Post the Covid 19 pandemic, there has been an irrevocable shift toward slow-living; manifested in the architecture world as the need for well-crafted spaces in dialogue with nature. Our client, an entrepreneur and avid art collector, came to us with his most recent acquisition - a Neoclassical-inspired farmhouse in a lush, green part of South Delhi.  The double-story structure needed to be a calm space to house his living quarters and office, while reflecting his warm personality. 

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UnBox Design shifted the office to the top floor, so as to place the residents - our client and his four dogs - on the ground floor, where they would have a series of visual connections to the verdant lawns and pool. The entry to the house is via a meandering cobblestone pathway, that leads one to a verandah. The formerly empty verandah had great potential as an outdoor entertainment space.

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The existing checkerboard flooring was retained and the style direction, material explorations, and colour palette were orchestrated around this. The existing house had small windows and felt closed off to the incredible greens beyond. The first order of business was to bring more light into the space. Walls were demolished to make space for more generous apertures, letting in soft light.

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We populated the verandah with woven jute chairs around a circular dining table, set against cane blinds, and lit by warm octagonal pendant lights; creating a cozy nook that gives a taste of the spaces to come. The foyer beyond has a black sculptural center-table set against a wooden screen. The space is kept minimal - in tune with the Japandi aesthetic of our well-traveled client.

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One moves from this corridor into the heart of the house - the spacious living room. This is where our client likes to entertain, so we wanted this space to make a statement. We have stuck to a monochrome colour palette while playing with textures. This pared-down palette is the perfect backdrop for the eclectic artworks, photographs, and travel memorabilia collected over the years. White fluting along one wall guides the eye towards the pièce de résistance - a ‘bindu’/red dot painting, nestled amidst books in the study. The wooden bookshelf and leather sofa bring in warmth, beckoning people to browse through the books. The large open-place space allows for multiple furniture layouts, making this a flexible space. The living room gently flows into the verandah to eventually meet the lawn. This permeability suffuses it with natural light throughout the day. 

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The dining space has a sculptural table that seats six, and the consoles here repeat the wooden screen motif of the foyer. Family photographs, landscapes, and cityscapes captured by our client enliven this area. Here too we have provided a generous window that continues the seamless connection with nature.

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The master bedroom is designed as a serene oasis and opens out to the pool. The furniture is kept minimal, with pops of blue balancing the warmth of the wooden bed and paneling. Calm, sunlit spaces dotted with art make this home an apt extension of our client’s personality and a refreshing take on ‘bachelor pads’.