To quote master artist Leonardo da Vinci, "Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." I believe in this dictum. I think that simplicity creates harmony and is the personification of elegance and understated luxury. Many people misunderstand the concept of 'simplicity'. I also think that simplicity allows future growth and further layers of nuanced and discreet accessorisation. This 6,800 sq ft apartment, on the seventh floor of The Camellias by DLF in Gurugram, exemplifies this well-known da Vincian statement. This large apartment has four bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms. All the bedrooms are generously proportioned and open onto private balconies that overlook forested landscapes and verdant golf courses.
Since my inherent training is that of an architect and a carpenter, there is a complicated process through which one achieves simplicity. As an architect, my foremost concern is the spatial plan, as this forms the good bone structure of a built space. In this case, one had to take into account the constraints imposed by the existing beam and column plan and accordingly construct further. Then came the materiality of the interior architectural elements, with their constant play of tones and textures, to flesh out the skeletal structure. The conceptualisation of the different materials used and their relationship to each other was again a complex feature in all the customised furniture that I designed and manufactured. Yet, it was made to appear effortless and simple.
In the long and narrow private elevator lobby, one's gaze is immediately arrested by the tone-on-tone paper artwork by Sachin George Sebastian. To the left is the main entrance door, hand-crafted and clad in brass sheets with handles hewn out of solid wood and finished in the Japanese technique of Shou Sugi Ban.
This story is from the December 2022 - January 2023 edition of Elle Decor India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the December 2022 - January 2023 edition of Elle Decor India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
WAYS OF SEEING
From the bustling streets of Delhi to the serene embrace of the Jahanpanah Forest, Abhimanyu Dalal in collaboration with Amrita Guha and Joya Nandurdikar craft a home that finds itself in a dialogue of art within an architectural marvel
A SINGULAR DUALITY
Vaishali Kamdar and Ravi Vazirani collaborate to design a home in South Mumbai with an understated statement of elegance and rare art discoveries
BEAT THE HEAT WITH SAINT-GOBAIN
SGG Sun ban solar control glass by Saint-Gobain is the ultimate summer shield dedicated to innovation, aesthetics and comfort
ART BEYOND SIGHT
Asian Paints and St+art India Foundation embark on an nclusive Journey at Rajasthan Netraheen Kalyan Sangh, school for visually impaired kids a unique artistic flair onsuring a koloidoscope of visual delights. Vot for individuals with
KUZU ZANG ;O LÀ BHUTAN
Embraced in quiet solitude amidst the magnificent Himalayas, the Six Senses at Bhutan is soup for the weary urban dweller's soul
KEEPING TAB
TAB TAB QUARTZ unveils a designcentric campus at Hosur, that reflects a commitment to social responsibility through the power of design
FRENCH PRESSED COFFEE, GUJARAT MADE HYGGE
With hand-plastered walls, earthy tones and aromas of France, this cafe in Gandhinagar by tHE GRID Architects is quite the masterclass in sustainable design
When Luxury meets Comfort with Maestro Buildwell
Being the maestro in the game needs courage, curiosity and boldness”, a belief embedded by many but practiced by few, is what sets Maestro Buildwell Pvt Ltd apart from the rest and marks itself as the emerging Maestro of the Real Estate world.
IN THE STUDIO OF ARCHITECTURE BRIO
We take you to the workspace of your design favourites, giving you a glimpse of what keeps them ticking period collectibles, paintings and plenty of indoor plants!
IN CONVERSATION WITH TOM DIXON
From the Indian craft's ple in his life to never being bored as a designer, venture beyond the obvious to decode the elusive essence of the creative colossus