The project we undertook was to infuse a beach vibe into a modern boxed apartment, which had several limitations due to its tight room sizes. The client, who had a penchant for a planned life, wanted to retire and settle in Goa after a certain age. So, we decided to bring in the vibes of Goa into the residence.
To achieve the beachy feel, we opted for a Hampton batten treatment on the living room wall, which added texture to the space. The wall was layered with a large artwork featuring a water or a beachside photo from IKEA. The rust-colored sofa, which had a typical stone element found in traditional Goan homes, added character to the space. We also added a black and white dhari rug that tied the whole space in a certain Hampton style way.
The kitchen was designed to be open and exposed, making it more bright and airy. An open kitchen adds volume to a space, and the cooking and serving become easy. We raised the kitchen height to 36 inches specifically to add little under-counter storage, which is largely used in any kitchen. There are a lot of beam offsets, which allow for hidden storage in the entire house. The fridge was not a built-in, but we created a shell around it to hide the entire ugliness of the fridge. What you see is always the white clean surfaces.
The client loves entertaining, so we created a half bedroom that is part of the living room. There is a sliding folding partition that converts the room into a half bedroom with a drop-down bed. When open, it becomes a clean open surface. The room has natural light filtering through two large windows. To maintain the openness, we avoided doing a fixed wall in front of the spaces and opted for a sliding folding partition that works as a privacy screen only when needed. The custom-printed curtains with a mountain range and fine wood forest kind of print added to the beachy feel of the space.
The master bedroom was designed to be simple, white, bright, and airy. To add warmth and coziness to the space, we painted the ceiling in a certain blue that captured the tones of the sea. The North wall broke the whiteness and minimumness of the space. We smartly created a TV unit with a small dresser storage, which was vertical rather than horizontal, allowing for more working space in front of the bed. The wardrobe had neatly detailed shelves and storage, which helped the client maintain her wardrobe with her workwear separate from home wear or travel wear.
In conclusion, we were successful in transforming a modern boxed apartment into a beach-inspired haven. Despite the tight room sizes, we were able to create a flexible home that can function in multiple ways. Our design opened up the entire space and made it breezy, airy, and functional. The hidden storage, sliding folding partitions, and custom-printed curtains added character and depth to the space. We achieved the beach vibe while keeping the design modern and trendy.
The best room have something to say about the people who live in them
