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This compact Chennai apartment features multi-functioning spaces
Designers Subhashree and Sriranjani of Uncut Design Lab give us a tour of this modern apartment, with interior and exterior paints by Beautiful Homes Service
A couple with a son reached out to Subhashree and Sriranjani, founders of Uncut Design Lab, to conceptualise the interiors of their 750-square-foot apartment in Mylapore, Chennai. The clients—Sivaramakrishnan and Indira, desired a welcoming home that was highly functional. They were moving from a large home in Pune to a compact apartment in Chennai. As the apartment had limited space, the interior designers incorporated custom-designed, multifunctional furniture pieces. Moreover, to make the compact apartment appear larger than it is, Uncut Design Lab used a muted colour palette by Beautiful Homes Services' painting solutions. The result is a serene space where every corner of the home has been utilised.
This elegant Chennai apartment houses a living area connected to the son’s bedroom, a mandir, a kitchen, and a master bedroom. Each room exhibits a contemporary design aesthetic with a subdued colour scheme. Additionally, the living area opens into the dining area and kitchen in an open layout, making it ideal for hosting. The home is an open, light-filled space with smart storage solutions, custom-made furniture pieces and cosy soft furnishings.
Here, Subhashree and Sriranjani of Uncut Design Lab take us on a tour of the Chennai apartment and share tips on conceptualising visually appealing compact homes.
Beautiful Homes (BH): How did the family envision their home?
Subhashree and Sriranjani (S and S): The clients envisioned an elegant home to match their simple lifestyle. They desired a tasteful apartment that met their everyday needs. The family wanted a home with free-flowing spaces and adequate ventilation. The primary requirement of the family was that the apartment had to be practical. The client’s specific needs included a large living space with a swing to entertain friends and family, a fully equipped kitchen with state-of-the-art appliances, a tranquil puja room, and designated spaces for desks and books. This has been a complete renovation. 90% of the walls and the complete flooring of the apartment was demolished and redone, as per the new space plan and material palette.
The dining area features an expandable dining table in solid wood.
BH: The home features some unique space saving solutions. Could you please tell us about them?
S and S: Almost every space and piece of furniture in this apartment has been custom-made to meet the family's unique needs. For instance, there is a sliding door between the living room and the son’s bedroom. When open, the bedroom becomes a part of the living room, offering more space to guests. Additionally, a wooden bench in the son's bedroom has a pull-out mechanism that converts it into a bed. Furthermore, as a space-saving measure, the headboard of the bed in the primary bedroom doubles up as a bookshelf. In addition, the dining area features an expandable dining table in solid wood, which expands from a three-person dining table to a six-person table when needed.
The living area opens into the dining area and kitchen in an open layout, making it ideal for hosting.
BH: How did the Beautiful Homes Service (BHS) and your interior design expertise help make the clients’ dream home a reality?
S and S: The Beautiful Homes Services’ painting solutions proved valuable in selecting the paint colours for the interior and exterior surfaces. The BHS team was of great assistance in providing various shade cards, paint options, and texture samples, which helped us decide on the colours that complemented the furnishings perfectly. For the exterior, they offered suggestions of textures, and aided us in choosing a paint colour that matched the current shade of the building.
BH: The apartment features a bright blue wall in an otherwise muted colour scheme. What's the purpose of the bright pop of colour?
S and S: We believe that every home, office, room, or area requires a focal point that draws people's eyes when they enter the space. Here, the teal colour wall in a herringbone pattern was incorporated, as it does not overpower the neutral tone of the rest of the apartment, yet it serves the purpose of creating a focal point.
This compact Chennai apartment designed by Uncut Design Lab features Asian Paints’ L169 Spotless shade on the walls and L104 Cotton Wool shade on the ceiling.
A sliding door separates the living room from the son’s bedroom.
The wooden bench in the son's bedroom has a pull-out mechanism that converts it into a bed.
Kitchen exhibits a modern design aesthetic with a subdued colour scheme.
