Cradled in a skyrise apartment in India, the design brief for the Gurgaon Apartment was simple: to create a space devoted to showcasing the client’s illustrious collection of contemporary artworks, within its constraints as a rental. Housing the likes of M.F. Husain, Swaminathan, Nihaal Faizal and many more of the greats, Aditi Sharma Design Studio imagined the interiors around the curation of artworks.
The artwork in this home is celebrated, and the space is imbued with a rich, earthy colour palette. The primary materials are textural, such as boucle, Corten steel, chiselled teak wood, solid walnut wood and leather. Permanent fixtures were kept to a minimum, while avant-garde furnishings and antiquities were sourced to complement the artworks and could be perceived as possible functional art objects themselves. While an end-to-end Corten steel panel was installed on the living area wall and Paul Matter lights frame the artworks perfectly, the design elements render a bespoke character to the space without dispossessing the artworks.
The floor plan is open and flexible, while rugs demarcate the common area into a living and dining space. The lounge was designed with a dual function, as a space for unwinding and informal dining. A mustard equestrian Husain painting takes centre stage in this smaller-scale space. It is etched pencil-sharp against a navy sofa, a couple of Flos lights and a concrete dining table with wooden chairs, positioned in the corner.
The bedrooms are contrasting. While the first room is infused with a Tropical Modernism, highlighting the use of rattan. The other adopts a minimal aesthetic, adorned with a neutral colour palette and textural materials.
The study occupies a smaller-scale space that is rich with textures and a minimal aesthetic. The glass louvres are positioned strategically to filter the natural light. Bespoke elements such as the bookshelves elevate the whole, while an asymmetric table from Ikrup together with a Ritz and Phantom hands chair, complete the space.
