When this couple decided to move into their four-bedroom apartment in Mantri Classic in Koramangala, they were very clear on optimising every possible living area. Even though Manisha and Sanjay Jain had ample space in the new 2,500 sq feet home, they didn’t want to let go of any nook or corner.
Manisha Jain says, “I hired interior designer and architect George Attokaran who is very good with contemporary designs. I didn’t want him to just do the usual wood work, but wanted every part of the interiors designed with finesse and yet not reflect a hotel or a corporate look. It had to be contemporary, yet have a certain warmth.”
The entrance passage leads into the living room, so the lady of the house decided to make small niches which would serve as a places to showcase artefacts collected from travels. “I didn’t want a typical showcase look that you get in home stores. I wanted a subtle corner and the niche my designer created made it appear quite classy. Also towards the end of our passage we created an accent wall where we have photo frames and artefacts that double up as a storage space for books.”
Since the couple love to read, they have a large collection of books, so the book shelf extends even to their master bedroom. “Our master bedroom is L-shaped and is quite large, so we have converted a wall into a bookshelf. We got it fully covered with frosted glass, so it doesn’t lend a very heavy look with books lining the wall,” says Manisha.
Infact going with the theme of clean and clutter-free spaces, she even designed a dining table to look like a buffet counter. “I wanted my dining area to have a compact look, so I got the chairs designed in a way so they are completely hidden under the table, without even the backrest and arms standing out. Also one of the walls in our dining room is dedicated to my husband’s hobby photographs from his travels, adding a personal touch to the space.”
Since lighting plays an important role in any interior spaces, Manisha and Sanjay worked with mood lights to create a feeling of warmth, since all the walls are white. Manisha beams, “I have set up a home automation lighting system, with one switch at the entrance to control the key areas in the house. So when we enter the house, the key areas in the entire apartment get switched on. Also in the bathrooms and the closets, we have light censors which sense when one enters and get switched on their own.”
