House of Contrasts

By Beverly Pereira

Photography: Courtesy the designer

.

A penthouse bachelor pad juxtaposes multifarious textures and industrial-finish furniture against a minimal colour palette to create a perfect balance between the rugged and the poised...

Carelessly designed bachelor pads have become a thing of the past as an increasing number of men are developing a taste for detailed homes to match their personalities. Delhi-based élitaire, a unit of the erstwhile Dolphin Group, recently designed a home for a bachelor by blending contemporary sensibility and individuality, with suave touches thrown in for good measure.

 

.

Preeti Rao, élitaire’s creative head, tasked with creating a striking home within the 4,500 sq. ft. Surajkund penthouse, has advantaged natural light, good ventilation and breathtaking vistas of the Aravalli Hills, by strategically replacing the original doors with glass doors and using bay windows for enhanced views and ample sunlight.

 

.

Clean lines and contemporary design constitute the home’s basic layout amidst a colour palette of whites, greys and warm hues of yellow. The living-dining, lobby, entertainment room and master bedroom (two rooms combined as one) spell spaciousness with touches of eclecticism that combine pieces from various eras into a welcoming whole.

 

.

There are details in every nook and corner: from snakeskin-textured walls, intricate tile work and luxurious upholstery, to industrial furniture and quirky yet functional decor. Individual pieces bring to mind bygone eras - classic button-tufted sofas, nesting tables, distressed-finish cabinet, and vintage uplighters vie for attention with modern rectangular ceiling lights, textured walls, wooden flooring, and white-striped walls; with a distinctive touch of kitsch in the tables; barber chairs and bright cushions in a retro-meets-kitsch appeal.

 

.

Even the light fixtures - rectangular ceiling lights, delicate hanging lamps and statement chandeliers - take on the charm of an installation, creating charming nooks and corners, besides setting the mood. Both, the lobby and the dining area exude a rugged, manly feel, thanks to industrial-finish furniture.

 

.

This modern yet playful bachelor pad has an endearing quality with “a contrast of strength and delicacy; minimalism and quirk, yielding an exemplary modernism that stands the test of time”!