Re-envisaging a drab, stock builder apartment as a colourful abode of solace in the heart of Bombay. Through its design, Colour Me Happy is an attempt to encapsulate the emotion of cheer within the confines of a home. The 1,222 sq.ft. apartment reeks of colour - at times with a sense of subtlety but mostly in a bold manner. Prints, patterns, textures, pipes, art and artefacts come together to amplify the space as an extension of the client’s personality.
Often, architects tend to seek cues and visual guides from the site and context. The code approved red fire-fighting pipe, though functionally an important safety feature, is usually regarded as an eyesore and finds itself hidden away from plain sight. The three pre-existing red pipes were seen as whimsical linear elements that ran through the periphery of the space. They had a certain dynamic and distinct quality to it which had the potential to be exaggerated. These are visually replicated to form a series of red pipes flowing across the ceiling and walls to form functional elements like a seating in the dining space, open shelving for artefacts and a lighting feature branching through the living and dining spaces.
A discovery mid-way into the design process revealed the client to be a closet artist. This propelled the idea of setting up the living space as a canvas to showcase her art. A singular wall is picked and converted to a gallery-esque feature with the help of an artist. The minimal 2D line work provides a guide of reference to hang the client’s colourful art work while also being a conversation piece. Colour also pops through the living and dining spaces via the use of patterns, prints and textures in soft furnishings. An innate liking for animals is clearly visible through the space.
The bedrooms, although individualistic in colour schemes and personalities, stay true to the overarching emotion of joy and cheer. Here the proportionality of colour to whites is inversed in comparison to the common spaces which aids in creating a moody and cozy environment.
The grandparent’s room is a confluence of all things old and new. Numerous old pieces are up-cycled to create new furniture and décor thereby preserving the emotional attachment to items gathered over decades. A deep red Pichwai art work adorns a wall within a curved arch as a memento from the old days.
Bricks, metal and action figures dominate the kid’s room to a create a robust and a raw palette. The brick wall acts as the piece de resistance of the room and provides the perfect backdrop to all the crime fighting action figures and posters. Keeping the playful element intact, the full height wardrobe unit doubles up as a blank canvas for doodling or solving a mathematical problem. A puncture in the wardrobe unit inhabits the all-blue study desk.
The master bedroom, unlike its namesake, is surprisingly not the biggest room in the apartment. Mirrored full height wardrobes help add visual volume to the room while enhancing the light quality. Deep green and mustard colours elegantly champion the master bedroom to create an intimate and snug atmosphere. Delicate brass elements add a touch of glamour to an otherwise bold room.
Colour Me Happy unapologetically thrives as a fun, bright mood lifting device. With it’s exposed red pipes, printed fabrics, colour block walls, the house exudes a sense of calm and playfulness and doesn’t shy away from being unconventional and eccentric.
