Architect Amit Shastri’s Home Is Plush with Wood and Light

Every architect has a signature. I’ve come to identify Amit Shastri of Amit Shastri Architects with geometry, play of light, neutral tones leaning towards gray, and liberal use of wood — all that take a contemporary form. So, when it was time to design an apartment for his family, he stayed true to his identity.

The final rendition is this harmonious apartment designed intentionally with natural elements of wood and light. Step inside this clean home bathed in neutral tones with tons of clever storage ideas.

About the home:

Who lives here: Amit Shastri and his family.
Location: Vile Parle – West, Mumbai
Area (in sq ft): 1050 sq.ft. comprising 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms
Concept & Interior Design: Contemporary
Principal/ Creative Director: Amit Shastri
Design Team: Hajra Shaikh
Photograph credits: Photographix India

Amit’s intent was to create a snug home while retaining a design mark. Light was to be a key player of this design. Hence, architect Amit Shastri visited the empty house at different timings of the day to understand the source of natural light, its movement, and play of shadows.

This study of light helped him design the 3-side open apartment with a focus on privacy. As the building is in a ‘C’ shape layout where in all floors, the apartments can see each other’s house, privacy was of paramount importance.

Amit had started off with the idea of making a wood house. A flow was chalked out, drawings of interior layout came about easily and electrical layout was frozen. All other design decisions were executed  through sketches on the site walls.

Living + Dining

The apartment has a welcoming warm wooden entrance and the same vibe is carried into the living and dining. The living room has been finished in wall paper from Arte, Belgium, with a concrete effect, coupled with white onyx, copper sheet, wood and embedded hidden lights.

The flooring is entirely wooden flooring. Natural light plays a key part in the décor, but to maintain an ambience after dark artificial lights have been planned with forethought to bring out a play of shadows that gives the space a dramatic yet natural aura.

The lack of curtains in this apartment makes it it’s most inviting feature. Wooden louvers and shutters against the large, full-size windows brings in so much warmth to the space. All wooden designed shutters and slidings render the space with natural light and drama thus furnishing it with privacy from the other neighbouring residences too. 

The kitchen is easily accessible from the living and entrance. It is highlighted with a dome ceiling while the entire kitchen is finished in white laminate interspersed with chrome yellow niches for planters and accessories.

Suspended ceiling brackets have also been installed to add more planters to the ambience. Keeping in mind maintenance near kitchen counter, a parallel line of white glass mosaic two feet wide on the flooring, has been installed to take care of safety from water spill. The wooden flooring, otherwise, spills on to the kitchen from the living.

Kids Bedroom

The children are nine and six years of age and full of sprite. This energy guided the design to be zestful with strong hints of geometry and keen detailing. Beds are designed in house shaped geometry, a false louvered window is designed near the bed, where in the shutter opens with a light and a blank wall. Aimed at being the children’s creative private mood board this was a hit with the kids from the word go.

Guest Bedroom

The guest bedroom space is optimized with a low Indian sitting that doubles up for a bed, a writing desk that can be used as a study whenever needed.

Master Bedroom

The master bedroom is designed with elegance and minimalism yet it radiates a cheerful homely feel. The majority of the furniture in this design is custom made at site except the study, dining chairs, reading corner chair, master bedroom tables and coffee chair that has been sourced from Defurn.

Few civil changes were made in the apartment, the toilets were completely remodeled and redesigned. The three washrooms were attributed with distinct styles and different finishes. The guest toilet adorns a leather finish Kotah and wooden wall, the master toilet is finished in black Marquino and white Satvario along with green painted wall and the children’s toilet is designed in a homogeneous shade of  grey Italian marble. 

Product Sources:

Flooring – Wooden flooring. Partly glass mosaic from Italy
Lighting fixtures – Hybec
Kitchen Fixtures – Siemens 
Bath fixtures —  Grohe – Duravit – Kohler – basins from Banos Spain
Furniture/ décor – Fixed furniture customised
Others –  wall paper from Arte, Clocks from Progetti, loose furniture from Defurn, carpets from Rug Republic