Luxury Apartment - Lavelle Road

This ultra-spacious duplex luxury apartment is an oasis of calm amid the busy central district of Bangalore. The homeowner’s extensive collection of art and artefacts finds its rightful place in a voluminous space suffused with natural light, enhanced by the abundant use of marble (except for the bedrooms, which sport wooden floors), floor-to-ceiling doors, and large windows.

The interior sensibility sports a muted palette of white walls and marble floors – a perfect background to set off the wide variety of artworks. The furniture is a mix of customised and original works. The dining table is made of solid, seasoned wood with brass inlay and is supported on an MS steel frame and legs coated in antique brass, while a pair of original Pierre Jeanneret’s Chandigarh chairs adorn the casual living room.

The step-out area adjacent to the main living room sports comfortable seating, a bar made of granite, and a home microbrewery camouflaged within wooden shutters. A pergola in metal and wooden rafters was specially fabricated, as part design and part functional value, allowing creepers to peep through. A powder room is constructed entirely in marble, including the washbasin that sits on a corrugated marble column – a piece of art in itself.

In the kitchen, the island was created using semi-cylindrical marble strips in fluted form, the tabletop jutting out to accommodate the olive and brass high chairs. The marble was specifically selected for its dark, visible veins, which contribute to its stunning appearance.

The stairs leading upstairs are constructed of wood with brass inserts and concealed lighting. The frameless glass balustrade is unobtrusive while serving its purpose and gives the impression of cantilevered stairs. It continues on to the landing strip of the upper floor, which doubles as an art gallery – one of the several attractions being a series of antique door frames affixed to the ceiling.