This 15-floor home in Kolkata is one with the skies, invoking ‘Atmosphere’, the name of the ultra-luxurious residential address where it’s located. With a breathtaking view of the city in a vicinity that’s a mix of the old and the new, this property is spread over 8,000 square feet and two levels.
A Closer Look
A distinctive design aspect of this duplex is its large, double-height living area that looks onto the terrace and majestic views beyond. The enormous semi-enclosed terrace on the southern and eastern sides blends seamlessly with the aesthetics of the interiors, traversing the minimalist foyer from the entrance lobby.
The apartment— home to a family of five, including three teenage children—is fitted with large, double-height windows that welcome in an abundance of natural light and fresh air. With most of the spaces facing north and east, the open design allows the soft northern light to filter in.
Bipratip Dhar, principal architect at EPSILON, a Kolkata–based design consultancy, had a clear brief: the family wanted a smart, stylish and clutter-free home. This was primarily why the architect’s team decided on an open plan that aided day-to-day functionality and reflected the lifestyle of the owners.
“The uncluttered, understated design ethos reflects a mid-century modern and contemporary style,” says Dhar. “The home is defined by minimal ornamentation and sleek and crisp lines, created using contrasting materials with neutral shades on the walls and contemporary furniture featuring darker hues and textures. These neutrals are also punctuated by wood, marble and raw concrete surfaces that were retained from the original RCC structure. Colourful and bold abstract paintings, accents and stylish pendants enhance the luxurious vibe of the home.”
Keeping it Simple
The designers steered clear of making any forceful style statements, ensuring uniqueness in the home's underlying simplicity instead. The white statuario and Michelangelo marble flooring used across the house finds contrast in the dark wood veneer and soft colours used on the vertical surfaces and ceilings. The imported furniture and other decor elements and accessories here are a mix of contemporary and mid-century modern.
“The different planes in the ceiling camouflage the beams, accentuate the overall height and conceal services,” Dhar explains. “We’ve played with lighting to offer a variety of effects and add a bit of drama. Honest, unpretentious and yet sophisticated, the design speaks using only an intelligent space plan, crisp lines and functional materials, simplicity being the overriding characteristic.”
The Layout
The entrance lobby on the lower level was deliberately made smaller than the rest of the home. The white marble flooring and wooden ceiling above lead to a slick internal foyer that’s the connecting core of the home. “Positioned centrally, it leads straight into the living area, the lavish terrace garden towards the east, and the dining and kitchen in the northwest. The guest bedroom, the internal stairway, a powder room and an internal elevator are all around this central space,” says Dhar.
A wooden stairway leading to the upper level, with a zen-style garden below, forms a screen between the foyer and the living area. The large living space is divided into three distinct seating configurations: an informal arrangement is positioned beside the staircase, with two formal arrangements along the length of the eastern periphery.
The internal foyer also leads to the dining space, which is connected to the kitchen and the service areas on the northwestern side of the house. The kitchen is connected to the external lobby through a service entrance, as well. The bedrooms and powder room in the southwest are also accessible from the entrance foyer in the lower level.
A simple and sophisticated staircase leads up to another minimal foyer on the upper floor, which opens into a pantry and three bedrooms, including a large main suite on the southwest.
Character-inspired spaces
Each of the five bedrooms in this home is awash with clean lines, functionality and simplicity in its design. The master bedroom is lavish and has a separate television viewing lounge, walk-in closet and washroom. The large windows with endless views of greenery outside fuses the indoor and outdoor. Muted pastels adorn the walls in the form of wallpaper and paint finishes, a contrast to the dark wood veneers. The stylish furniture here was handpicked from various international brands.
“The bedrooms are minimal with different colour palettes to suit the people who use them,” Dhar adds. “The material palette includes naturally finished wood, marble, leather, metal, raw concrete and textiles. The colour palette alternates between soft pastels and the hues and textures of the contrasting materials.”
“Elegant yet unpretentious, the overall design focuses on comfort. We laid special care and emphasis on the selection of materials, keeping in mind ease of maintenance for a home meant for young teenage kids.”
The accessories and paintings were handpicked from various artists in India and abroad. The northeast orientation means that the lavish duplex is engulfed in different colours from dawn to dusk. Emulating the same effect, the various lighting fixtures on the ceiling and walls from Delta Light highlight the nuances of the interiors.
Home is where the heart is, and this is a home that epitomizes this adage in its entirety.
