALLS
There is a new Indian aesthetic emerging. It can be seen all around us. It is Indian in soul, yet does not draw overtly from typical styles associated with Indian design. +91, an Indian restaurant which only recently opened its doors in Juhu, Mumbai embraces this very ethos.
It all starts with the name. +91, also the dialing code for India, is an unconventional name for a restaurant, but when analysed so apt for this one. The owners, Bipin Grewal and Vipul Shah, wanted a casual dining restaurant with design elements that were not overtly Indian. They wanted a space that was vibrant yet discerning and with an unconventional Indian aesthetic. Interior designer Minnie Bhatt was called in to lend her magic touch to the entire project. Hers is a well-known name when it comes to restaurant design in Mumbai. Talking about the fine balance in design that she has managed to strike, Minnie explains, “I did not want the space to have any predictable design elements normally expected in an Indian restaurant. I wanted a fresh and contemporary approach to the design, that was Indian at heart yet international in appeal,�
Text By Dhanishta Shah Photographs Courtesy Prashant Bhat
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When she visited the property for the first time, what struck her was its curvilinear facade with uniform windows. It also seemed to ‘jut out’ from the building and was visually quite striking. This is what inspired the art gallery approach to the design of the space, which incidentally starts with colourful pigeon sculptures on the outside that greet the guests. She commissioned an artist to create India inspired art installations for the window niches which also conveniently became the primary design focus of the space. All the installations are quirky and artsy and each one of them has a write up explaining the thought behind it. The restaurant is screened from the road by thread art created to lend a backdrop to the installations and to also provide a bit of privacy for the diners. This also adds a dash of colour to both the facade and the interiors of the restaurant. “Since we had an Indian art gallery in mind, we wanted to create a ceiling that lent character to an otherwise minimal space. The geodesic ceiling is created with cement sheets, to be in sync with the material palette of the space,” says Bhatt. The flooring is beige IPS and sets a neutral tone.
The interiors are not overtly crowded nor are they too minimalistic to the extent of being clinical! All elements have been balanced beautifully.
The guest area of the restaurant is 1200 sq ft. In this space, the furniture as well as the décor carries the vibe forward. The chairs which were customised especially for the project are made of teak wood and natural cane; their design has an Indian appeal and is yet contemporary in form. There is a striking Indian matchbox artwork created for the one large wall of the space. The matchbox label designs talk a lot about the times they were created in, and have a very quirky yet earthy appeal. The lampshades are made out of Indian appliqué fabrics, bought from a textile retail store. Bicycle wheels are used along with these to create unusual pendant lights. Here again, we get to see an edgy contemporary touch applied to out and out Indian elements.
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The name and branding of the restaurant was minimalistic. Hence, Bhatt wanted it reflected in the design language for the interiors too. She has managed to achieve a fine aesthetic equilibrium. The interiors are not overtly crowded nor are they too minimalistic to the extent of being clinical! All elements have been balanced beautifully.
The window installations are quirky and artsy and each one of them has a write up explaining the thought behind it.
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They wanted to create a ceiling that lent character to an otherwise minimal space. The geodesic ceiling is created with cement sheets, to be in sync with the material palette of the space.
Bhatt has designed varied restaurants in Mumbai. What made this project different? “Each restaurant project has been exciting in different ways. This is the second Indian restaurant I’ve designed, the first being Mirchi and Mime in Powai. Both of them do not have a stereotypical Indian restaurant vibe, and are yet completely different from each other. +91 is different because of its unique design which is irreverent and does not adhere to any particular trend in interiors,� concludes Bhatt. minnie@minniebhatt.com
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MORE WITH MAISON&OBJET 2017 Maison&Objet 2017 boasted a unique multi-channel ecosystem that provided an important source for business, interactions, conversations and new contacts.
The September 2017 edition of Maison&Objet saw a significant rise in the number of visitors. Insight into current and future trends, the new and improved layout for the Objet Hub, the endless supply of creativity from exhibitors and a wealth of complementary content available on social networks have provided additional momentum to the event. A successful show, with a record high economic context and a very promising outlook for the months to come, this major international event for lifestyle, interior and design professionals featured 3,000 brands, including 674 new exhibitors. Designed as the continuation of the physical Maison&Objet show, the online platform titled ‘Maison&Objet and More’ gives brands and visitors the means to keep the Maison&Objet experience going all the year round. Manufacturers and design brands use it to present their showrooms and latest collections with over 25,000 products just one click away. This online gallery is a constant source of inspiration, featuring new products and product selections by influential personalities from the interior, design and lifestyle industries.
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Launched just one year ago, MOM recorded impressive traffic during and especially in between the January and September shows. Exhibitors have reported numerous requests from qualified contacts and excellent order conversion rate.
Visitors have also praised the platform for how convenient it is, facilitating contact with suppliers and offering the possibility to save items to their personal selection. Already very popular with industry professionals, importers, distributors, restaurateurs, hotel boutique managers, interior designers, shop and concept store owners, MOM provides an innovative solution to maintain exhibitor visibility in between events and a unique growth lever for brands. Maison&Objet 2017 chose its theme as ‘Comfort Zone’. In this light, it provided visitors with an introduction to the fair in the form of an exhibition inspired by the theme of how seating comfort has evolved. This exhibition along with others focused on a variety of specific design challenges in the home office, sleeping habits, materials, etc. and mainly featured products by brands exhibiting at Maison&Objet.
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François Bernard had devised a game, an illustrated alphabetical exhibition around the notion of comfort, using products by exhibiting brands. Both an introduction and a conclusion to the fair, the Inspirations Space and the Bookshop was one of the fair’s most popular attractions amongst the visitors. According to a survey, 91% of visitors attended the fair to discover new products. Since January 2017, Maison&Objet has featured ‘What’s New?’ exhibitions at the entrance of Halls 3 and 6, two events dedicated to showcasing exhibitors’ new products, curated by Francois Delclaux, Founder of trends agency ‘un Nouvel Air’. These two new highlights provided visitors with the most striking new finds. In the heart of the IPROJECTSI sector in Hall 8, Tristan Auer presented an exhibition where visitors found a quiet and relaxing atmosphere - an enthralling getaway suggested by the perfect architectural features (arches), light hues (white and pastel green), and a few vibrant colours that articulated with some of his most iconic pieces. The concept developed around a bar in the middle, which brought an element of fun and elegance; a vintage car, evoking travel; and to echo his interest in cinema, a series of recesses showing objects in cinematographic compositions.
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Since 2011, Maison&Objet has distinguished brands and companies with an eco-friendly design approach. This season, the jury made up of editors from Maisonapart. com, Lejournaldesfemmes.com and Atelier Rue Verte, the blog chose to reward 11 exhibitors that share the same focus on local production, fair trade, recycling, artisanal know how and sustainable development. Recipients of this year’s Rising Talent Awards were selected among the latest graduates of the prestigious ENSCI - Les Ateliers. The recipients include Claire Lavabre, Alexandre Echasseriau, Julien Phedyaeff & Christopher Santerre, Luce Couillet, Lysandre Graebling, Samy Rio, RaphaÍl Pluvinage , Marion Pinaffo and Jean-Baptiste Fastrez. Raj Anand Agent for India Maison&Objet Raj Anand & Associates 46/2, Sindhi Society, Chembur, Mumbai 400071 Email: raj@rajanandassociates.com Tel: +91-22-25224081 Cell:+91-9833685256
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THE FUTURE IS HERE It won’t be an overstatement to mention that interior design technologies will be controlled via digital systems as technology gets increasingly integrated into our DNA. Let’s give you a wider perspective on the approaching interconnectivity of design.
CONNECTED COOKING
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Text By Kanupriya Pachisia and Ramya Srinivasan
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It seems that every day we are getting a bit closer to living life like the Jetsons. There was a time when the idea of a robotic vacuum cleaner seemed like a wonder to all, whereas today it seems like a useful yet novel idea when compared to some of our newest devices.
A NEW COMFORT ZONE!
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THE POWER OF ‘CONNECTED’
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ACCESSORIES
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ENTERTAINMENT & LIGHTING CONTROL SYSTEMS
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TECHNOLOGICAL DECORATIONS
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FROM EVOLUTIONS TO REVOLUTIONS
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The future is coming at us faster. Rather it would not be an exaggeration to say that ‘The Future is Here’. Home Review takes the opportunity this month to arrange an encounter with the already arrived Future. Flip through the following pages to get a glimpse of how ‘Smart Living’ is impacting our lives by getting into our homes.
FIVE LATEST TRENDS IN SMART APPLIANCES
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From products in the refrigerator being recognized by image recognition software, to digital faucets that can read its user and adjust water temperature, to automatic sensors switching on lights upon your arrival, to various technological decorations that adorn your wall - smart appliances have become a way of life. We also turn the spotlight on the latest trend in smart appliances and how they are making our spaces more flexible. We are definitely living in a ‘smart’ world - in the figurative and literal sense!
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CONNECTED COOKING It’s no exaggeration to say that we’re in the moment of the connected kitchen where appliances sync to the cloud and come with companion apps. Let’s take a look at some such trend setters.
ELICA NIKOLATESLA
CROCK-POT 6 QUART SLOW COOKER WITH WEMO The Crock-Pot smart slow cooker is WeMo enabled with a 6-quart capacity that accommodates large family dinners. Its oval shape allows enough room inside and glass lid traps heat and moisture. Using the WeMo app you can control temperature and cook settings or turn off the device from your smartphone. It makes cooking more convenient, especially if you’re sitting in traffic on the way home. www.crock-pot.com
The NikolaTesla is Elica’s first induction cooktop with a central fan perfectly integrated into the cooktop itself. Its air suction system guarantees high performance in terms of fume capture, silence and energy efficiency. Its slider control allows you to adjust cooking zones and suction with a simple gesture. Its intelligent system technology enables suction to decrease by degrees until there is complete elimination of odours and fumes. www.elica.com
GENICAN SMART GARBAGE CAN DEVICE Back from grocery shopping and you realize you’ve forgotten an item or two? With GeniCan’s smart eponymous garbage can device, you can maintain a running shopping list by scanning the product barcode each time you throw away its wrapper. GeniCan also supports voice recognition and is easy to handle through its app. Lists can be shared with other members too making it simpler. www.genican.com
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IKEA CONCEPT TABLE The concept kitchen table by IKEA is a multi-functional surface that allows preparing food, cooking from leftovers and dining. Equipped with a built-in camera and image recognition technology, it recognizes anything placed on the surface and suggests complimentary ingredients and recipes. Magnetic coils built into the surface enable it to be used as an induction hub for cooking. www.ikea.in
ELECTROLUX THE RIBBON The Ribbon by Electrolux is a mobile device with wirelike rigidity that users can wrap or drape around their food containers or bottles to cool or heat food and beverages without having to stick it in a microwave or fridge. Conceptualized by Enzo Kocak, the device comes with two separate planes for heating and cooling with dozens of tiny battery powered thermoelectric cells. www.electrolux.in
HAPI HAPIFORK Hapifork is the smart Bluetooth enabled fork that helps you lose weight by eating healthier and slower. If you eat too fast it reminds you with a gentle vibration. It can be recharged by connecting it to a USB cable and can be synced with your smartphone. Its online dashboard allows you to share recorded meal information with your nutritionists and trainers. www.hapi.com
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A NEW COMFORT ZONE! Smart technology and smart living have not only enhanced the usability of our bathrooms but also their comfort level. Let’s take a look at some products that are creating a new comfort zone.
