Project Reveal – The Modern Victorian Remodel
Created by Vinithra Amarnathan on December 4, 2020
I know we’re late in sharing the story of the modern victorian from our desk….but its never too late to share something so good 🙂
About a year ago a young lawyer couple approached us to remodel and design their newly purchased Bangalore home. Nestled in the heart of downtown Bangalore city, this 950 sqft 2-Bedroom apartment had a charm about itself. The home was on the first floor and all the rooms opened into views of beautiful greenery.
Our clients are co-founders of an independent firm in the city and they envisioned having a classic Victorian-style townhome residence that although harbored a traditional sentiment, was also upbeat and suited to their lifestyle. Walking into the home for the first time, I was struck by its old-world character and how the context of the home itself offered the opportunity of creating a transformative change. The fact that compared to the square footage of most Bangalore homes it was much smaller made it a pretty challenging project. But beyond the low lintels, old mosaic floors and the beams, I saw the beautiful views and the green that enveloped this beautiful home and what it could be.
From then on it was a challenging yet fun journey working on this project and watching every little change we imagined unfold!
We were inspired by the context of the home as an apartment in a small community in the center of the city location and the old-world charm of the building and the neighborhood itself. We kept a large part of the layout structurally intact except for the master bedroom. However, the design of the home in itself was transformative and led to a major gut level metamorphosis. Every built element in this home was transformed: floors, walls, lintels, doors & windows!
The color palette is largely neutral with pastels and greys forming the mainstay, a play of the trusted black and white and hints of color in the form of art, upholstery and soft furnishings in a way that’s true to our style!
The material palette is a classic mix of white marble, brass accents and the warmth of wood with a pop of bold color in the kids bathroom.
Entry Hallway
A feature prevalent in older home blueprints, this lengthy hallway space leads into various areas like the nursery, kitchen and the open dining-living room. Black and white harlequin floors with a triad of archways make for an impactful entryway. We increased the lintel levels across the home to accentuate the high ceilings this construction bore. The vertical volume of the hallway was further iterated with the three suspended glass and brass hundi pendants bring in a sense of grandeur. The statement black and white harlequin floors traverse the length of the hallway and carry through into the kitchen and are so true to the townhome sensibility!
On the far end of the hallway a beautiful arched mirror doubles up as a concealed crockery storage for the dining nook – it visually amplifies the sense of space and mimics the arched grammar that’s carried through homogenously.
Living & Dining Area
A compact rectangular space in the floorplan, each nook was designed to host a specific function that also worked with the large cohesive flow of spaces. The flooring here was changed to a rich teak-finish herringbone wooden flooring that gave the space warmth against all the blacks and whites. Architectural treatments like crown-moulding along the ceiling perimeter & wall mouldings add to the Victorian nuances effortlessly!
The snug dining nook is functional and chic! A 4-seater oval dining table wrapped in a teak veneer is flanked by emerald curved-back chairs that make for a cozy spot to gather and dine in. A sharp black Murano glass chandelier crowns this dining area and makes it regal yet minimalistic.
Anchored around an electric fireplace clad in white and grey marble, the living space is the true nucleus of this home. The fireplace has a simple mantle and symmetrical built-in shelving on either side – a piece that packs in storage yet is contemporary. A vignette that spells classic English-town home!
In a small space as this comfort and function were above all! The soft-grey tufted sofa is paired with the cane-back and leather seat armchairs that add sharpness and complement the soft pastel palette. We custom made a baby friendly split round coffee table that’s wrapped in teak veneer. Having a split table allowed to move the halves around and increased their functionality while keeping things modern!
A grey and light blue-toned Persian rug ties in the space serendipitously with the original artwork on the walls. Hints of greens, bric-a-brac and an oversized table lamp are elements that elevate the visual palette further.
A pre-existing beam oddly divided the larger living area and we decided on fashioning it as an architectural feature by creating an arch to demarcate the transition between the living and the bar alcove. The free-standing bar cabinet in bold black with brass inlay shutters sits adjacent to the expansive large windows, making it the perfect spot to unwind. The double-layered drapes add a sense of luxe and character.
Kitchen
The small but uber functional L shaped kitchen boasts of soft grey shaker-style cabinetry, brass hardware and beautiful marble backsplash. The result is a dreamy concoction of monochrome grey and gold tones that pairs starkly well with the harlequin floors.
The marble backsplash ties the whole kitchen together elegantly and the extra quantity of the stone was utilized judiciously to create a worktable cantilevered on the wall with turned custom wood legs – which also adds to the counterspace effectively! A pair of hundi wall sconces crowns the worktable walls and adds vintage charm to the nook.
Master Bedroom
A serene sanctuary for the clients, this ensuite master bedroom anchors within its wall’s multiple functions. The original layout of the room witnessed notable changes – The headboard wall initially harbored a window which was completely closed to create a solid wall. The balcony wall was opened up to create an array of sliding doors that flushed the room with daylight and ventilation. The flooring here is a dark walnut herringbone flooring that gave the room a rich high contrast look when set against the pastels.
We took a section of the room to create an open walk-in L-shaped closet space for the couple in tones of white and light wood with brass accents. The opposite wall was clad with a floor to ceiling beveled-edge mirror that allows the niche to double up as a vanity and plays on the visual volume.
A scalloped blush upholstered headboard is the pièce de résistance and is paired with bold black nightstands. The sleek black arm and brass dome wall sconces complement the bedside composition just right! The bedroom hosts pops of hues like fuchsia and greens in the form of linens and art. The neutral toned traditional rug and double-layered drapes make for a warm and inviting space.
The 10’ x 4’ bathroom was sure a space that needed to be designed to a ‘t’ to get the most out of the area available. Clad ubiquitously in white marble, the bathroom has a dedicated shower cubicle with a shower bench in marble and a marble-topped vanity with gold fixtures worked into the mix.
The attached balcony is adorned with beautiful traditional motif floor tiles and has a pair of Victorian lantern garden lights that make the space inviting and resonate with its character! It’s an oasis for the family as they enjoy time together shaded by the mighty banyan canopies on site.
Nursery
Pastels, geometrics and florals conjure magic in the baby girl’s nursery. Function was key as the room needed to evolve and shelter the growing needs of a baby. The pivotal pieces in the space were the crib, the dresser cum changing table and the well-designed wardrobe storage.
The custom floral watercolour wallpaper encapsulates the design identity of the nursery: lots of soft whites, blush pinks and gold accents! The flooring here is a lovely light-oak that lightens and brightens the space.
The polka rug is a winner and accompanies the pinstripe grey and white blinds perfectly!
The ivory dresser cum changing table is a significant piece of furniture that combines function & storage. An array of sleek bookshelves, custom art prints and a candy pink wall sconce add some fun to the nook.
The nursery’s bathroom is cladded with gorgeous green hex wall tiles that when paired with the soft pink vanity make for a match made in colour heaven! The bathroom sliding door is an interplay of geometric compositions and bold pink colour-blocking!
The Modern Victorian Remodel was truly a creative dreamscape for a designer where a dated home was transformed with its every weave! The Victorian Town home design vision was something the clients and we stayed tethered to – resulting in a space that was a true manifestation of the mood boards into tangible reality!
“This home allowed us to have a big beautiful vision and then make it happen! It has been such a fulfilling creative journey to embark on and create a home that’s rooted to the vision but at the same time stays true to function and the clients needs! The home and the design belonged together and while we worked with a focussed brief we were also lucky to have clients who trusted in our ability to reinterpret, imagine and create in context of function and suitability”, concludes Vinithra.
All photos by Shamanth Patil
Content by Lavanya Chopra