With a brief to curate, showcase, even celebrate art throughout this home, Yatin Kavaiya and Jiten Tosar of Usine Studio started work on this project.
The house itself is almost austere, devoid of architectural embellishments. It presents itself as an assemblage of glass boxes in a predominantly white structure with simple yet strong horizontal lines, “The focus was on acquiring pieces of art and then creating spaces that would revere them. Consequently, the exterior is clean, without any cladding,” says Yatin. Within, the ceilings are also minimally articulated so that the emphasis is not diverted from the art.
The pathway leading to the entrance is paved with a rather humble variety of tiles but set against it is a large bronze mural by Ratilal Kansodaria portraying the dance of life during the rains.
In the formal living room the plush fawn coloured sofas blend with the plain walls, drawing attention to the two purple armchairs sitting below the Kodanda Rao Teppala painting on the wall, depicting people on a beach. Further inside, a dramatic gold engraved human figure sculpted in wood by Ashish Dash stands on the floor in the centre of the room.
Set against double height glazing, the staircase behind it has a floating, cantilevered effect, daylight filtering through the spaces created by its missing risers. “On the floor above, each bedroom has a colour palette in sync with the preferences of the user. The master bedroom has an occasional red punch on a backdrop of muted beiges, the artwork being by Pankaj Vishwakarma,” says Yatin. The son’s room with a Rutwa Gajjar, has a sophisticated pairing of yellows with greys while the daughter’s room has a mix of greens enhanced by a Mallika Rangwala. “Each room has handpicked works of art to complement the décor.”
The multipurpose hall is a congregation space for the whole family and for their close friends, all of whom happen to be avid card players. Aptly, the installation commissioned for this room is an abstracted version of a deck of cards. The comfortable recliners in candy tones infuse happy colours in this space, imparting an informal ambience.
“In the process of sourcing the art for this home, we met more than 150 artists, some of whom were quite renowned,” says Jiten. The result is evident – a home in which art takes centre stage in the carefully orchestrated spaces, while the function of a home remains uncompromised.