AXOR AXOR ONE
KOHLER VEIL The Veil by Kohler is an intelligent one piece dual flush toilet. It epitomizes minimalist and ergonomic design. It functions on direct water supply and its sculpted core provides a suite of precision features tuned to offer optimum hygiene and comfort. Apart from having an automatic deodorization system and temperature controlled seat, LED lighting illuminates the bowl making it serve as a nightlight. www.kohler.co.in
Axor One is the brand’s first all in one shower control element. With an emphasis on interaction design, the product eliminates the use of numerous water control units in the bathroom by unifying all of them in a central control unit. Temperatre regulation, water outlet activation and volume control can be achieved by a single press of the relevant paddle, thanks to its ‘Select’ technology. www.axor-design.com
DURAVIT SHOWER + BATH A perfect multifunctional solution for small bathroom, the Shower + Bath is appealing in design and comes with a mirrored fixed shower screen. The twoin-one shower space comes with an easily accessible walk in shower realized by a glass door. This lockable safety glass door transforms it into a relaxing bathtub. Its waterproof seating pad can be used as a comfortable seat, backrest and a storage unit. www.duravit.in
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HANSGROHE TALIS SELECT BASIN MIXER For the first time, Hansgrohe’s popular innovative ‘Select’ technology is introduced in its basin mixers. The Talis Select mixer comes in varying spout heights and two versions, namely The Talis Select S and The Talis Select E. The water flow can be initiated or stopped by just pressing the ‘Select’ button instead of lifting the conventional lever handle. www.hansgrohe.in
KALDEWEI SOUND WAVE With Sound Wave, Kaldewei provides an extra ordinary experience of sound both in and under water. Its innovative bath audio system uses the bathtub as a sound box and allows you to link numerous Bluetooth enabled electronic devices to it, so you can immerse quite literally in your favourite tunes. The high quality sound system increases in amplitude as the bathtub fills up with water. www.kaldewei.com
DELTA LEAK DETECTOR Designed with iDevices, Delta’s Leak Detector can be placed virtually anywhere to identify the presence of unwanted dripping water. Tuck it under water heaters, sinks or even inside cabinets and the unit’s conductor ring will detect dripping water. The one touch button wirelessly sync’s it to your smartphone or Wi-Fi. On detection, the device sends an alert to your smartphone enabling you to take immediate action. www.deltafaucet.com
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THE POWER OF 'CONNECTED' With life becoming more hectic and schedules becoming more unpredictable, smart temperature and security control systems are becoming indispensible. Let’s take a look at how they are adding new comforts to your life.
AUGUST SMART LOCK The August Smart Lock not only looks great but also flaunts some cool features. It automatically unlocks and locks your door. It allows you to grant and revoke access to and from visitors. Its installation is fairly simple and does not require you to replace the outside of your existing hardware. With its 24/7 activity monitoring, you know just when your door has been opened.
ECOBEE ECOBEE 4 More than a smart thermostat, the new Ecobee 4 not only reads the temperature in one place but also comes equipped with a sensor to help manage the hot and cold spots throughout the house. It detects occupancy and comes with built-in Amazon Alexa Voice Service and speakers. You can even command it to order groceries, read the news and play your favourite playlist! www.ecobee.com
www.august.com
TADO SMART AC CONTROL The Tado Smart AC Control can control multiple remote controlled air conditioners allowing you to man different zones of your house through your smartphone. It connects with your AC via infrared replacing the remote control and can be wall mounted or placed on the surface. It displays current settings and allows you to control temperature and mode so your room can cool down before you arrive. www.tado.com
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NEST NEST CAM IQ Nest’s intelligent weatherproof outdoor security camera called the Nest Cam IQ addresses various entry points around the house. The camera can tell a person from a thing and send a security alert if someone’s there, enabling you not to worry about a swaying tree in its face. Its subscription and video storage facility can recognize familiar faces and help you spot strangers. www.nest.com
YALE YMG40 The Yale YMG 40 is a push and pull biometric, fingerprint digital door lock that offers smart solutions for your home. Enabling you with a fingerprint, pin code, mechanical key and remote control access, it is specially designed for inswing and outswing doors. Compatible with Bluetooth, it comes with a voice guide feature. It also has an automatic locking, low battery alert and emergency access feature. www.yale.co.in
HONEYWELL LYRIC ROUND TM WI-FI THERMOSTAT The Lyric Round Wi-Fi Thermostat by Honeywell can be controlled easily using the Lyric app. It connects to your smartphone and uses the geofencing technology to detect your location, bidding farewell to wasted energy when you’re out at night. Other members can also use the app and establish their own geofences that will prevent the HVAC system from shutting off when you leave and they stay. www.yourhome.honeywell.com
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ACCESSORIES In a smart home with state-of-the-art design, accessories take centre stage. Combining function and elegance, our top picks can elevate your lifestyle and make your home the cynosure of all eyes.
LUTRON SERENA® REMOTE CONTROLLED SHADES
EUFY ROBOT VACUUM ROBOVAC 11 RoboVac is a no-frills, easy-tosetup product that scores with its affordability. It does not have Wi-Fi integration unlike other premium models, but when it comes to cleaning, it knows its job. The low profile facilitates cleaning under tables and chairs and the low noise feature is impressive. With a sleek, circular design and an efficient mechanism, this product is definitely value-for-money. www.eufylife.com
Available in insulating honeycomb and roller styles, Serena shades offer a variety of fabric colours and textures. These ultra-quiet, wireless window coverings feature industry-leading battery performance. Since it integrates with the Apple® HomeKit, you can also do voice-control. Just tell Siri what you want. With smart lighting, temperature monitoring and fire detection integration, this is just what you have been waiting for. www.lutron.com
FIRST ALERT BATTERY OPERATED DUAL SENSING SMOKE ALARM This battery operated smoke alarm by First Alert uses photoelectric and ionization sensors to protect against both fast flaming and slow smouldering fires. At the detection of a risk, it sounds off a loud 85db alarm that can be silenced with a button when needed. The alarm’s microchip helps determine the difference between non-threatening conditions and real emergencies. www.firstalert.com
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Z-WAVE REVO BLIND MOTORS COLLECTION The Revo blinds collection is backed by the smart Z-Wave motor. With a range that covers a diverse range of curtains and blinds, the Revo collection is impressive. Take your pick from tubular motors for normal, Venetian or skylight blinds, fireproof roller blinds, touch screen radio receiver or more. www.revoblinds.com
NEST NEST PROTECT 2nd GEN The new Nest Protect has an industrial-grade smoke sensor, tests itself automatically and lasts up to a decade. Setting a benchmark in the industry, it raises the bar with its smart-home integration capability. A friendly human voice informs the specific location of the smoke. You can use your phone to receive alerts and hush them as well. www.nest.com
DYSON 360 EYE A piece of engineering brilliance, Dyson 360 Eye is a product of 17 years pursuing perfection. With its powerful suction, intelligent navigation mechanism, tank tracks that adjust to a bumpy terrain, advanced filtration mechanism and a slim-profile charging dock, this is an explosive combination of features and style! It also allows to schedule cleaning using the Dyson Link app. www.dyson.com
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ENTERTAINMENT & LIGHTING CONTROL SYSTEMS Lights and music can convert a vanilla house into a truly special home. Choose from any of these hi-tech products in the market to upgrade your home to a luxurious haven.
SILVAN LUMOS LUMOS allows to control your lights and fans either through an app or through conventional switches. Its unique architecture enables a completely fault-tolerant system. If you want to adjust lights according to your mood and activity, LUMOS can do the magic. So if you are up for a party, this device can easily turn your house into a party zone with just a simple touch.
IFI HOMES IFITECH™ MOTION SENSOR NIGHT LIGHT MSNL104 This motion sensor light uses passive infrared (PIR) technology to sense human motion and turns on or off based on occupancy and ambient light level. Designed to substitute a standard light switch, this wireless night light can be pasted on any surface. It is ideal for any location at home with no hassle of wires and switches or screws and bolts. www.ifihomes.com
www.silvan.co.in
LIFX COLOR 1000 LIFX COLOR 1000 is a clever colour-changing bulb. It’s easy-to-use and there is no hassle of a hub setup. The colours look brilliant and the elegant design wins too. Although pricey at $60 a piece, its integration capability with other connected devices at home, and also with Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant and Alexa makes it worth the buy. www.lifx.com
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THASMAI JBL SYNTHESIS SYSTEMS Cornering the audio and visual automation space, Thasmai has tied up with Synthesis to offer JBL SynthesisÂŽ systems. Combining advanced signal processors, equalizers, amplifiers and loudspeakers, they create the most realistic listening experience possible in rooms of any size. To experience this firsthand, visit their 1000 sq.ft display room in Bangalore, setup with 7.2.4 Dolby Atmos Speaker and Epson 4k Laser Projection. www.thasmai.net
SONOS PLAYBAR For a theatre-like experience at home, connect SONOS to your TV and hear the magic unravel. With nine Class-D digital amplifiers and six mid-woofers, this is an acoustic experience every music lover should enjoy. The app allows to control what you play remotely (you can play different songs in different rooms, adjust volume, etc.) and can interface with over 30 streaming services. www.sonos.com
HAVELLS CRABTREE SMART LIVING MUSIC CONTROL With this music control, you can play your favourite songs in one room or in the entire house or program it to follow you through different rooms. It can accept input from all common sound systems and can play multiple file formats. You can also integrate this with your security solution and play active home sounds to give the illusion that you are home. www.havells.com
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TECHNOLOGICAL DECORATIONS Imagination is infinite, and there is no better proof than these dÊcor pieces that bring the best of the worlds of technology and design together. We promise that you’ll find it hard to pick a favourite!
