Razzmatazz Living

By Marina Correa

Photography: Akhil Bakshi; courtesy the architects

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As much as a sample apartment is characterized by the gumption of luxurious living; it seems a befitting example of the designer’s professional prowess…

Characterizing a new breed of aspiring homeowners hankering after gorgeous apartments, a sumptuous material palette defines a ‘show apartment’ at Noida aimed at the semi-luxurious segment.

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Designed by Kapil Aggarwal, principal architect, Spaces Architects @ka, the modest 1,500 sq ft is home to three bedrooms, living-dining, perfunctory areas and a study, with almost all areas endowed with an extended balcony.

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The home is conspicuous by its no-doors layout. Space has been cleverly carved out by using mirrors to reflect a larger volume, display units doubling up as room dividers, following an open-plan layout, opting for a minimalist décor and fitting balconies with glass balustrades – in order to maintain a fluid and capacious feel.

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By and large, show flats manage to pack a lot more than regular flats do due to adoption of smart strategies. Though some of these features can be replicated to open up our homes, being low on storage and doing away with doors definitely remains a debatable concept many a homeowner would struggle with. But the lure of owning a gorgeous home tends to override many a fundamental detail.

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Moving to a broader perspective, show flats are endowed with plush materiality and to some extent, a bold, out-of-box perspective that encourages the layman to experiment and explore. It becomes the architect’s/ designer’s window to showcase his adroitness with space planning, materiality – in this case - wooden paneling, laser-cut wooden ceiling pendants, wooden flooring; mosaic tiles, designer furniture and artefacts,  art, textured wallpaper, sleek bath fittings and rich furnishings –  and styling; in turn thoroughly justifying its very existence.