In our all-new Design Focus series, our designers share their inspiration behind great, Liv-able interiors. In this edition, Livspace designer Payal Arora talks about designing a transitional Gurgaon home that has a heady mix of traditional elements, art and modern sensibilities.
Location: South City, Gurgaon
Home type and size: A 3 bedroom apartment spanning 1,800 sqft
Design team: Interior designer Payal Arora with project manager Nitesh Kumar Srivastava
Livspace service: Full home design
Budget: ₹₹₹₹₹
A mix of modern and classical elements characterize this plush Gurgaon apartment. Livspace designer Payal Arora maintained neutral tones through the walls and larger furnishings but incorporated pops of color at unexpected places — bold-colored wall paintings, turquoise cushions, and the cherry cabinets in the kitchen. The beautifully handcrafted and painfully intricate wooden jali partition not only demarcates the living from the dining area but also allows the free flow of air.
With the focus on the walls, the designer incorporated a luxe chenille on the headboard in the master bedroom. The floating console and contemporary furniture contrast the reflective bronze back-painted tiles that tower the bed. The moment you step in, the opulent wall gives the room a very regal air.
We sat down with Payal to discuss her design process for this incredible Gurgaon home.
Congratulations! The house is quite lovely. Take us through your vision for this home.
The popular adage, home is where the heart is, truly resonates with this apartment. I wanted to focus on creating a space that radiated a laidback charm with an old-meets-new feel. So, I generously styled it with midcentury-inspired furniture pieces and filled the upholstery with subdued tones. In the end, not only did the apartment turn out great, but it’s also one of my favourite projects because it pushed me to balance both modern and traditional elements.
“In the master bedroom, the reflective tiles draw the eye up, and the suede headboard create intrigue. The floral installation perfectly adds a touch of artistic drama.”
We are very captivated by the towering, reflective wall in the master bedroom. What was the thinking there?
For a splash of glamour, we gave the room reflective bronze back-painted tiles and a suede headboard. We stuck to a very sophisticated palette of camel and aubergine.
“The guest bedroom is a welcoming space with subtle tones. The off-white tufted accent chair paired with the solid wood console brings a speckle of enchantment. Giving the room a picturesque backdrop are the french windows framed by floor-length beige curtains, opening up to a spacious balcony.”
Continuing with the very cosmopolitan aura, the guest room has a lot of subtle tones of white, beige and olive. I loved working on the walls — a mix of tufted leatherette, glass, and laminate.
“The dining area is small but by choosing a visually light four-seater with an interesting silhouette, the space is injected with a personality of its own.”
We loved ogling at the jali wooden partition but how did it tackle a design or layout challenge?
Since the living and dining room form a spacious L, we broke it up with an intricate jali wooden screen reminiscent of indigenous regal style. This way the seating and dining areas are separate and yet unified by the partition because it’s not solid.
Our eyes were immediately drawn to the preppy art gallery above the sideboard. The house, in fact, has a spattering of art on most walls.
Yes, I wanted to maintain an all-white scheme through the walls so that we could fill it with inspiring artwork. The four-piece artwork brings a lot of spirit to the dining room. The floral artwork anchors the spacious master bedroom and the psychedelic oil installation literally transforms the guest room with its intangible energy and vivacity. Personally, I feel art saves us from the boredom of everyday life and truly change the dynamics of the space.
It’s no surprise then that you molded the kitchen into a vivacious space.
Of course, we didn’t want the kitchen to stand out like a sore thumb. We’ve installed high-quality cabinetry that also scored big on style. We chose the crimson and sleek white cabinets complete with a mosaic-tiled backsplash and granite countertop to keep spills manageable.
We know you enjoyed putting the whole home together. But what was your favourite part?
It was fun to collect decor pieces for each room. But my personal favourite is the bronze and gold decor piece on the console, in the guest bedroom. It definitely makes the space more interesting and works as a wonderful conversation starter.