ECOSMART FIRE IGLOO XL7 DESIGN FIREPLACE
CLICK AND GROW SMART GARDEN 3 The Smart Garden with its specially developed Smart Soil and built-in sensors make sure plants get the optimal configuration of water, oxygen and nutrients so your plants thrive with zero effort. No pesticides, plant hormones, or any other harmful substances are used. With a modular lamp arm, updated LEDs and a sleek design, this is the ultimate self-growing garden. www.clickandgrow.com
Made entirely of glass and stainless steel, the Igloo XL7 is a modern update to the traditional fireplace. The glass surrounds create a disappearing effect when placed in front of windows, doors and feature walls. Its powered by environmentally friendly, clean burning e-NRG bioethanol. The XL700 burner features an adjustable flame and comes standard with the Igloo XL7. www.ecosmartfire.com
iTOUCHLESS DEODORIZER SENSOR TRASH CAN What if the thing that you want to hide in the closet could instead add verve to your home design? This 13 Gallon Touchless Sensor Trash Can uses the most advanced infrared sensor technology for quick and accurate lid opening and closing. It also includes a pre-installed carbon filter gate (CFG) designed to eliminate odours. www.itouchless.com
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FRAMED FRAMED 2.0 Framed 2.0 is a digital frame that showcases static and moving artworks. Integrated with your smartphone, it allows you to pick the art you want to display on your wall (you can instruct using gestures and voice too!). This Japanese innovation also acts like a Kindle store for digital art, providing a platform for artists to sell their work. Can it get more futuristic? www.frm.fm
NANOLEAF AURORA With this smart lighting product, you can wake up to the sunrise, improve your mood with stunning colours and automate the lighting throughout the day. Piece the triangular panels together into any shape, and voice activate scenes using Siri, Alexa, or Google Assistant. The Rhythm add-on module lets you immerse yourself in a symphony of light by transforming music into light. www.nanoleaf.me
CARLO RATTI ASSOCIATI LIFT-BIT Imagine a modular, reconfigurable furniture system that can seamlessly turn into a bed, a chaise longue or a group of armchairs. All of this is Lift-Bit - a project designed by Carlo Ratti Associati together with Opendot fab lab, unveiled at Milan Design Week 2017. Distributed sensors and intelligence allow the height to be adjusted in seconds, simply by a hand gesture or through a mobile app. www.lift-bit.com
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FROM EVOLUTIONS TO REVOLUTIONS Hardesh Chojher is the Director of Brand Marketing and Product Development at Franke Faber India. He has a rich experience of 16 years working with various FMCG as well as consumer durable brands. Here, he provides some brilliant insights into how kitchen appliances are being reimagined for a smart home, how devices are becoming sleeker, and how resource efficiency is another way of defining ‘smart’.
Tell us about how you think technology has helped make the user experience better.
Earlier, there were evolutions. Now, there are revolutions! Technology today is much more intense with motion sensors, gesture controls, etc. You just swipe your hand or clap, and activate the appliance. In the global market, we have hoods that are fitted with cameras and IR sensors. While, adoption for these products may not be in big volumes at the moment, these innovations are already being commercialised.
Mr. Hardesh Chojher, Director of Brand Marketing and Product Development, Franke Faber India.
How do you see the concept of ‘smart living’ apply in the case of appliances?
‘Smart’ in appliances needs to be understood in context. It can be interpreted in 3 broad ways: 1) How to enable the appliance to work in a more efficient manner? 2) How to give the user an interactive, intuitive and seamless experience? 3) How to build more functionality into an existing product? At a global level, over the past 10 to15 years or so, we have done the bulk of progress in the first two areas. In the first case (efficiency), take the example of chimney motors used in Europe today. They only consume about 25% electricity of what used to be 15 years before. Here, we associate smartness with efficiency gain. In case of user experience, Faber was a frontrunner when they introduced sensors in chimneys years ago. Here, the appliance took the onus on itself without the customer having to overtly ask for it.
Miniaturization of parts has led to sleek compact devices redefining the world of smart appliances.
Brands are increasingly focusing on reducing the carbon footprint during product construction operation and maintenance.
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You spoke about bundling multiple functionalities into one appliance. Can you give some instances of this? Today, it is a hi-tech space; for example, hoods are fitted with a TV so you can watch your favourite shows while cooking. Also, now we have IoT (Internet Of Things) as an enabler. For example, there is an effort to create a pod off the chimney. Here, the pod is the centrepiece or hub of the kitchen - it has a TV screen, radio and a Wi-Fi adapter. You can play songs, download recipes or use it as a computer screen. This is a great case of taking a basic product and adding more functionality to it, creating a more compelling need to buy it.
Smart kitchen is impressive as it fulfills genuine customer needs.
Can you share some interesting trends in the kitchen space?
There is an unbelievable amount of cool work happening all around! For example, many of the European countries are switching from natural gas to induction for cooking. Induction has only 5% energy loss whereas you lose about 35% in your regular gas stove. Germany is now 100% on induction!
Smart-dishwashers save energy.
Then, of course, you’ve other cool trends such as not even having to be present in the kitchen to cook. You can put your food in the microwave in the morning, and switch it on later from work. All of this is certainly geeky, but what’s impressive is that it’s very consumer-driven technology fulfilling a genuine customer need.
Are there efforts to make kitchen appliances contribute to a green environment?
To make this happen, we are focusing on 3 areas in the product cycle - 1) Carbon footprint during product construction, 2) Product operation and performance (example, star rating in appliances) and 3) Managing end-of-life cycle (maintaining a balance between disposing an existing product versus upgrading it). In India, we are a few years away from integrating green into the product cycle, but globally, yes, there is a better sensibility around this. We are now deploying more efficient motors, building lighter products and even making efforts to not use products such as polystyrene (for packaging) that take years to decompose. IoT is enabling home appliances to work as one brain rather than in isolation.
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FIVE LATEST TRENDS IN SMART APPLIANCES As aesthetics give way to functionality and expensive products step out to welcome commercially viable ones, the smart appliances segment is entering an era of maturity. Technology continues to play a crucial role as always, but the effort is now to apply those tech innovations to genuine customer need. In this special edition, we present to you five exciting trends in this space.
Amazon’s Echo is powered by Alexa a digital assistant.
Integration is no longer an optional feature The appliance could have a bundle of excellent features, but it is not considered smart any more if it cannot integrate seamlessly with other platforms such as IFTTT (If This Then That). Most devices are compatible with voice assistants such as Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri. Suffice to say that devices can no longer exist in isolation! Hub is the brain of the house
Samsung Family Hub 2.0 refrigerator.
A hub like SmartThings acts as a central unit that controls all the appliances at home. After a one-time installation, you can just interact with your hub rather than all the devices at home. For example, if you’re planning to travel for a week, you may want to ensure that the refrigerator operates at a minimal energy mode, the lights are switched off, the security alarm is activated, etc. All you have to do now is to instruct your hub, which will then take care of configuring other appliances to behave the way you want.
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IFTTT Integration.
‘Smart’ is redefined to more than just being a remote control Many smart appliances have a Wi-Fi adapter and a mobile app that can then control the appliance remotely. Yes, you can now switch on your microwave from work. But, how about extending the definition of ‘smart’ to something more refined? For example, consider a refrigerator that self-evaluates its inventory to give a recipe suggestion or automatically draws up the grocery list for the month based on the current stock. Consider a washing machine that can fold your clothes, too! (FoldiMate has come out with a prototype, although with many limitations) Brands making such smart appliances are pushing the boundaries to solve customers’ real problems. Products are getting cheaper and sleeker
Whirlpool 6th Sense Live Technology.
In a retail industry, products can be commercially feasible only if they are offered at an attractive price point to the consumer. Acknowledging this, companies are moving away from building fancy, expensive products to ones that can actually sell in volumes. Alexa is bound to sell more than, say, a 3D printer. Also, due to space constraints in the kitchen, there are sleeker product options that occupy lesser shelf space today. It is an added bonus that they’re easy on the eyes, too! Energy saving appliances are the need of the hour Although India is still catching up, Western countries are far ahead of the curve with mandated strict energy guidelines. Some out-of-the-box solutions are emerging in this space - for example, appliances can be built with the intelligence to self-configure themselves when the power consumption and rates are minimal. Concepts such as backscattering are being explored by technologists to create battery-free home devices.
FoldiMate - A prototype of a washing machine that folds clothes.
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Driven by the sheer love for propellers and aviation, Woodfeather crafts uniquely inspired designs that resonate with different aspirations and milestones. The only product from the brand is wooden airplane propeller! However, each design is unique in its own way.
A propeller named Eclipse is a rich matt black piece with fiery yellow and lunar grey blade tips.
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CRAFTING AVIATION TEXT BY ANINDITA GANGULY
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The design collection features propellers in different shapes, colours, finishes and sizes.
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The design collection features different shapes, colours, finishes and sizes in accordance to the décor style and preference of its clients. All its products are designed in-house as the signature offering of the brand. What makes Woodfeather propellers special is that each design has an inspiration, which translates into the underlying design theory for the piece. The team choose a theme and brainstorm the outcome, which is then the basis for creating the propellers shape, colour selection, polish, accents and even its name. Thereafter, they work closely with the various craftsmen and artisans at every stage to ensure that the final piece matches this vision. Each design from Woodfeather has an inspiration of its own. They range from vintage airplanes to human characters and from weapons to creations of nature itself. Not just the shape, colour and finish but even the name of every propeller is based on the inspirational theme.
Each design has an inspiration, which translates into the underlying design theory for the piece.
A propeller named Eclipse, for instance, is a rich matt black piece with fiery yellow and lunar grey blade tips. The black body represents the universe whilst the yellow and grey symbolise the sun and moon respectively with the black space in between. They also have propellers based on superheroes, roman gods, gladiators, weapons and many more. Woodfeather is a brand synonymous with exquisite aviation décor. Signature hand crafted propellers from the brand have caught the fancy of many passionate and luxury buyers whose homes and offices have been adorned by these exclusive artefacts.
Signature hand crafted propellers from the brand have caught the fancy of many passionate and luxury buyers.
