Project Reveal – The New Victorian Remodel
Created by Vinithra Amarnathan on January 30, 2023
Located in an old quiet neighbourhood tucked behind busy streets is this 30 year old ancestral home where our client grew up as a child. Years later when the larger family moved out and Nandish made this his own family home, we had our job cut out to remodel and nurture this home to function for the present day and his young family.
One of our challenges as well as design inspiration came from the need to retain the old world charm and character of the home while marrying it with functionality, freshness and personality for the new generation of inhabitants.
We wanted to be able to build without erasing, create with sensitivity and retain the feel of a generational home that has been brought up to the times.
What was also inspiring was Nandish and Nandita’s past experiences like studying in London, living in downtown Bangalore etc that had shaped their views on design and aesthetic and to cohesively marry that with the character of an old home!
We tried to develop a charming Victorian like town home with character and married old with new to bring in a fresh feel to the home.
Here’s a detailed walkthrough of the various spaces in this split level home.
Entryway/ Foyer
The entrance to the home involved changing the entire stairway and structural changes. We opened up the wall at the entrance and created a large picture window to bring in much needed light and created a small foyer.
The staircase was entirely remodelled to a wood and white staircase with wall panelling along the sides that enhances the character of the space and brings in a beautiful detail.
Along the panelling we have a gallery wall of vintage landscapes that sets the tone for the aesthetic of the rest of the home.
Living & Dining
The living room floors are clad in a cool greige tone faux marble tile for easy maintenance. The walls are painted a beautiful tone of soft gray upto 3/4th height and has a beautiful bright white ceiling with a moulded cornice detail inspired by Victorian homes. This also cleverly tricks the eye away from the beams we encountered while taking down the wall between the living and the once powder bathroom and utility.
We removed the wall and integrated the powder with the dining to create a larger space and converted the utility area to a powder.
The living room features a teal velvet couch set against the window that brings in ample natural light and is flanked by large English roll arm striped chairs on either side. An oval brass coffee table sits in the center below a modern branch chandelier suspended from a medallion to create the perfect balance of old and new.
The adjoining dining space sits in front of the puja that has hand carved teak doors and features a beautiful walnut dining table and upholstered chairs.
The pendant is custom made and inspired by the classic tiffany pendant.
A large Pichwai print sits on the far end and hones in on the old meets new vibe we wanted to create.
Kitchen
We entirely gutted the kitchen and used a patterned floor tile to create interest while keeping the cabinetry a soft gray to tie with the palette in the living. One of my favorite additions here is the small brick tile stacked vertically to create a simple yet stunning backsplash.
Since the kitchen was small in space we added a prep cart with wheels for convenient use as an additional work surface.
We also added metal and glass sliding shutters to close the kitchen when needed for extra privacy.
Guest bedroom
The guest bedroom uses the clients antique rosewood bed and we added a simple geometric wallpaper all over the room to unify the space. An antique armoire and a set of curve back chairs add functionality.
Kids room
The kids room is a small cozy space for a 5 year old boy. We clad the wall behind a simple teak wood bed in a world map wallpaper and carried through the rest of the space in blues, greys and whites.
A built in desk adds function and a window seat makes for a reading nook!
The second floor in the independent home is imagined as a private space for our clients and has a family room cum library area, the master bedroom and an adjoining terrace.
Family room & Library with Terrace
The second floor was designed as more of a private space for Nandeesh, Nandita and their son. We remodelled the space to house a cozy family room with a TV and and adjoining library area for the collection of books.
The library opens into a large adjoining terrace. We create a small pergola area for seating and highlighted it with patterned tiles with a Victorian vibe.
Master Bedroom & Bathroom
Adjoining the family room is the master bedroom and bath. The master bedroom is decked in tones of blush, gray and beautiful wall to wall walnut veneer clad wardrobes.
A panelled wall forms the perfect backdrop for a blush velvet upholstered wingback bed.
The bathroom vanity is clad in a beautiful rosato marble and hex marble tiles in the shower area that features a small bench seat and a half wall.
Working on this remodel was an extensive process of change and creating a space that’s fresh and modern in its sensibility without losing its character was quite the challenge! I hope you enjoyed walking through this transformation.
Vinithra
All pics by Shamanth Patil
