Vibrant Vivacious

minimal and sparsely decorated home

Gurgaon

T

his four-floor bungalow in Gurgaon is home for a petite family of four. Built on a plot of 700 yards, its 12,000 sqft space is spread over the four floors. The bungalow is planned around open-to-sky gardens, landscaped courtyards and ingressed

green bodies that provide not just a good view out of each window, but also offer complete privacy from an otherwise busy neighborhood. There are five bedrooms in all with family lounges and guest lounges on all floors, and a majestic atrium and a broad stairwell that connects all the floors. The living areas and lounges, are furnished with lavish sofas, loungers and armchairs to offer luxurious seating. Elaborate paneling on the walls adds richness and textures to the environment. The background also follows the Essentia philosophy of neutral palette made interesting by infusing rich textures, wonderful tonal variations and diverse geometric forms. Art works are placed in strategic places to make a bold a statement. “This house is also a very functional, minimal and sparsely decorated home. Most importantly, it caters to the every need of its inhabitants,” says Monica Chawla, Creative Head – Architecture and Interiors.

The vertical volumes of the atrium and stairwell are beautifully balanced with the horizontal expanses. Large, sculptural lights add bold features to the vertical spaces. The way the scale and size are managed leads to many surprising moments. The dining room has stone inlaid flooring in an interesting pattern. The glass table, the sculptural chairs with rivets, further add a sense of exclusiveness. The adjacent bar room is executed in luxurious white stone with gold finish metal inlay.

FACT FILE:

Project Type : Residential Bungalow Location : Gurgaon Design Firm : Essentia Environments Creative Head : Monica Chawla Plot area : 700 yards Built up area : 12,000 sqft.

The bedrooms are sanctuaries of comfort and luxury with fully padded beds and headboards, spacious walk-in closets. They are done up elegantly in a minimal style.

Monica Chawla

Creative Director, Essentia Environments

Monica Chawla has been the creative genius behind some of the most spectacular celebrity homes in the country. Her innate design sensibilities backed by sheer talent brings any space alive! She skillfully orchestrates her sense of style into various elements of design in all her projects, creating an environment that is reflective of sophistication yet vibrant persona. Though her designs are all about creating spaces that are m a g n i f i c e n t , e x t r a v a g a n t a n d unapologetically opulent yet they never lose sense of the purpose they are meant to serve. She fervently believes that space planning is an integral and the most

important part of the interior designing and that is why it deserves the most attention. She believes in the contemporary design sense and her skill in creativity stems from the way she combines classic richness with modern practicality Her international experience and exposure as well as her deep appreciation for the exquisite design heritage of her native India have given her pioneer status in an exciting design revolution in which both east and west visibly seek inspiration from each other. Her unique style has been brought to the attention of an elite clientele within India as well as attracting curiosity from other designers and patrons elsewhere in the world. What further elevates her work from that of her contemporaries is her hands on approach to each element in the space no matter how big or small. “I consider details more important than broad strokes. Nothing works without details” says Monica. Her work is not confined to fixed interiors alone but has everything from vases to candle stands to chandeliers to sofas, cushions, accessories, art and décor. With free standing bathtubs and mirrors, island wash basin counters, the expansive bathrooms present bold layouts. The luxurious stones on the walls and the floor create a rich and exclusive space.

The kitchen is also an expansive space with a lot of counter space and well-planned storage and a pantry. The terrace garden is landscaped to offer peace and calm with some potted plants and an interesting Buddha sculpture. It is a great place for a quiet evening or for entertaining. While the interior design plan follows a minimal approach, what makes the home brim with vibrancy and interest are the superior materials used and the perfect forms they are shaped into. The interiors come alive with rich stones and marbles, luxurious carpets, velvet and suede furnishings, sculptural lights, and other materials like wood, metal, glass. The customcreated artworks add character, colour and a bit of quirkiness to the environment.

The choice of bold sculptural lights from Moooi and Flos are the other highlight of the project. And the way greenery is used inside and outside the house not only adds freshness to the space, but also works as natural screens. “The owners never need to draw their curtains. The vertical gardens set up strategically offer all the privacy needed,” says Monica.

Courtesy: Essentia Environments