In the words of Akshay Sharma, Founder, Woodfeather, “To me propellers are beyond just artefacts... they symbolise the soaring spirit in a person. It could represent success, an achievement, a milestone or even a dream. Happiness and success are almost always measured upward into the sky - terms like 7th heaven, cloud 9, over the moon, aim for the stars, top of the world etc. What better than a propeller to symbolise such an emotion or memory? And yes of course, they make fantastic looking artefacts too which are certain to catch the eye and earn compliments”. The propellers make fantastic looking artefacts too which are certain to catch the eye and earn compliments.
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With rapidly evolving décor taste, people seek new and unique ways to revamp and decorate their homes and offices. This offers a great opportunity for products like ours which are eclectic and unique among the more common artefact options. However, Woodfeather hopes that customers will increasingly want custom-made designs which are highly personalised and unique versus ready off-the-shelf designs, a trend that is already on the upswing.
With rapidly evolving décor taste, people seek new and unique ways to revamp and decorate their homes and offices.
The vintage wood finished designs with aged brass tips have been the most popular amongst its clients. Designs like Gladiator, Warhorse, Ironbark and Scepter are immensely popular as well. These styles are the most authentic looking propellers from the early 1900’s when wood was used for the purpose before being replaced by metal. People who have a taste for authentic artefacts go for these classic and rustic designs instead of the more modern ones. With its unique character, product and its superlative design and finish, Woodfeather has hardly any competition. It is possibly the sole brand in the world making designer and custom wooden propellers for décor. According to Akshay, "Quirky and stand out, Woodfeather propellers are an expression of style, taste and individuality - an ideal way to craft not just your home décor, but also an embodiment of the soaring spirit in you”.
People who have a taste for authentic artefacts go for these classic and rustic designs instead of the more modern ones. ..
WoodFeather info@woodfeather.com www.woodfeather.com
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Cement floors, brick walls and a ceiling with exposed services declare the aesthetics of the space.
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QUIRKY & YOUTHFUL The Delhi office of the Nando’s food chain has been so designed by group DCA that it not only reflects the work culture of the multinational, but also showcases the collection of modern South African art which it owns
With more than 1000 outlets in 30 countries across the globe, Nando’s is a casual dining restaurant chain originating in South Africa. “Consequently, many of their outlets have been designed by international architects. So when this project came to us, we did a recce on their brand and noted that its image is quirky and youthful,” says Amit Aurora of group DCA. “Moreover, they have a large collection of modern South African art and also work with the artists there, giving them an opportunity to display their work.
Text By Devyani Jayakar Photographs Courtesy Kapil Kamraa Home Review October 2017
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“We believe that the interiors of a good office should accurately mirror the core values, the ethos and of course, the strategic objectives of the brand, while aiming to craft a lively and efficient workspace for the employees. Taking this approach forward, we designed a creative and conducive workspace for them in Gurugram,” he says. The brief was to go local. “Nando outlets are known to use materials in their true form…for instance, they never use veneers,” explains Amit. Since the clients required a dynamic, playful and vibrant space for their young team, the design breaks away from the monotony of dull, stereotypical workplaces, and instead carries forward the chain’s international aesthetic whilst showcasing its emphasis on art. With a sense of place in the Indian context, an eclectic stance is adopted to enliven the space and create a playful working environment that is fun as well as edgy. There is no reception desk; just a café and a jhoola located near the entrance. The cafeteria sets the tone of informality present throughout the workspace. “The work culture is not rigid, so employees who wish to make a phone call are welcome to pour themselves a cup of coffee and sit on the swing while they talk,” says Amit. A lunch table doubles as a table tennis table, when its wooden top is removed. The long, narrow footprint with windows on the north and south enabled the office to function simply with the ingress of daylight; the design optimises the form and exploits the window frontage to its best. Glass doors facilitate optimum natural illumination encouraging daylight to permeate the interiors while creating a shift from the typical, artificially lit corridors. The use of regular, artificial lighting is reduced to after-dark hours only. Since the office sits on the top floor of a commercial tower, the cabins are aligned with a window on the outer wall that reflects views of the urban surroundings. The long, narrow footprint with windows on the north and south enabled the office to work on the ingress of daylight; the design optimises the form and exploits the window frontage to its best.
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“In spite of the linear plate, the feel is not of a corridor since we’ve staggered the cabins and placed them like a funnel which is wider in the front and narrower towards the rear.This spatial planning exploits the site to direct people inside, from an open, wider reception to the more private, meeting rooms inside.” This feeling is accentuated by the visual perspective as well.
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Dividing the long linear corridor into a series of interactive spaces, the monotony is broken; the working cabins and open areas are arranged in a manner that the corridor always seemed interesting. This layout provides for an array of open, co-working and individual spaces. A boardroom in cement and bricks sits on one end of the corridor, behind a glass wall. Cement floors, brick walls, mango wood and windows with glazing make up the non-fussy material palette. Metal chairs add to the eclectic mix of elements. “Many of these are discards, scrapped at the time of renovating Nando’s restaurants. This is in sync with Nandos’ overall green approach, of minimising the use of resources,” says Amit. Most of the ceilings have been left untreated, with the beams, air conditioning ducts and electrical conduits being clearly visible. Painted a dark colour, they are not at all attention-grabbing. The furnishings such as the rugs and carpets are handcrafted and sourced locally; basic in design, yet elegant in nature, they further the design intent. Nando’s as an organisation, supports local talent as well as an art foundation that is a patron and collector of South African Art. “Therefore, the curated art pieces on the walls have been exclusively picked from this foundation to showcase the art of the region, enhanced by spot lights from the ceiling above,” says Amit. “The lighting, cooling and the use of the space itself is optimal,” says Amit. Simple lighting is an essential focus of the overall design approach. Natural light is exploited to the maximum, with accent lights being used to highlight the exclusive artwork. “The design provides a good sensory experience, with colour coming from the fabrics and art, while the rugs and brick walls add texture.”
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The bed has been set against a romantic floral headboard, which in turn is backed by an antique mirrored wall backdrop.
Cement floors, brick walls, mango wood and windows with glazing make up the non-fussy material palette.
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A boardroom in cement and bricks sits on one end of the corridor, behind a glass wall.
If good design must be rooted in its time and space, while catering to its function, this is it. DCA’s design lives up to the brand’s ethics simple, an honest use of materials and no-fuss aesthetics. media@dcaarch.com www.groupdca.in
Floor Plan
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Today, numerous internationally renowned designers work for Duravit.
Duravit Designer Network
DURAVIT: 200 YEARS OF GLORY Duravit celebrates 200 years of excellence in the bath segment. Founded in 1817 in Hornberg in the Black Forest, Duravit AG is today a leading international manufacturer of designer bathrooms. The company operates in more than 130 countries worldwide and stands for innovations in the field of good design, the intelligent use of technology and top quality. In cooperation with high-profile international designers, such as Philippe Starck and EOOS, the company develops comfortable bathrooms that really enhance quality of life for users on a sustained basis. Duravit’s product portfolio comprises of sanitary ceramics, bathroom furniture, baths and shower trays, wellness systems, shower-toilets, faucets and accessories.
Duravit’s 200 year birthday celebration at the Alte Oper in Frankfurt provided a unique joint photo opportunity - Philippe Starck, who revolutionised the bathroom in 1984 with his “back to the roots” idea; Sieger design, with a record 24 Duravit design projects to its name in 33 years; EOOS, a design trio boasting a definitive analytical profundity; Kurt Merki Jr, who most recently designed the C.1 tap fitting range; David Nelson, head designer at Foster + Partners; Phoenix Design, represented by Andreas Haug and Tom Schönherr, whose designs combine logic and emotion; Frank Huster, architect, lecturer and lateral thinker; interior designer Christian Werner, whose design is characterised by clear lines and accents without any superficial effects; Matteo Thun and Antonio Rodriguez, who developed DuraStyle, a bathroom programme covering all applications and requirements; and as the latest recruit from Denmark, Cecilie Manz, with her intuitive understanding of touch and feel. The unique network of 17 internationally successful designers, architects and their teams continues to develop the Duravit design concept. To date, their collaboration has given rise to 83 product lines and bathroom ranges which have won Duravit well over 160 design prizes and awards.
(L-R) Mr. Asutosh Shah, Managing Director, Duravit India , DR. Frank Richter, CEO, Duravit AG.
Web: www.duravit.in www.duravit.com
Duravit has carefully managed its brand, which is synonymous with holistically designed bathrooms. In 1817, Duravit began its operations in the Black Forest. Initially, the Steingut-Fabrik [an earthenware factory] in Hornberg, founded by Georg Friedrich Horn, produced tableware. Twenty five years later, in 1842, the company’s production was broadened to include the first sanitary ware products that have been sold under the Duravit brand name since 1960. Duravit has played a key role in establishing the significance of bathrooms over the past 30 years. In the late 1980s, Duravit worked with Dieter Sieger to present its first designer range for the bathroom. Yet, Giamo was only the beginning and the first complete designer bathroom, created with Philippe Starck revolutionised the sanitary industry when it was launched in 1994. Home Review October 2017
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AN ARCHITECT’S ABODE Surrounded by green environs and located inside a premium development, this architect’s abode doubles up as a model flat. Architect Rajendra Chandorkar designed this charming duplex, a rare blend of luxury and intimacy, for his vibrant family of six. Text By Ramya Srinivasan Photographs Courtesy Sebastian Zachariah
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In Maximum City, away from the crowded streets where brown dust fills the humid air, far from the cacophony of trains where a moment paused often means a moment wasted, Oberoi Green City spreads an emerald carpet for its residents. In this neighbourhood, Rajendra Chandorkar’s duplex residence exudes an understated character much unlike a typical model flat dominated by bright shades. Whether it’s the choice of muted wall colours or furnishings, it’s obvious that the preference is minimalistic. “It’s our home,” shares the architect. “And when we come back home from work, bright colours are hard to look at day in and day out.” The soothing effect of the grey walls against the beige, brown and subtle blue works a magical charm. Initially, the architect in Chandorkar leaned towards natural materials such as concrete. However, to retain a wider appeal to customers who visit the project, he decided on Armani marble flooring for the lower level of his residence. This brown-finish marble lends a natural yet classy outlook. The lower level has a double height living, dining, kitchen, two bedrooms and an expansive deck overlooking vast green lands. A ribbon-styled sleek wooden staircase bordered with thin metal railings takes you to the upper level. Chandorkar describes the staircase as “minimalistic, almost like a sculptural piece.” It’s simple and stylish, yet comfortable and safe for everyday use.
