The Choudhary residence incorporates family heirlooms and upcycled decor to create a meaningful and low-waste design.
The Choudhary family’s home in Gurugram is designed to incorporate various stories of their lives into the decor. The house is filled with family heirlooms, artwork, and antique furniture that have been collected from trips to different countries, including Thailand, Mexico, Australia, and India. The design is an effort to preserve and honor the sentimental value associated with these souvenirs. The family put a lot of thought into the curation of spaces to showcase their belongings in a meaningful way. Each item has its place in the house, and visitors can see an intricate and detailed narrative of the family’s life over the years. Overall, the Choudhary residence is a beautiful representation of the family’s memories and experiences, making it a special place for them and anyone who visits.
The client aspired to create a home that resonated with their values of sustainable and simple living. As a response, the design intent focused on upcycling old decor items and furniture with an attempt to curate a space that retains the spirit of their past. Inventing ways to refurbish generations-old belongings without discarding them made the execution process low-waste and sustainable.
The house features generously sized living and dining areas, a cozy family lounge, and three bedrooms, plus an additional room that can be used as servants’ quarters. Upon entering the elongated lobby, visitors are greeted by a mix of Mexican and Indian artwork that transports them to far-off destinations. The interior design, which follows a Bohemian style, blends together colors and patterns from different eras to create a unique and eclectic atmosphere.
In the living room, antique furniture and polished wood surfaces are combined with pastel-colored furnishings to create an earthy ambiance. The centerpiece of the room is an intricately carved center table, surrounded by seating that is equally polished and ornate. In one corner of the room, an old wooden flour miller, or atta chakki, has been repurposed as a side table, preserving its legacy as a tool used to grind grains in post-independence India. Topped with glass, it now serves as a platform for a wooden statue of a sleeping Mexican. The combination of these elements gives the room a sense of history and character that is truly unique.
In the dining area, the influence of the family’s trip to Mexico is evident in the hanging wall decor, which depicts the country’s tropical landscapes. The room is bathed in natural light and features plenty of indoor plants, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. The centerpiece of the room is a spacious dining table that has been in the family for over a generation. The table and chairs are made from wood reclaimed from discarded railway tracks, acquired by the client’s grandfather during his time at the Indian railway office.
Rather than replacing the old and worn furniture, the architects chose to refurbish them by filling in chipped wood, strengthening them with metal joints, and coating them in wood polish. The tabletop was refinished with printed tiles and wood veneer to give it a fresh look. The family’s old cabinets were also repurposed and painted in a deep pastel blue, adding to the room’s vintage charm. The combination of these elements gives the dining area a sense of continuity and timelessness, connecting different eras over the years.
Several pieces of furniture in the residence have been restored and upcycled to suit the current needs. An old bookshelf, painted white and upcycled in a Victorian style, is placed along the passage leading to the bedrooms. The passage is decorated with potted plants and sombrero hats, creating a unique and personalized look.
The family lounge is one of the most intimate places in the house. It is designed in shades of maroon and beige, with a bright yellow wooden screen that is a souvenir from a trip to Thailand. The screen is fitted with wheels, making it a semi-open, movable partition between the lounge and the study area. This screen adds character to the lounge and is also functional as it allows the family to separate the space as per their requirement.
In the centre of the lounge, an old coffee table previously owned by the client’s grandfather is placed. This antique piece of furniture is not only functional but also a piece of family history. The lounge also has an ornate wooden desk that belongs to the client’s grandfather, adding a touch of nostalgia to the space.
The study area has an old TV unit that is repurposed as a bookshelf and painted in pastel blue. This piece of furniture adds a modern touch to the study area while still keeping the antique charm.
The master bedroom is kept simple with a cozy seating nook by the bay window that lets in plenty of natural light. The wall in front of the bed is adorned with numerous family photo frames, adding a playful touch. A rich coral ceiling adds a pop of color to the otherwise white room, creating a sense of energy. This simple yet thoughtful design approach is carried out in all the bedrooms, with each room reflecting the personality of its inhabitant.
In the son’s room, the only furniture is a plain wardrobe, a bed, and a study table placed by the chamfered window, creating a clean and minimalistic design.
The interior design of the home shows how preserving and recycling can be both environment-friendly and meaningful in today’s world, where sustainable design is essential. The architects design the space based on the people and their experiences, rather than creating a new space that doesn’t reflect the family’s context. The design incorporates personal memories, family attachments, and values passed down from generations, making the home an intimate space for everyday living.
Photo Courtesy: Vaibhav Bhatia
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