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An old, dingy apartment in Delhi gets a sun-kissed, elegant makeover
Designed by Logic Architecture + Research, this home went from a drab, dark DDA flat to a minimalist, light-filled abode
When newly-wed couple Kriti Tula and Vaibhav Kapoor approached Anuj Kapoor, principal architect at Logic Architecture + Research, they wanted him to reimagine the space and turn it on its head completely. Originally a typical DDA flat in Delhi, the apartment was cramped and segmented into tiny rooms with hardly any ventilation. “When we first visited the site, it seemed smaller than it actually was. It was dark and dingy without much natural light. It was also on the first floor of a 30-year-old building surrounded by a cluster of other such old structures. The young couple wanted us to open up the space, make the interior design apt to suit their style and also allow sunlight to filter in,” reveals Kapoor.
Kriti, who is the founder and creative head of Doodlage, a sustainable fashion label, and her husband Vaibhav, a senior manager at Razorpay, wanted a free-flowing space that felt like an extension to their personalities. “We wanted a sun-kissed home with big windows, that’s open and airy with a natural, earthy feel to it,” she adds.
OPEN FLOOR PLAN
The home which is spread across 1,300 square feet, was to have two bedrooms, a study and other common areas. The couple often hosts people at home and wanted ample space for the same. “We decided to open up the majority of the home and designed the kitchen-living-dining-study areas to be in continuity with one another. This helped the core of the home feel like a free-flowing expanse, apt for hosting,” says Kapoor.
He further adds, “It was important for us to devise the new spatial configuration in a way that utilises the available area to its maximum potential, bringing in the much-needed natural light to the centre of the home and making it seem bigger than it is.”
The study features a work desk that extends into a daybed.
THE PROCESS
To convert it into an open-plan layout, the design team had to make structural modifications by removing the internal walls while adding another structural element to support and stabilise the upper floors. They did so by adding arches throughout the space that also lent an aesthetic appeal to the home. To increase the inflow of light and air, they added large windows along the periphery of the house.
The walls too at Kalkaji residence have character, achieved by manual intervention. “Usually, wall textures are created by stencils and have repetitive patterns; but the wall textures here are all organically hand-made. It's actually hard labour on walls posing as art,” reveals Kapoor.
To establish a truly cohesive design dialogue between different elements, most of the furniture was made on-site. “In any spatial design, the walls, floors and furniture need to constantly converse with one another. It’s part of crafting and delivering an overall experience,” adds the architect.
“A big space for plants, enough room for storage and very clean and minimal design is what we were looking for. We were inclined to a neutral palette with basic whites, browns and greys with an accent colour,” says Vaibhav.
COMMON SPACES
The home derives its essence with a pure material palette — a concoction of natural materials like wood, concrete, black granite and metal. The pop of colour is right at the entrance with the main door painted green. The common spaces are free-flowing with visual partitions created in different zones. In the living room, the TV section is marked with a chevron pattern on the floor, while the arches highlight the dining area and kitchen. The study that lies behind the TV unit as an extension of the living room is partitioned via fluted glass blocks which provide shared utility to both rooms.
Once inside, the central area is roomy while the functional accessories are around the edges. From a workstation that extends into a large daybed to a bar counter, this room is perfect for working as well as unwinding. Says Vaibhav, “The study is my favourite part of the home. It’s where I spend most of my time as we moved in during the pandemic and WFH has been ongoing since then. If you think about it, spending 10 hours a day in a particular room is difficult but the vibe here is such that I can sit here without a break, moving between the lounge chair, the study table and the daybed.”
The open plan kitchen and dining area are apt for hosting guests.
Wooden flooring in chevron pattern is interspersed with concrete.
BEDROOM DESIGN
The master bedroom of the house is designed as a ‘room within a room’ concept by creating two zones, one functional and one for essence. An L-shaped circulation area featuring the wardrobe gives a walk-in wardrobe feel in a small space. Step up from the concrete, on the raised wooden level, and you enter the room inside the room with the bed. A cosy nook by the window is Kriti’s favourite spot in the home. “I love to enjoy my morning tea and evening coffee here. I also like to draw and play the ukulele in this corner,” she adds.
In the guest bedroom, aesthetics meet functionality with the use of cement and textured walls, stone flooring and wooden furniture. The idea was to keep it minimal yet appealing to the eye without going over budget.
Overall, the apartment speaks an elegant yet care-free design language with subtle boho accents.
The home belongs to couple Kriti Tula and Vaibhav Kapoor.
The home is designed by Anuj Kapoor, principal architect at Logic Architecture + Research.
There's also a bar unit in the study for unwinding in the evening.
Utility and comfort with minimalistic aesthetics define the guest bedroom.
This vanity nook in the guest room reflects old-world charm.
The arches in the common areas are the design highlights of this abode.
The couple's bedroom is an interplay of wood and concrete.
Most furniture in this home is made on-site to allow for a natural flow and order.
The study features various seating spaces to allow ease of WFH.
The bath space is infused with handmade tile inserts to add beauty to this small space.
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