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At the level above are the master bedroom, the children’s room and an open study space. “One of the things we believe in is that a person should get different spaces for different activities that he might want to do in the house. So, we’ve consciously carved out spaces, depending on whether you want to cook, play, paint or relax,” says Chandorkar. The study room at the upper level is one of those special areas in the house. It’s a multi-purpose area fit for a plethora of activities - for an avid reader, this is a blissful space with its long arrangement of bookshelves on the wall. A beautiful study table at the centre also converts it as a spot for children to do their homework or for the architect couple to spread out and examine their large drawings. Sometimes this room transforms into a painting studio and sometimes a corner to just relax.
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Another room that has a similar quality of transforming to the mood of the hour is the guest bedroom at the lower level. When not used for guests, it becomes a fun playroom. “We wanted a space where the children could have fun with their friends without worrying whether it’ll get messy or not. So, we designed this room, separate from the kids’ bedroom,” explains Chandorkar. every bedroom, there is an effort to } Incarve out exclusive resting spaces. While
the children’s room and the guest room have window ledges as reading corners, the master bedroom is extended into an L-shaped suite. In a separate corner of the suite, away from the bed, a plush sofa with comfy cushions sits in front of a television. This informal seating and dining feature creates an opportunity for the family to bond over food and drinks. When there are young children aged ten and seven, it becomes important to design spaces where they can express themselves creatively, laze around or just be goofy. The deck adjoining the huge living room is one such area perfect for creating memories. Here, the children and even the adults in the family get to enjoy fresh air and sit on the floor old school style, to relish a homecooked pizza. Sometimes, a simple element can introduce unexpected joy and charm to a residence. Here, the open kitchen counter does that job unpretentiously. “It’s just one small counter, but has become a central piece when guests come over,” shares Chandorkar. The children, too, use it to experiment with baking. With the oven opening up to the living room ensuring there is no interruption to the activities in the main kitchen, the two daughters make merry by baking cakes and playing with colourful icings. It is hard to pick a favourite element in this residence - it could be the rug in the living room bought from Jaipur or the overhanging lights carefully positioned to facilitate conversations or the clever planning of indoor and outdoor spaces to stimulate creativity and individualistic expression. Any of these could be a winner, however what’s exciting to observe is how all these facets of design come together to tell a story, a unique story that belongs only to the residents of this house. vidya.morajkar@oberoirealty.com
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LII 2018: A STEP TOWARDS GLOBALIZATION The latest buzz in the town is Light India International 2018 to be held from 19th to 21st January, 2018.
The Indian Society of Lighting Engineers has great pleasure in presenting the Light India International 2018, at Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai, India from 19th-21st January 2018. The lighting industry in India is on a globalization drive and is now providing the Indian consumers a variety of lighting products sourced domestically as well as from overseas. In the context of the reduced import duty regime in India, the globalization drive is gaining momentum. The growing living standards in India are finding expressions in the lighting industry in many ways. The country is in the midst of an unprecedented growth, particularly in infrastructure facilities.
The Light India International 2018 will publicize the developments taking place in the lighting industry and provide excellent marketing opportunities for all the products and services covered by the lighting industry. Highlights of Light India International 2018: Lii 2018 provides an excellent opportunity for you to meet your target clients on a personal level for effective marketing. Lii 2018 is an excellent platform to launch & showcase your products to Government bodies, retailers, hoteliers, architects, project managers, signage specialists, lighting industry professionals & many more.
Lii 2018 gives you the chance to promote your brand to an international audience. Lii 2018 provides access to important decision makers from the industry and useful market insights found nowhere else. Lii 2018 provides a conducive environment to help you make the right connections from across Asia. K-Lite Industries D-10, Ambattur Industrial Estate, Chennai - 600058 E-mail : info@klite.in Website : www.klite.in Tel : 044-26257710, 42281950, Fax: 044-26257866 Mobile : +91 95000 79797, +91 95000 85511
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Everything about this room screams textures!
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MORE THAN JUST A BED & BREAKFAST! London’s picturesque Covent Garden neighbourhood is home to the bedazzling 18-room Hotel Henrietta, designed by French designer Dorothee Meilichzon. Ellen Lipton once said “Design is as much an act of spacing as an act of marketing”. Theming interiors is a tricky job, with the constant fear of coming off as ‘tacky’, but with the designers keeping in mind functionality and form along with aesthetics the spaces can do much more than just please the clients as is the case with this project.
Text By Priyanka Menon Photographs Courtesy Dorothee Meilichzon
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The delicate lamp and softly upholstered chairs with the view of red-brick buildings make for a cosy corner in the room.
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Events and consulting company, Experimental Group’s latest offering is the very chic Hotel Henrietta, an 18-room boutique hotel that also boasts of a restaurant by the same name, by renowned chef Ollie Dabbous. Designed by Dorothee Meilichzon, founder of Chzon - a global design agency that specialises in hospitality design, the hotel is fashioned more along the lines of an intimate B&B, but interlaced with an inimitable exclusivity. “My first inspiration for the hotel was the street itself,” Dorothee says. The hotel’s structure consists of two typically British buildings dating back to 1874 and 1877 (nos. 14 and 15 on Henrietta Street respectively) joined together in a modern endeavour. Yet, it still retains its old-world charm. Collaborating with Romee de Goriainoff, Olivier Bon and Pierre-Charles Cros, the founding members of Experimental Group, Dorothee masterfully brings in her own signature style, which is both sophisticated as well as inspired by the region. For us, the most striking aspects of the hotel are its colour palette and experiments with various textures. The understated colours bring out the quiet elegance that is quintessentially Dorothee Meilichzon, and the different kinds of textures work as elements of modernity allowing for the space to be viewed in a different light. Covent Garden used to be the vegetable garden adjoining Westminster Abbey. Later, it was a spot for a fruit and vegetable market. Keeping this history of the locality in mind, Dorothee chose a palette with natural tones. “I have used a lot of organic elements,” she says. Terracotta tiles, hand-made in France, were used for the walls, ‘a mix of green fabrics, end grain wood on the floors, and hand-painted glass ceilings that draw inspiration from endemic graphic motifs like the design of the arches of the market - it’s almost as if we are back in the nineteenth century marketplace. “I usually mix elements and styles,” Dorothee says. “I have taken elements from the 70’s and designed a little armchair inspired by Pierre Paulin’s work along with aluminum installations and randomly-shaped tables.”
The dark textured flooring, upholstered chairs, and textured panel on the right completely enliven the dining area.
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What a delightful kitchen counter! Almost like dining out in the countryside. Notice the different types of light fixtures bringing the Experimental Group’s bohemian spirit into play.
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“There are four different harmonies of colours to make each of the eighteen bedrooms different,” Dorothee goes on. Taking inspiration from the antique interiors and ornamentations found in Milanese apartments as well as old London buildings, massive headboards have been designed with a mix of elements like mirrors, fabric panels, hand-painted patterns, etc. Cut and painfully assembled by hand, the headboards, which are essentially oversized like a bas-relief, are quite the modern retelling of an old and classical design style. The rooms mirror the architectural profile of Henrietta Street with colonnades, capitals, pediments, neo-antique porticos and skirting in white Carrara marble.
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“The carpets,” Dorothee adds, “have patterns inspired by the shape of the terrazzo.” The antique spirit of the room is further enunciated in the kind of furniture and light fixtures that have been used. Cabinets and dressers are suspended, and along with the rooms’ marble plinths, terrazzo-patterned custom carpeting, windowed arches, and bed side lights in brass add to the antique vibes of the rooms. The real drama though, is inside the bathrooms! “The basin areas,” Dorothee begins, “have been conceived as a fountain: two large pieces of granite at a right angle with a large mirror.” The shape and design of the basins are inspired by an old building on Henrietta Street. “The flooring is more traditional with black and white octagonal tiles and cabochons,” Dorothee goes on.
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All bathrooms are equipped with massive showers and bath areas with clawfoot tubs on black and white octagonal tiles quite perfect for two we’d like to believe. And with a bottle of Chatreuse from the well-stocked mini bar, the romance in the air would definitely be palpable! The hotel’s ‘true beating heart’ is its restaurant Henrietta, ‘an elegant synthesis of Victorian ornamental art and the brilliance of Art Deco.’ Chzon and Dorothee are known world over as specialists in hospitality design, and one can see why! Spread across the glass-roofed mezzanine and the ground floor, the restaurant is Experimental Group’s collaboration with Chef Ollie Dabbous.
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The menu is a testament to Chef Ollie’s gastronomic expertise. “We have three counters;” Dorothee says, “two cocktail bars where people eat and a live kitchen counter where Chef Ollie works.” The restaurant’s open kitchen seamlessly merges into the dining room.
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Notice the flooring and colour scheme in this frame. The mix ‘n’ match table and chair adding to the quaintness of the space.
“All spaces blend into each other,” she adds. “The restaurant kitchen becomes a dining room, the lobby becomes a cocktail bar, and the space under the glass roof is a garden!” Experimental Group’s ‘bohemian chic’ personality is what Dorothee Meilichzon brings to life with rich colours, mosaics and fabrics. Hotel Henrietta is the perfect embodiment of the slogan bed and beyond! dorothee@chzon.com
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JEAN COUVREUR
Parisian product designer Jean Couvreur creates objects that are not only practical but are also incredibly elegant. These are made with a combination of a clear focus on craftsmanship and the use of apt materials.
Text By Chryselle D’Silva Dias Photographs Courtesy The Designer Home HomeReview ReviewOctober October2017 2017
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The late co-founder of Apple, Steve Jobs, once said, “Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works,� Jobs was an inventor and a designer as well, so he knew what he was talking about. Parisian designer Jean Couvreur also speaks the same language. The 35-year-old designer creates products that not only have a sleek and minimalistic shape to them, but are also independently useful and practical at the same time, with a focus on craftsmanship, materials and the utility of the object.
Pagode
Take for instance his designs for lamps. The Pagode is a ceiling lamp that looks like a traditional lamp. This suspension lamp, however, is made from Plastazote (originally used in orthopaedics) which heats easily and spreads the light in an even and brilliant fashion.
Girafe desk lamp
The Girafe desk lamp with its cute feet and stretched-out neck reminds you of your favourite tall animal. The design was a result of research on the structural properties of leather. Interestingly, the leather remains rigid and thus needs no internal structure to stay upright. The limited edition Photochrome suspension lamp is an unusual design as well and reminds one of clothes drying on a line. The glass sheets drape on a fluorescent tube, much like clothes on a line, and give out an interesting effect when lit. Photochrome table lamps have similar designs with the coloured glass adding a sense of mystery to your desk.
