A SHORE THING

Banu Sundar of Studio Couch Potato weaves sea-soaked nostalgia into her quintessentially coastal home

- WORDS TANVEE ABHYANKAR PHOTOS NAYAN SONI

Nostalgia is like a sea breeze that drifts in, stirs your senses, and wraps you in comforting memories. For Banu Sundar, principal architect of Studio Couch Potato, this feeling shapes her 2,300 sq ft Bengaluru apartment. Outwardly a mix of bohemian and coastal styles, the home is an ode to her father, who devoted his life to protecting the coasts. "His work brought the ocean into our daily conversations and hearts, and gradually it became a part of my own story," Banu recalls. After a vacation in Greece, that inspiration became a design cue for her four-bedroom home that balances coastal charm with urban chic.

The white-dipped entryway sets a calm tone, its oak flooring grounding the interiors while an organic mirror, shaped like a pool of water, introduces a ripple of softness. "I wanted the first step into the house to feel fluid and light," says designer Banu. In the living space, a faux fireplace becomes a focal point, leading the eye across a thoughtful layering of coastal textures. An Aztec rug recalling shifting sands, a concrete-finish table with raw heft, and bouclé seating offset with rope-detailed armchairs conjure the easy rhythm of a shoreline afternoon. Ombre curtains, fading from white into ocean blue, filter balcony light in a way that blurs indoors and out, amplifying the relaxed mood.