As architects, we are expected to plug in and out of projects, however, sometimes, we get involved at a level that transgresses the boundary of work. One such project that is very special to us is the Talaulikar Residence. What began as a simple brief to refurbish the home with reference to Vaastu, we soon understood that the project will be more intricate than that. This space has undergone a complete makeover from shifting the kitchen to the original guest room, and back, reworking the plumbing, and creating customized furniture to suit our clients’ taste. Visually, it seems to be a simple, linear space, but below the surface, it has undergone many civil changes to compliment demands of the design.
Talaulikar is a 3BHK terrace flat spread across 1800 sq.ft in the posh Kalyani Nagar area of Pune. We created this elegant apartment for a family with a love for both: traditional, and contemporary. This meant, adding pops of color and texture via wallpapers, upholstery and flooring, to an otherwise traditional backdrop.
Working on this project allowed us to revisit simpler times in terms of living, exported to the modern infrastructure and style of the day. In keeping with our philosophy of working to suit the client’s taste, we blended the two to create a unique, contemporary home which reflects the personality and warmth of the family inhabiting it. As soon as you enter, you can get rid of your footwear in a shoe cabinet with niche shutters. A colourful niche draws your eye to the TV unit in the family space. Rooted to their culture, a Mandir placed according to Vaastu sits in the same space to spread peace and positivity amongst the members of the house. A family full of life, the energy is transferred to the bright pillows and curtains. To add to the drama, cove lights under the curtain create the effect of colors spilling into the room!
Behind the TV unit is the dining area i.e Dining + kitchen. With the underlying thought of expressing love through food, here you can see the use of red and white colors extended to the cutlery as well! The dining area further extends to the terrace which has a sit-out for six and a space for shelves and drawers to sum up a cozy evening.
On the inside, while the guest room-cum-office has an L-shaped sofa, customized and designed for optimum space utilization, the master bedroom sees a varied display of pink, green, and gold work in the form of upholstery and niches. And to end the tour, the children’s room, also shared by the parents from time to time, sees one double bed and bunk beds, coated with a splash of orange and red color that lights up the happiest moments of life.