Photochrome
Couvreur’s designs for furniture include seating and accessories for home and public use. The Judo bench is a fantastic example of a minimalist, multi-use design. The unadorned chestnut bench has three pieces that fold in or open out in one fluid movement. When open, the bench appears to be made of solid wood and one would never guess that it folds so seamlessly.
Judo
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Linette coffee Table
The Linette coffee or pedestal table reminds me of two giant buttons held up by wooden sticks. The pretty pastel wooden disks are superimposed and held together by three slanted rods which double up as legs. The two levels are excellent spacesavers and are perfect for multiple uses around the home as a display and storage accessory. The Desserte Cricket stand on the other hand, has several trays of varying sizes balancing on one leg. This even works well as a side-table or even a bedside table making sure you’ll always have enough place for your paraphernalia and still make it look uncluttered. The sense of expansiveness and white space carries over into a new design for a bench called Banc Frais. At first glance, this looks like a public sculpture, a smooth expanse of white concrete with a small little pond in the middle. The inbuilt water pump holds 300 litres of water and is a contemporary replacement for town centre fountains and gathering places.
Cricket stand
The usage of concrete as the material brings to the fore the pure expression of the material and its porosity helps retain the freshness of the water. Banc Frais aims to encourage spontaneous uses such as gatherings around the village fountain.
Banc Frais
Similar attention to detail has been paid to the Aberlour Wood Essence Box, designed for SoWine containing three single malts and a tasting tray. The wooden ‘box’ is more like a designer handbag and the grain of the wood gives you an idea of the quality of the products inside - well aged and warm.
Aberlour Wood Essence Box
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Also for the home is Pantin, a trivet made from beech, copper and elastic cord. The simple yet unexpectedly elegant design allows the trivet to be laid out in different shapes or unfolded to create a long length. The colour and hint of copper at one end elevate it to an item of a luxurious necessity for your kitchen or dining table. The Fauteuil Sonore is a departure from Couvreur’s usual designs. This interactive device incorporates a touch screen and sound system and was commissioned by Musée de l’Homme. This intriguing piece of furniture isolates the visitor from the general background and ambient noise in a museum. Using colourful wool felt and a built-in sound system with four speakers, a special acoustic is created that wraps the viewer into a cocooned space. Three people can be accommodated on the bench placed inside but passers-by can also view the screen without disturbing the ones inside the cocoon. Visitors to the museum can take a welcome break in the Fauteuil Sonore and soak in some new stories while they catch their breath.
Pantin
Couvreur’s elegant and experimental designs have led to accolades and commissions from reputed design firms and museums. His creative designs, his craftsmanship and the choice of materials tend to showcase the very essence of the objects. Whether it is a lamp or a comfortable perch to sit on, you can trust Couvreur’s designs to get it right and make it good. jeancouvreur@gmail.com www.jeancouvreur.com
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Fauteuil Sonore
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Ahmedabad-based andblack design studio is a fan of symmetry, fluidity and minimalism. The firm’s projects celebrate space, nature and innovation without relying too much on bombastic props. Ahmedabad-based andblack design studio loves minimalist but sturdy styles with an edge. Be it a cramped office space or a luxurious home, the team is capable of infusing a distinct character not just to the entire project but to every section within the project as well. Kanika and Jwalant Mahadevwala lead the way and help feed a reliance on physical modelling and use of parametric tools to realise interiors, architectural projects, installations and furniture pieces that are memorably beautiful and innovative. The preferred layout scheme is fluid, with the outside never too much of a shut-off element. “We tend to use materials like metal, wood, bamboo, paper, etc., in ways that haven’t been explored generally in the larger context of design in India,” adds the team. The following three projects can testify to that principle.
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Modern offices tend to invest in individuality nowadays. It is not enough to be utilitarian, and it is so yesteryear to be recklessly thematic. Today’s workspaces do not shy away from eccentricity or fluidity, and encourage their occupiers to be freethinkers. The Abhishek Goyal Office is no exception. The andblack team was clear about the minimalist template to be put to use here; it had to aid the inside-outside scheme well, too.
“Sophisticated, inspiring and contemporary were the adjectives we were after while designing this office,” states the team. This translated into a breathy expanse of carefully divided spaces that are dominated by bright polished wood and beautiful pattern breakers. “The grey and wood coupled with sleek black metal and white was the mood,” the team confirms. The primary challenge was the tight space, a factor that the team circumvented by a furniture spread of sleek, low-rising pieces, and shelving that apes industrial piping. Wide glass doors and windows make sure that the cubicles don’t seem stuffy and out-of-bounds, and that natural light is plenty in supply. The natural pattern of the wood is a fascinating element of the look of the place - it makes everything from the chairs, stools, tables, and the mullioned screens and dividers look selfassured and fashionable with zero frills having been added. Other clinchers include the spots of highlypatterned and colourful tiling. They pop up on a wall, or on the floor, and seem to make your eyes readjust. Admittedly, the clients and the designers share a love for generous spreads of wood, and for brass, and the office that has come to be represents that aesthetic perfectly.
Text by Shruti Nambiar Photographs Courtesy the Design Studio; Abhishek Goyal office - Jerry Johnson; Furniture line - Ajinkya Bhangdia
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“It is one of our projects where we would like to stay ourselves,” states the team, and that statement itself can stand as testimony to the unbuilt project’s brilliance. Expansive and designed to be a “long house”, the central concept repeats the team’s predilection towards an in-and-out scheme. The spaces are designed so that the interiors and the exterior do not seem too disconnected and are separated only by easily-accessible barriers. “All the day living spaces are arranged along a long openable wooden screen.” When these screens open, torrents of sunlight and the beauteous views of a series of courtyards rush in. The courtyards, too, are not uniform, and instead flaunt unique characters that include the classic tree-at-the-centre look, a grass-and-stone-slabs model, as well as a small water-body that is pebbled at the floor and bridged to the multiple mini-decks around it.
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It is a fun set-up this, with sections of the house changing personalities and even elevations at regular intervals. A river runs by the site so, naturally, the cosiest sections of the home are arranged to make the most of this view. The bedrooms and other private segments sit on a deck-like structure atop the elongated public section, ensuring a complete cut off for the residents when required. This project, luxurious and created to inspire uninterrupted interest, can easily become an andblack totem.
andblack’s furniture line has a sharp eye for geometry and an affinity for minimalism. It is impossible to start this conversation without mentioning the ‘Edge Table’ straight up! This mighty extra-terrestrial is a glass-topped dining table created out of contiguous light-weight, golden, folded metal sheets. The beautiful origami here realises a branched support on the top to support the glass, and tapers down to quadrilaterals, with their pointy edges standing on a polished wooden slab. This piece is twolegged unlike the conventional four-legged ones, and is resplendent and memorable to boot. The ‘Crossover Chair’ proves that simple is beautiful. A concrete grey slab-like cushioned seat sits wedged between a slanting turquoise back and a sturdy straight wooden armrest and forelegs. The colour shift that happens at the shoulder is quaintly fascinating here. Other interesting beings in this collection are the ‘Poise Tables’, capable as a troika of looking like an Oriental chandelier, though from the floor up! The circular wooden tops here are held up by metal legs designed to form a geometric pattern. Our attention is now drawn to the superbly sleek ‘Folded Table’, which has a white gleaming top that looks like folded paper at one end. The other end sports a smooth patch of wood, perfectly placed to hold some fashionable showpieces or reading material. The design team at andblack loves to combine bendy eccentricity with straightforwardness, sometimes juxtaposing them at opposing ends. This furniture line loves to work that ethic unabashedly! jwalant@andblackstudio.com www.andblackstudio.com
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Carved in local Jodhpur stone, the pergola looks a part of the heritage site, borrowing character from the palace. The colours in the garden compliment the architecture beautifully, adding to the overall look and ambience of the space. What an idyllic setting!
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Landscapes
SIMPLY SUSTAINABLE Mumbai based landscape designer and architect, Kishore Pradhan is responsible for the panoramic and sustainable landscape of a 120 acre residential scheme in Jodhpur.
Nestled at the foothills of Umaid Bhavan Palace, Jodhpur, is a 120 acre residential scheme of bungalows and apartments. Mumbai based landscape architect, Kishore D. Pradhan was roped in to design lush green landscapes that would reflect the city’s quintessence and simplicity. We talk to the man with green fingers and dive a little deeper into the project Umaid Heritage’s beautiful and sustainable landscape. The sprawling project was initially meant to be just a scheme of bungalows. However, owing to popular demand, phases II and III were installed. These are the apartment complexes of the project. One of Pradhan’s primary tasks was to ensure a holistic and seamless blend of all the phases. “To be able to work on a 120 acre housing scheme was a rare opportunity,” he remarks.
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Parimal Vatika, the Fragrance Garden, nestles in a small section of the landscape. Its fragrance wafts almost hypnotically all around.
Architect U. C. Jain prepared the master-plan for the project. The once linear development was broken up into linear stepping terraces. In the initial layout of bungalows only, the two and a half km long and 250 m wide stretch along with a sideways sloping surface culminated in four rows of bungalows. Two double loaded roads run parallel to the bungalows. Pradhan created a ‘Central Green Spine’ here. “It offers easy access to residents and consists of active and passive recreational amenities.”
He goes onto talk about how this is one of the most challenging aspects of the entire project. “Dealing with the linear spine without making it look a disproportionately lengthy space was a challenge. Along with this, adding recreational facilities within the restricted width ranging from five to eighty m and simultaneously tackling the lateral slopes which required retaining walls of measured height to create flat usable space were quite some tasks.” Special care was taken while choosing the different plants that would be a part of this space. Pradhan insisted on selecting only those plants whose height would provide a sort of visual balance and calm when juxtaposed with the different levels of terrain.
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A fantastic show put up by the humble Bougainvillea. The artful use of this plant exhibits a keen insight - a master stroke no less!
The gardens encompassing the bungalow plots have been designed keeping the residents’ need for privacy at the helm. A fragrance garden, ‘Parimal Vatika’ that is full of fragrant flowers and plants resides in a small section of the landscape. One major parameter when it came to the selection of certain flora was to ensure they would be able to not only survive but even sustain Jodhpur’s harsh, and sometimes, extreme weather conditions. The residential scheme and its accompanying landscape is fitted with a drip irrigation system and sprinklers are installed at regular intervals. Only recycled water is fed into these apparatuses.
Architect Anu Mridul undertook the task of designing a stepped well as a conducive method to harvest rain water. This is the project’s most spectacular element. The palace’s history and heritage still finds a place within its twenty-first century confines by virtue of the stepped well. “Bikhra Bawri, the stepped well is an important element even in the landscape of the project and it was imperative that we incorporate it into the design plan,” Pradhan adds.
