This Bengaluru home channels coastal memories through bohemian ease 

Text by: Mehar Deep Kaur

What does a home look like when it is designed around memories of movement, salt in the air and the comfort of coming back? For this family of three in Bengaluru, the answer lay somewhere between a beach holiday and a lake view—and in the belief that travel shouldn’t end when you unpack your bags.

Crafted by Dibya Mohapatra, principal designer of Simplyfy Spaces, this 2,200-square-foot apartment overlooks a serene lake, but its emotional geography stretches far wider. The brief was refreshingly emotional: the family wanted their journeys—sun, sand, sea, and slow living—to find expression at home. “They didn’t want the home to feel themed,” Dibya iterates. “They wanted it to feel like them.” What emerged is a bohemian-leaning, modern-inflected sanctuary where every nook alludes to beach towns, breezy afternoons, and unhurried conversations.

The design process, Dibya shares, was as intuitive as it was immersive. Coffee-fuelled conversations with the clients quickly crystallised their taste, making decisions fluid and collaborative. Every piece of furniture and furnishing was customised—“to the T,” as Dibya puts it. That attention to detail is evident in the home’s layered materiality—cane, macramé, and wicker forming the tactile backbone of the interiors. Slender furniture profiles keep the visual field light, while gentle curves ripple across walls and details, creating a sense of continuity. Teakwood grounds the palette with warmth, as soft blues drift from room to room, reinforcing the home’s coastal cadence.

Arrival is deliberately understated. A pastel blue nook and a thoughtfully styled shoe unit offer a subtle prelude, easing one away from the city and into a slower rhythm. In the living room, a neutral canvas is enlivened with colour through cushions, art and accents, each placed with a lightness of touch. The panelled projector unit, its form gently undulating, mirrors both the ebb of the lake beyond and the family’s enduring affinity for water bodies.

The dining area holds its own presence with a six-seater ensemble topped in marble and grounded by a robust base, paired with cane-backed chairs that keep the mood relaxed. Adjacent sits a private enclave: a media and entertainment zone designed exclusively for the family. “It’s their cosy corner,” Dibya explains. “Where they watch, unwind and just be together.” Suspended live-edge shelves accompany the media credenza, adding a raw, tactile counterpoint to the clean lines.

In the kitchen, blue and white play out in a crisp colour-blocked composition. Matte-finish laminates clad the cabinetry, while the upper units feature fluted glass cores with rounded edges, imparting a retro charm. Vitrified tiles wrap both the backsplash and counter, keeping the space both practical and polished.

The master bedroom is conceived as a true retreat—calm, but not bereft of character. A teal headboard stands against a sand-toned lime-washed wall, its texture quietly evocative of beachside landscapes. An oblong panel flanks the back wall, while a sitting corner invites slow mornings. Behind a sliding door with an MS frame, a walk-in wardrobe unfolds, finished in a refreshing mint green PU that continues the home’s soothing cadence.

Personalisation takes centre stage in the daughter’s bedroom. Above the bed, two framed compositions created by Dibya showcase the family’s own seashell collection, as a poetic nod to their travels. A study nook with a fluidly curved leg, integrated storage and a sliding mirror keeps the space functional yet playful. Tropical printed fabric, sandwiched in glass on the wardrobe shutters, adds a burst of colour and whimsy.

In the guest bedroom, the design takes on a quieter route. A grey headboard pairs with mushroom white laminate and PU finishes on storage units, while floral printed fabric encased in glass adds a soft layer of character. Elegant, understated, but far from anonymous. Floating nightstands—consistent across all bedrooms—enhance the sense of lightness. Throughout the home, an array of exquisite lighting features punctuate the spaces, adding depth and drama. 

“I poured my heart and soul into this project,” Dibya admits. And it shows. Rooted in memory, shaped by journeys, and softened by the lake, it stands as a reminder that the most compelling interiors are not driven by trends, but by the lives they hold. Here, travel does not end at the threshold—it simply finds a new form.

The Author is a Faculty at School of Design and Innovation, RV University, Bengaluru