Rooted in the coming together of Japandi and Mid-Century Modern influences, Maison Meld
poses as a sanctuary of stillness and minimalism for a young family in Bangalore.
The identities of homes lie embedded in the intricacies of inspiration. True to its dubbed name, Maison Meld celebrates a unique DNA resulting from the conjunction of design styles that echo the home’s aura. Based in one of Bangalore’s primo residential communities, this quaint apartment surges with warmth inside while relishing panoramic views of the Nallurahalli Lake and its lush surroundings.
Fact File:
Project Name, Location – Maison Meld, Bangalore
Typology and Square Footage – 3-BHK Residential Apartment, 1,174 Square Feet
Month and Year of Completion – August 2022
Design Team – Aishwarya Govind, Sreelakshmi Lalu, Nitra Isaac, Bhuvaneshwari Ganapathy
Text Credit – Lavanya Chopra
Photography Credit – Nayan Soni
Crafted to a T for the clients Sumi Bose and Vivin Pai, this home bookmarks their newfound beginnings as a young family of four with their toddler and pet dog. With personalities resonant with that of a modern Indian household, the design grammar of the home was also honed to personify their pragmatic needs and creative aspirations.
“From the get-go, our clients were so attuned to the design process! We were floored by their level of research that translated beautifully into the vision we built together. Their lifestyle is acutely woven into the concept of minimalism and conscious living. They wanted their home to cater to this sentiment intrinsically in its functionality and visual perception,” explains Aishwarya.
The client’s brief tasked the studio with creating a cross-over amidst two design styles they felt were representative of their demeanour and way of living. Delving into the process, the studio discovered aspects of Mid-Century Modern and Japandi design, deciphering how the two could be best blended together.
“Emerging eras apart, the two design styles under consideration were extremely distinctive in character! At Maison Meld, our process entailed closely studying them to trace the points of intersection or similarities they shared. While one stemmed in the 30s and the other in the late 2000s, the Mid-Century Modern and Japandi styles shared a few aspects that could be distilled to obtain an entirely new yet harmonious design language,” she illustrates.
Taking the core elements of the two styles, the design team worked on interpreting them in a new light, using them in various scales and proportions with keen attention to detail. Taking a page from the book of Mid-Century Modern design, one can witness the coexistence of saturated hues, organic forms, and textural layering that debuts across the home. Leaning into the principles of Japandi design, rustic minimalism is brought to the fore, manifesting in the form of clean-lined silhouettes, a muted colour palette, and functionality dictating the aesthetics.
The primary layout of the apartment comprised an open foyer space that melded without definition into the communal areas, creating a negligible impact. To tackle this scenario, a visually light, black metal and reeded glass partition was created with linear and arched profiles to intentionally demarcate the zone, allowing diffused light to permeate the nook.
Laced with function, the foyer hosts a petite bench bookended by tall, louvred storage for miscellaneous household items. A collage of coloured cane baskets graces the wall, iterating the grounded character of the home, while a woven rattan light revels in a play of shadows. A textured oak flooring by Square Foot binds the foyer and living cum dining space, weaving its way across the blueprint while subtly nodding to Japandi influences.
Transitioning into the active heart of the home, the open-configuration living cum dining spaces symbolise repose and zen. Dotted with bold doses of colour, warm materiality, hints of black, and indoor greens, these areas focus on pared-down design, which is undeniably stimulating!
“Flanking the television on either side, a duo of black metal profiles frame the former, creating a focal point that amplifies the perception of height. The cantilevered console’s fascia combines walnut veneer and latticed rattan, hinting at the coming together of two styles,” adds Aishwarya. An earthy rust-hued sectional sofa earmarks the seating zone, paired with plaid-upholstered ottomans, which sit layered atop a jute rug replete with texture. The sculptural indoor greens and the meshed cane floor lamp add to the experience of the rooted milieu.
Basking in daylight, the dining nook is snug and inviting, making it perfect for the nuclear family! The client’s former expandable dining table was put to apt use, pairing idyllically with the upholstered bench crafted for this corner. The abstract prints adorning the bench derive their inspiration from the overarching hues of the space, indulging in an autumnal palette. A pair of wood and brass pendant swirlover this corner, illuminating the vividly illustrated portrait of an Indian classical dancer dreamily swirling, exuding a rich ochre tint!
“We ensured that the design process was mindful and consciously incorporated pieces from the client’s former homes to create a mosaic of the past and the present. What remains apparent is the transitional nature of the design, dabbling between different vocabularies with seamless ease,” she quotes.
Posing as the unconventional muse of the residence, the kitchen at Maison Meld became the epicentre of activity around which the communal spaces were conceived. The partition wall separating the kitchen and living zones was taken down to establish an interactive layout that was larger and brighter in its construction.
A deep forest green hue of the laminate meets the dynamism of the monochrome flooring by Graffiti Tiles to create an engaging design language. The accents of colour and patterns stemmed from the Mid-Century Modern influences, while the light oak shade and mild taupe hue of the herringbone-style backsplash derived their roots from the Japandi palette. The matrix of patterned tiles travels the length of the kitchen, ingraining the open-plan space with an almost animated quality.
Addressing the client’s love for hosting loved ones, an island counter was created to strategically link the kitchen and living spaces. Lying at the threshold of the zones, the island also masquerades as a breakfast counter on most mornings for the family, imbuing the space with functionality and ease of conversation. In addition, the utility space was integrated into the kitchen with electrical and plumbing iterations, making room for the washing machine, dishwasher, and the stowing away of cleaning equipment.
“Smaller spaces demand responsive ways of visualising design. We needed to remain cognizant of this area donning multiple roles with the open kitchen. Planning every inch was essential with concealed storage at its helm, ensuring that the space was visually uncluttered,” Aishwarya explains.
Bordering the communal areas, the pooja room was designed to be a homogeneous part of the spaces. Accessed through a pair of rattan and walnut veneer pocket doors, the pooja room fits organically into the overall design scheme. Bathed in a salmon hue, this nook anchors elements of locally sourced granite and gilded motifs. The backlit granite ‘halo’ creates an ethereal statement, softly bringing emphasis to this sanctum.
A haven of subtlety, the primary bedroom’s design is a mishmash of the old and new. A textured grey tile makes its way across the room, contrasting the lilac hue adorning the array of built-in wardrobes. The client’s bed was refurbished, and the team introduced ebony nightstands that played off the fluted wooden panelling. Sequestered to a corner, the wall-mounted rattan-faced drawer serves as a dressing nook, reiterating the notion of minimalism.
Whisking one away into a colour-laden experience, the guest bedroom at Maison Meld employs colour-blocking to create a dynamic look. A blue-grey hue traces the periphery of the room, held between the whites of the wall and ceiling. Dark-toned wood furniture brings in the gravitas, offsetting the monochromes. The space-conserving wardrobe amplifies the visual volume of the room with its mirrored fascia and incorporates a wee vanity corner.
Designed to function flexibly, the third bedroom bears the utility of an entertainment room, a home office for remote working schedules, and a zone for the family to unwind. A dark band of olive-green lines the top of the walls, creating a focal visual that binds the space. The duality of light oak and charcoal tones rules supreme, manifesting in the form of the running desk and overhead bookshelf.
“As a design studio, our sense of fulfilment stems from how close we have been able to come to our initial vision! Our intent with Maison Meld was never to imitate the design styles involved; far from replication, we wanted to interpret them uniquely and bring them together in a way that felt like a language of its own. The residence is an extension of who our clients are, which captures the essence of our efforts fittingly,” she concludes.
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