Residential Bungalow, at Raipur, Chhattisgarh, by Azure Interiors

This reimagined family bungalow in Raipur, Chhattisgarh boasts of an elegant ambience that celebrates simple nuances with rich textures and beautiful finishes. Designed by the young and inspiring designer duo Ruchi Gehani and Rashi Bothra of Raipur-based Azure Interiors, the home is a testament to their design acumen and a penchant for bringing balance and vitality to a space through an amalgamation of colour, texture, and materiality.

The client wanted the older, traditional-looking exteriors of the house to remain untouched, the designers worked meticulously to ensure the new modern interiors of the 2-storey bungalow spread over an area of 6,500 sq ft. balances and complements the existing classic sloped roof facade.

One enters the double-height drawing room from the front entrance and immediately experiences a sense of grandeur and sophistication. Since the clients are simple people with strong cultural roots, the designers have tried to create a balance of modern and traditional elements here. White sleek sofas and maroon chairs have been paired up with a heavy-duty geometrical centre table (made of brass) with fish-skin detailing that serves as a piece of art itself. However, the focal point of this space is the exquisite and intricate Pichwai artwork of Lord Balaji that hangs in purity over the mirror cladded wall.

The colours used in the drawing room are inspired from this 60-year-old antique painting as well. One therefore sees a presence of a neutral palette in this space. In terms of lighting, the stunning chandelier composed of sparkling Crystals and brass elevate the luxuriousness of the room. Coupled with the LED strips on the entrance door that features beige marble cladding, one cannot help but admire these design elements across the room. The extended dining area carries similar design notes but with restraint. Since it was a tight space, the designers have kept a modern eight-seater dining table and installed a custom-designed bookshelf made of brass and a veneer base. The beautiful French windows in the dining room gives you a peek into a black marble and brass fountain outside, adding a sense of serenity to the whole space.

A stark contrast to these spaces is the living area that has been moulded to be a relaxed, clean and sleek room. The design element to look out for here is the intricately detailed hanging staircase made using brass with marble and veneer. The veneer-covered wall here camouflages two doors beautifully. While one door on the landing leads to the home theatre, the one under the staircase leads to a powder room. The home theatre has European style walls with wide comfortable leather sofas that gives the space a relaxed vibe. The two yellow chairs add vitality to this space.

While the clients were open minded and very cooperative, the man of the house preferred subtlety. Respecting his taste, the designers have therefore tried to keep the palette neutral and play with finishes and textures throughout the house while adding some pops of colour to break monotony.

This design ethos is evident in the three bedrooms on the first floor, belonging to the client, and his two sons, respectively. The backdrop of the client’s bedroom is made up of suede having multiple levels and a padded bed with a veneer curved back. On his request, a storage wardrobe has been made on the left, which has been camouflaged with an Oak veneer wall. The younger son’s bedroom too has a sophisticated look. One cannot miss the bold bathroom with glass partitions here which can be separated by pulling the roman blinds. Since it was a small compact space, the designers have very smartly applied the same Lady Grey Italian marble throughout the bedroom and washroom and visually added spaciousness here. The marble cladding with the intricate pattern on the bed back has been painstakingly created by Rajasthani marble artists on-site and elevates the design quotient of this space.

It is this ability of adding so much intrigue and fine nuances to a mere wall, a nook, a piece of furniture, and a room that make Ruchi and Rashi a talented pair. This bungalow has many interesting elements, rich textures and thoughtfully curated pieces of furniture and decor and most important of all it resonates with the personality and soul of the family.

Fact File:

Project Name: Residential Bungalow

Client: Mr Ajay Aggarwal

Location: Raipur, Chhattisgarh

Area: 6,500 sq ft

Principal Designers: Ruchi Gehani, Rashi Bothra

Design Firm: Azure Interiors

Materials

Walls: Marble, wood, veneer, fabric wallpaper

Flooring: Lady Grey Italian marble

Furniture: Alsorg, Formus, Nivasa, Beyond Design, Within Design, Idus, Casa Dream (Raipur)

Painting: The Carpet Cellar, Delhi