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The choice of plants is native and the clever mix of them has resulted in a theme that is understatedly elegant and easily sustainable.
Oftentimes, a project of such magnitude has to deal with changes in plans. More often than not, the architect and designers have a tough job keeping up with these changes. However, Umaid Heritage is one such project that did not ‘deviate from the master plan’ as Pradhan puts it. One of the most striking features of Umaid Heritage is the sectors named after famous landmarks and town sectors of the city of Jodhpur - Sojati Chowk, Moti Chowk, Ghoda Chowk, etc. The new buildings are all built in traditional, local Jodhpur stone.
Landscape elements like pergolas and pavilions, garden furniture, garden installations, etc, are all carved out of the same locally sourced Jodhpur stone. Umaid Heritage is a wondrous marvel of architecture and landscape that is built on the foundations of sustainability and environmental conservation. It is said that once the project attains at least sixty percent occupancy, the entire premise is likely to become a self-sustaining residential project. Now that is something one could learn from!
kishorepa@gmail.com
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The apartment blocks and their accompanying pop of greens and colours. Home Review October 2017
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Developed in 3x3x6 modules, the building mass is an efficiently functioning composition of solids and voids.
GREEN PROJECT
ENERGY MANAGEMENT
Taking a cue from the urban structure of the old settlement of Shahjahanabad, the student housing complex of IILM is organised from part to whole as court, cluster and street, resulting in the creation of a mini, sustainable cityscape within the existing campus.
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Landscaping is used to create well-shaded walkways as well as to highlight the entrance to the hostel block.
“The aim was to create an architecture, using sustainable materials that would be a socio-cultural setting for fostering crosspollination of ideologies in young minds,” says the design team at Morphogenesis. The 8-acre property in Greater Noida has been approached with the idea of a grid-like street pattern from which the volumes of different blocks have been generated.
An orientation towards the north coupled with deep recessed windows provides maximum shade, adequate glare-free daylight and cross ventilation.
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“The street is an urban space and the community its caretaker,” shares the team. All movement has been aligned along one main street, with individual blocks looking into this primary circulatory spine. Secondary and tertiary roadways branch out from here. The mass along the horizontal grid blocks southwestern winds, while maintaining a connection with the existing building. The mass along the vertical grid enables the inflow of southeastern monsoon winds.
Each courtyard boasts of a unique character which is dependent on the occupants that use it.
Developed by dividing the mass into modules over a 3x3x6 grid, the building mass is an efficiently functioning composition of solids and voids. Courtyards and terrace gardens of varying scales and configurations, as well as strategically located circulation cores carve their way out of the enveloping volume. An inwardlooking concept ensures that all rooms open out to the courtyards, while a largely opaque façade is presented to the outside. “The idea behind the layout is borrowed from the concept of a chawl wherein rooms occupy the external periphery, circulation takes place via corridors, and courtyards in the centre become a space for extended living,” explains the team. Each courtyard boasts of a unique character which is dependent on the occupants that use it.
Some are celebrations spaces, while others are activity spaces. Yet, others are simply relaxation and break-out spaces. Terraces enable multilevel interactions within the building, as well as with the street below. Whilst traditionally inspired, the street-court configuration is also an adaptation of Jane Jacobs’ famous statement, “There must be eyes upon the street, eyes belonging to those we might call the natural proprietors of the street.”
“Owing to the extreme climatic conditions, we employed a carefully devised and comprehensive environmental strategy to protect the building and its occupants.” An orientation towards the north coupled with deep recessed windows provides maximum shade, adequate glare-free daylight and cross ventilation. With the help of water bodies, a micro climate is generated within the courtyards, and subsequently the cooling of air. A compact built form minimises heat gain. Brick jaali facades designed as per daylight analysis act as insulators and light filters to modulate indoor conditions. Further, the movement of the sun overhead adds a dynamic dimension of light and shadow patterns to the interior spaces.
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All movement has been aligned along one main street, with individual blocks looking into this primary circulation spine.
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The student housing complex of IILM is organised from part to whole as court, cluster and street.
The landscaping intent works in tandem with the facades and courtyards to create a habitable micro climate that is environment friendly and energy efficient. Rows of thick foliage trees cut the direct sunlight in the summer, while funneling prevailing winds.
Some more sustainable features include south facing solar panels on each terrace maximising on the sun’s rays. In addition, waste water is treated via a sewage treatment plant in the basement, and reused for flushing of toilets, gardening and refilling of water bodies.
Further, the vegetation emphasises the visual barrier between the existing old building and the newly built addition. Landscaping is used to create well-shaded walkways as well as to highlight the entrance to the hostel block. Indoor gathering spaces located below ground level open to large earthbanked subterranean courtyards. Here, strategically located water bodies generate an evaporative cooling effect, while seating spaces enhance usability.
A rainwater harvesting system recirculates surface runoff from the terraces while the water collected on the ground is discharged into the municipal storm water drain. A De-centralised solar water heating system is used to fulfill 100% of the hot water requirement.
The landscaping intent works in tandem with the facades and courtyards to create a habitable micro climate.
A key decision was made by the architects to employ brick as the primary facade material. “This was part of an exercise in resource optimisation, which served the dual purpose of creating a high performance and low maintenance facade that would weather well in the harsh composite climate,” says the team. Traditional brick construction forms an integral part of the history of the region. Further, it is a material that the design of educational institutions identifies with.
A simple and efficient planning system, optimisation of material resources, and implementation of relevant sustainable practices have resulted in an architecture that allows for a reduced built-up area without compromising on functionality. Celebrating 20 years of being at the forefront of Indian architecture, Morphogenesis is the first Indian practice to feature in Images’ Master Architect Series. Launched globally at the Frankfurt Book Fair in October 2016, the firm’s first monograph - Morphogenesis: The Indian Perspective | The Global Context - released in India early in March 2017.
www.morphogenesis.org
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COMPLOJER FOR KIDS
It is a common fact that children’s furniture needs to be replaced quite often over the years in sync with their changing needs sometimes as often as every two years or so. This leads to not only an extensive use of money but time as well. Over and above, this practice leaves behind a very heavy carbon footprint, as the furniture instead of being in use is more often than not, trashed. What if someone offered you children’s furniture which not only has more staying power, but literally grows with your child right through babyhood, adolescence and even beyond! Complojer a company based in Italy has come up with TICIA which is a bed that develops along with the child right from cradle up to adulthood.
Text Compiled By Mala Bajaj
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Complojer was founded by Davide Complojer and developed into a modern carpentry business. Davide is a master carpenter and interior designer and has specialised in a high level of interior design. The company is located in the heart of South Tyrol, Italy where wood craftsmanship has been part of tradition for generations.
TICIA is a furniture system that is flexible, changeable, space creating and which literally metamorphoses to fulfill the need of any particular time in the life of the child. It is clear then that TICIA is a piece of furniture that is a sustainable choice. After all, who would want to keep buying newer furniture if you have just one piece that grows through the years, satisfying all aspects of sleep, storage and study? In the first months of the child’s life TICIA is a cosy cradle. The cradle has two easily adjustable height options and in addition, the dresser can be used as a diaper change table offering a comfortable “easy on the back” height, adequate storage space and extra quiet drawers.
When the child grows, the sidewalls of the cradle become small shelves and the dresser can be moved to the left or right, creating a comfortable bed suitable for a small child. One creates more storage space by merely inserting the cradle segments into the upper bed structure - storage space needless to say is usually a very welcome proposition! Soon the child will need a bigger bed right? No problem! A standard adult bed measuring 200x100 cm is created by just removing the dresser segments. The three components, which once formed the back side of the dresser, become a nightstand, shelves or even a desk. There is absolutely no limit to yours or your child’s creativity!
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With a few simple changes, a small compact children’s room transforms into a designer bedroom fit for a teenager. The ‘TICIA one bed - Three Solutions’, can even accommodate brothers and sisters by adding a few supplementary pieces. The most experienced carpenters of Italy are involved in the manufacture of TICIA, which is made from solid Birch with a surface treatment that is most suitable for children. www.complojerforkids.it/en
With TICIA, there is never a dull moment; the components can be transformed into “newer” furniture designs, just as soon as the need arises. Along with a cradle, a crib, a children’s bed and an adult’s bed comes a desk, a chest of drawers, a nightstand and two shelves. In short, quite frankly it’s simply awesome!
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The idea for a bed which can grow with children came about when Davide was looking for the optimal children’s bed for his own children. In cooperation with an educational scientist and designer the concept of TICIA was grown and a product that was both economical and ecologically advantageous was developed.
Häfele: Unlocking Inspirations Häfele launches its design showroom in the heart of South Bombay to give you an experience of world class trends and advanced functionality.
Mr Jürgen Wolf, Managing Director
Häfele, the international leader in interior functionality, launched its state-of-the-art design showroom in the heart of South Bombay on the 15th of September 2017. The spacious 10,000 square feet showroom unites globally acclaimed interior trends with innovative functionality through interactive and functional display settings; bringing every imaginable design to reality. The Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany, Dr Jürgen Morhard inaugurated the showroom together with Mr Jürgen Wolf, Managing Director of Hafele South Asia. With the launch of this exclusive design showroom, Häfele introduces eight of its latest innovations in interior solutions, catering to every application of a given interior space.
Blum Wall The design wall by Blum allows for a real life touch-and-feel experience of Blum’s innovative lift, hinge and pullout systems.
The Elements by Asko A sophisticated range of built-in cooking appliances with numerous cooking functions embedded in one design philosophy of futuristic living! Häfele Connect An innovative, intelligent and wireless system that connects and operates the lighting in your entire space.
Dr Jürgen Morhard Counsul General of the Fedral Republic of Germany
Aqua Trendz Holistic solutions for the most exquisite bathroom designs - the Aqua Trendz range!
FritsJurgens Pivot Door Systems They are like rotating walls which when closed are virtually invisible and when opened, determine space.
Walk-in Wardrobes Häfele’s walk-in wardrobe fittings allow for efficient storage, easy access and astute convenience!
Dekton Surfaces An ultra-compact surface Dekton®, made up of sophisticated raw materials.
