A multipurpose space that is light on the eye, simple, functional and uncluttered -- this is Urbano Zen, an apartment designed by Naksh Design Studio in Mumbai's coveted address at Carmichael Road. With the client's desire to have all spaces connected to each other yet keeping it all streamlined, Shibani Mehta of Naksh Design Studio decided to keep things simple. So she kept everything predominantly white with splashes of colour that could be added or subtracted (depending upon the mood) allowing it to blend and/or contrast with the rest of the space.
The main design aim was to give maximum flexibility to the space and this was achieved through a few simple things like the use of sliding doors, adding a murphy bed and a flappable study table. Tucking the wardrobes inside a corner pocket helped to keep the entire area clutter free. This also enabled the space to work as a bedroom at night and as a den or family space during the day. One smart design element by Shibani was to use the existing niches in the walls to create concealed storage and flushing the thickness with murphy mechanism for a seamless look.
The challenge, however, was that the walls were very crooked, and the ceiling and structure were weak, the flooring was old and needed lots of rectifications. Shibani had the structure panelled with different thicknesses to get the straight look. Since the colour palette was white, the entire room furniture was white P4 coated for a classy look and Shibani has added soft colour breaks in furnishings, chair fabric and accessories so that the overall ambience is not a sterile “white only concept’.
The client's vision of a seamless open space which could take on any role desired has been very adeptly been translated into this home with the use of simple mechanisms and the colour white. A visual delight, Usha Kiran is indeed a ray of beautiful morning light shining through its design solution.
