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It is said that the first impression is always the lasting impression. As you step into Aakriti Saraf’s three-bedroom penthouse on Old Airport Road in Bangalore, you are surrounded by a sight so beautiful and classy, it takes your breath away. Being an interior designer and an artist herself, she understands the importance of home interiors that is timeless, practical, and comfortable. She says, “A house has to be a home, warm and inviting. I have played around with loose pieces of furniture and artifacts, but the fixed pieces of furniture and structure have been kept simple so that they last.
The movable artifacts give me an opportunity to change the look of my home as and when I want to and the fixed décor is subdued and chic without being overwhelming. Each space in the apartment has been used to its maximum potential.”
The door handle at the entrance is a precursor to the exciting décor times ahead. Made out of a long, wooden cheese platter with a metal lotus on the side, and converted into a door handle, the idea incorporates ingenuity, creativity and playfulness.
A stone niche at the entrance works as a bench as well as a decorative alcove between the foyer and the dining area where one can hang flowers, paintings or place colourful cushions for an added effect. As one steps into the home through the glass partition door, with beautiful flower motif cut-outs, one encounters a breathtaking view, charming in its simplicity yet classy and chic.
One of the walls in the living area created like a maze of projections in the wall which adds a glamorous and graphic touch, acts like a wall panel and is highlighted with strategic lighting. It’s a backdrop to the living area, creating drama and style.
The opposite wall has a slide and shut door which acts as panel with cut-out flower motifs and somber back lighting during hours of entertainment in the evenings and throughout the day, it’s a pooja room, sheathed in golden brocade curtain, which looks more like a work of art, with its beautiful Tanjore paintings of gods.
Balcony, the focal point
What follows after the living area is sheer poetry in vision, the focal point of the house, which is the balcony. On one side of the balcony, Aakriti has installed a no-nonsense granite bench covered with a gaddi and colourful cushions and throws, which is offset by cool grey textures of the walls which has a motif inspired by Ganesha in vibrant hues.
This wall colour sets the ambience of the area, cool, casual yet stylish. The wooden flooring and the silver painted rattan chairs juxtaposed against the silver walls, instills quick drama to her home. The balcony overlooks the sky and green lands. It is like bringing greenery and the sky into the house, giving it an instant facelift.
Aakriti camouflages a column in the balcony with a beautiful art deco pillar on the adjacent wall. It serves as a backdrop for beautiful artifacts collected over a period of time. A huge green glass bottle which she picked from Chor Bazaar, with purple orchids, liven up the place. Large pastel candles complete the setting, adding splendour and stylishly transforming the balcony into an ultimate retreat. Adjacent to it is an old side board made of solid wood which conceals a well-stocked bar.
The old-world grandeur gets a modern dramatic twist with beautiful knick knacks, photo frames, a painting and flowers. Aakriti says, “This balcony serves as a perfect haven for us, and makes us feel close to nature.”
Aakriti uses abstract graphic patterns in muted colours from her own collection to help create an interesting ambience in an otherwise simple guest room.
These art works are clustered together in the wall, making a style statement of their own. The hideous duct in the guest bathroom has been covered by a shutter with storage space. The shutter is further camouflaged with a print-out of what looks like a colourful shelf with pictures of bathroom knick knacks.
Uncluttered bedroom
She has kept the master bedroom uncluttered, making it her sanctuary for calm and relaxation.
The bedroom has huge storage space, which doesn’t look overwhelming.
Two wooden pieces of tropical art she bought on one of her trips to Bali, have been converted into a handle to reduce bulkiness of the huge wardrobe and is easily the most intriguing design in her home. The room is kept simple and timeless.
The dining area houses an old brass thali which has been converted into a clock.
The grand presence of this rustic brass piece offers a sleek counter point to the rest of the wall which is kept bare and white. Splashes of bright Indian hue by way of cushions, throws and green plants unite the other elements of the space thereby creating an inviting home. The cozy furnishings and the comforting colour schemes are a sure winner in her home. A home reflects the persona of the person living in it. Aakriti’s home is a reflection of that. She says, “for me, less is more. None of the artifacts used here are in your face and very bold. They have been chosen with great care and a lot of thought has gone into each piece of furniture.
“I have made a conscious arrangement of furniture and decorative pieces that I can change with regard to both style and content according to my preference.”