Qanto Corner Solution Qanto combines maximum operating comfort, generous work surfaces, well organized storage space, ergonomic qualities and the highest technical and design standards in a perfect symbiosis. Experience these space efficient and inspiring functionalities at Häfele’s newest design showroom. Here’s your key to unlocking inspirations for designs that need form and functionality; and spaces that need more ‘life per meter square‘. www.hafeleindia.com Home Review October 2017
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Design XACTLY, BANGALORE Xactly India’s office makeover was aimed to not only improve aesthetics but also to reflect the open culture and young energy of its employees and management. There were some key areas that were selected for the makeover, and instead of doing a typical office design, the team of By The Riverside decided to use a rustic industrial theme for its new avatar. In complete contrast to their existing design and colour scheme, many glass partitions were broken and some parts of the ceiling were also opened out to create more space and have fewer barriers. Some quirky and witty quotes were also used to make the space interesting, for instance, as one enters the washroom, one is greeted by the quote: “Whatever you do, make it epic”. Additionally, a common breakout area where people can hang out or have large office meetings was created. This place has a neon sign that says “You’re Xactly where you need to be.” The project was executed in a sustainable manner by using natural timber and most of the furniture and lights were made in-house by the team.
mailus@bytheriverside.in
Text Compiled By Anindita Ganguly
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Intelligent design need not be restricted to mammoth-sized spaces. Sometimes, even a small idea can lead to stunningly brilliant interior themes.
Mixology Design Mixology spotlights innovative design in various domains such as showrooms, bars, clinics, spas and much more.
Denim Factory Office, Mumbai The crafting of an office space for a Denim washing unit in Mumbai by Architects Vaibhav Shah and Gauri Shah was carried out using an industrial disposition by including unconcealed, bare, exposed and obvious materials. A material like denim is basically by nature very tough, rugged and raw. The “nothing to hide” nature of denim compliments the interior styling of this office space. The partitions throughout the space are in exposed brick in its natural form and in wooden textured fibre planks. Extensive use of iron in the form of table stands, cage lights, plumbing pipes as door handles and storage trunks add to the rugged look that resembles the “denim” character. The widths and lengths of the rooms are lesser than their heights which are brought down visibly by painting them in dark hues. Quotes defining the communication by denims, its character, the fashion statement, the feel and the variety in styling are all over the place. The lighting is restricted to mainly exposed ones and is kept to minimal. The pendants used are the main source of lighting. Overall, the democratic fashion exemplified by the mantra of “Nothing to Hide” is the central idea behind the creation of this office, aiding in the branding and visual merchandising of their products as well.
frontdesk@facilis.in
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Raheja Odyssey, Mumbai Raheja Odyssey is a part of Raheja Reflections, developed by Raheja Universal in Thakur Village, Kandivali (E), Mumbai. The sheer openness of the apartment with great views of the Sanjay Gandhi National park, its sylvan surroundings and greenery at once catches the eye of the visitor. The aesthetically designed rooms are not just elegant but functionally efficient too. The living and dining room is spacious, designed to give a luxe look and is ventilated with French windows. The living room has a normal sitting area with classy white sofa paired with a coffee-coloured centre table and a stylish rug with TV console mounted on the wall. The dining room and master room connected to the wooden-floored deck with seating. The master bedroom has a luxe appeal with its white and beige palette complemented with Italian marble flooring and fresh window. The kitchen has an additional service room and attached washroom.
mail@rahejauniversal.com
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Morphy Richards aims to increase its appeal through innovative designs offering smart technology.
GLOBAL RANGE OF PRODUCTS FROM MORPHY RICHARDS
Morphy Richards, a premium kitchen and home appliances brand today launched its global range of products namely Redefine, Prism and Total Control.
Redefine is the new premium, highly innovative product group by Morphy Richards. Driven by principles of innovation and providing exceptional quality, the range is designed to fulfil your need for brilliantly performing products that have equal aesthetic prowess. The USP of the range is the Intelligent ThermoGlass technology that allows you to clearly see your bread being toasted/water being boiled to perfection. Prism collection is a leading iconic design piece for those who do not worry about going against the crowd. The USP of the range is the most striking design with textured finish and vibrant colors and design which is sure to make a statement in your kitchen. The smartest amongst the lot the Total Control Collection has a range of products enabling you to prepare food just the way you like it. The uses Smart Response Technology which intelligently controls the motor in a variety of ways, providing the right level of power regardless of the mixture.It will enable you to effortlessly prepare everything from soups and sauces, pestos and cakes delivering exactly the right amount of power as and when you need it. Commenting on the launch, Shekhar Bajaj, Chairman and Managing Director Bajaj Electricals Ltd, said, “Modern lifestyles call for modern homes and convenient living. That’s exactly what’s going to be on offer with global range of Morphy Richards. Their beautiful designs and smart response technology is sure to adorn your modern homes and give them an ultra-polished look.”
Left to Right): Anant Bajaj - JMD - Bajaj Electricals; Shekhar Bajaj - CMD - Bajaj Electricals; & Neil Naughton - Chief Executive at Glen Dimplex.
Bajaj Electricals has licensing agreement with Morphy Richards since 2003 to make, sell, market and distribute products under the brand name in India. www.morphyrichardsindia.com
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THE MARKETPLACE Asian Granito India Ltd Presents Rainbow Glitz
Jaquar Launches Lighting Collection placement. Jaquar Lighting offers complete lighting solutions - for residential, commercial and outdoor use. From LED bulbs and tube lights, to chandeliers, landscape lighting and accessories, Jaquar Lighting has a holistic solution, with an extensive range that lets you choose for varied budgets without compromising on quality and reliability. Choose from an array of statement yet mesmerising lights from Jaquar. www.jaquar.com
Asian Granito India Limited (AGL), one of the leading Indian ceramic companies has expanded its product portfolio by introducing premium range wall tiles ‘Rainbow GLITZ’. With the launch of Rainbow Glitz, AGL Tiles successfully addresses the aesthetics and performance requirements of Architects, Interior designers and homeowners across India. Premium Spanish tile range, Rainbow Glitz is India’s latest 9 colour wall tiles having high gloss finish, supreme matt finish, third firing and stunning rich look. AGL is the first among top 4 tiles companies to have this technology.
Jaquar Lighting celebrates the festive season with the launch of their new collection, designed to add style and panache to your interiors. A contemporary take on eclectic styles, Jaquar Lighting’s festive collection offers a range of table lamps, chandeliers and pendant lights. The versatile designer lights have been chosen to compliment the ethnic Indian home décor and also go well with the modern and contemporary styled homes. The lights are decorative yet functional ensuring freedom of
H&R Johnson’s Endura Step Stones
Rainbow Glitz is perfect fusion of colors and creation. AGL has launched ‘Rainbow Glitz’ decorative wall tiles in the size of 300x900mm, 300x600mm, Polished porcelain 600x600mm & Elevation 300x450mm, with all new 9 colour technology and high end finishing. Beautiful in looks, Rainbow Glitz tiles offers a combination of style, endurance, size and also offer variety of functional and aesthetic benefits. One of the biggest advantages of Rainbow Glitz is that they have range of great textures and prints which gives a beautiful look to entire house. www.aglasiangranito.com
H&R Johnson (India), India’s premier Integrated Lifestyle Solution provider offering tiles, bathroom products, modular kitchens and engineered marble & quartz, introduces ready to install Johnson Endura Step Stones, a range of tiles arising out of an unquantifiable amount of time spent in research, to revolutionise the way stair cases are built with step tiles and risers. Johnson Endura Step Stones are ready to install with embossed tread lines and unique full bull nose edges, seeking an end to the cumbersome task of cutting and finishing on-site. This adds extra grip and makes the
staircases extremely comfortable and safe to use, setting a new benchmark. These tiles absorb very low water, making them impervious to weather and wear and tear damage as well as stain resistant thus ending the tyranny of chipped and worn out staircases in constant need of polishing and repairs. The Step Stones range is stunning, with 8 beautiful salt and pepper shades that seamlessly blend into building themes and décor, while also providing desirable contrast. www.hrjohnsonindia.com Home Review October 2017
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THE MARKETPLACE Antica Ceramica Presents Allure
Lapato Tiles From Orient Bell
Constantly working to stay ahead of the market trends, Orient Bell Limited has launched its first-of-a-kind Lapato Tiles that give a sugarcoated finish to your walls or floors. The Lapato tiles, besides giving a sugar finish, also glitter when light falls on them. These sparkling tiles enhance the overall look of a living space with or without impressive décor. The “Allure”- Wooden series of Vitrified tiles from Antica Ceramica is a perfect mix of classiness and style that combine for a unique flooring experience. Allure range of tiles have the irresistible allure of wood with its rich patterns which have been replicated in this versatile tile material. These tiles are processed in such a manner that you need not worry about the direction of cut, during installation. . These tiles come with the pristine base that has a high gloss mirror like shine which lets them remain cool. According to Mr. Rahul Bhugra, DirectorAntica Ceramica, “Our new range Allure, offers a natural-look and combining all the beauty of wood with the durability of tile. The warm feeling of stepping on natural wood floors and appearance entices people to have tiles with wooden pattern making a home look homey and liveable”. Also, he further added that these European Porcelain tiles are produced with non-slip textures to strike the right balance between the functionality and the design Aesthetics making contemporary living spaces look elegant and interesting. www.anticaceramica.in
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Lapato tiles make for great additions to entertaining spaces, such as living rooms and party rooms as their sparkling varnish adds charm and festivity to any occasion.
Mr. Ashish Mehta, President Sales & Marketing said “Lapato tiles by Orient Bell are a new favorite this festive season as they add a sparkly finish to rooms, which works beautifully well with the mood of Diwali. Besides adding a luxurious vibe to any living space, these tiles make the room appear brighter and more welcoming. At Orient Bell, we have an eclectic array of Lapato Tiles for selection to suit the varied preferences of the modern day consumer.” www.orientbell.com
K-LITE Introduces LED Landscape The Essence of lighting is one of the most important things in our lives. K-Lite is passionate about creating a distinctive atmosphere that improves the quality of life in the cities and towns by exploring the many potential facets of lighting that supports the wellbeing and safety of all. Founded in 1977 in India, K-Lite has grown to be the leading manufacturer of outdoor luminaires and decorative poles. K-Lite’s proven performance in the landscape segment is because of its ability to stylishly convey the identity of a space with a blend of efficiency and modularity to maximise the visual comfort that is best suited to each specific space. The new Landscape range from K-Lite includes: Linear Wall Washer, Up-Down Lighters, LED Strips/Neon flex, Promenade Lighting, Bollards, Under Water Lighting,
Post top luminaires, Bulk Heads, Path finders, Polar lighting and newly added series of Facade Lighting. www.klite.in