A Restrained Retreat

Characterised by grey tones, a restrained material palette and natural finishes, this Ahmedabad apartment by local studio Designer's Circle is a cool, quiet escape in the city 

In a city like Ahmedabad, where traffic and people are always aplenty, a quiet escape can be a rare luxury. This multigenerational household — a couple, their two grown-up children and the husband’s mother — wanted a home far removed from their busy surroundings. ‘They wanted a space that provided a sense of escapism, where comfort and quiet would reign supreme,’ says Rajesh Sheth, founder and principal of Ahmedabad-based interior architecture firm Designer's Circle, who was hired by the family to realise their vision. 

Grey tones, simple silhouettes and earthy textures recur across the apartment. The aesthetic is also informed by the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi, with materials like stone, wood, brick and linen used generously. ‘The interior was conceived in keeping with the family’s modest lifestyle, to serve as a soothing sanctuary for family and friends alike,’ says Sheth. ‘The palette honours materials in their purest, most honest forms. It’s grounded in a deep reverence for nature and its uncomplicated, imperfect beauty.’ The restrained material choices are complemented by textural, layered finishes like fluted walls, stone herringbone floors and furniture upholstered in tactile fabrics.

The kitchen, living and dining areas share an open-plan layout and mirror each other in scale and style. The curves and colour of the sand-toned sofas in the living room, for example, bear a likeness to the dining table of the same tone. Likewise, the kitchen’s charcoal palette is echoed in the dining chairs and the flooring. ‘We kept the kitchen countertop light to counterbalance the darker cabinetry,’ says Sheth. The uncluttered, linear layouts and organic forms of the common areas reappear in the bedrooms, though there are distinct accents that elevate the otherwise muted rooms.

A standout piece is the sculptural curvilinear wall at the entrance. ‘Not only does it demarcate the foyer from the rest of the home, it also doubles as a larger-than-life artwork,’ Sheth says. Speaking of art, the apartment also features a smorgasbord of abstract, nature-inspired paintings that serve as colourful highlights in the monochrome shell. For a home that comfortably disconnects from the city, the paintings are a welcome window to the outdoors.

Text / Vaishnavi Nayel Talawadekar
Images / Inclined Studio