Spaces for Living: The 'Aamra' Farmhouse
A farmhouse in Kanakapura built for a family that loves to cook. This home reimagines the kitchen as the heart of the residence, using raw concrete, brick, and reclaimed materials to blur the lines between indoors and the landscape.
The central dining island at 'Aamra', crafted from polished cement and paired with simple wooden stools. The space is illuminated by natural light from a clerestory window, highlighting the raw, unplastered textures of the home.
A video montage of interior details at 'Aamra', from a cane armchair in the entryway to woven pendant lights and handmade accessories. It captures the warm, lived-in atmosphere created through a careful selection of natural materials and textures.
A unique sofa made from the front of an old car sits in the bedroom, an example of playful upcycling. This piece serves as a focal point and a conversation starter, reflecting the client's personality within the design.
A simple wooden deck chair sits on the veranda, inviting a moment of pause. The design of 'Aamra' is filled with these "points of rest," blurring the boundary between inside and outside and encouraging a slower pace of life.
Children joyfully jumping on a floating bench, a moment that perfectly captures the spirit of the home. I design spaces and furniture to be not just looked at, but to be actively and happily used by the whole family.
A glimpse into the kitchen, where pantry shutters upcycled from an old shop and a counter made with cement and oyster shells showcase my resourceful approach. The design makes the kitchen a fluid, functional, and beautiful workspace.
The kitchen island and upcycled pantry cabinet at 'Aamra'. This view shows how the kitchen is designed as the home's central hub, a place for both cooking and gathering, with custom furniture that blends service and served spaces.
A slightly different angle of the 'Aamra' kitchen, focusing on the cluster of terracotta pendant lights. These lights add warmth and a soft glow to the concrete and wood material palette, enhancing the room's inviting feel.
A child reaches for a book on the built-in concrete shelves. This cozy nook, with its deep cushioned seat, was designed as an integral part of the architecture to encourage reading and quiet play.
This video shows the main living space of 'Aamra', explaining the architectural geometry that allows for northern light. The trapezoidal extrusion of the space is a direct result of a design decision made to optimize light and energy efficiency.
About Spaces for Living: The 'Aamra' Farmhouse
At Aamra, we designed the kitchen not as a tucked-away utility area, but as the social heart of the residence. The cooking counter sits on a perpendicular axis, creating an open connection to the dining area and framing a view of the surrounding mango trees. We used a blend of raw materials—cement oxide, crushed oyster shells, and upcycled wood shutters from old shop fronts—to ensure the space remains functional for a professional food stylist while feeling deeply grounded in its environment.
Architectural Geometry
Considering the site conditions, the north view offered the best light and elevation. The spine wall of the house runs East-West and inclines 12 degrees. This shift lifts the roof slab, allowing for North-facing clerestory light while creating a trapezoidal extrusion for the interior. This specific geometry serves a dual purpose: it optimizes energy efficiency through passive lighting and provides an ideal angle for solar panels and water heating units on the roof.
Service vs. Served Spaces
The project was a study in balancing service areas with living zones. The central island serves as the primary gathering point, with pantry shelving and appliance niches tucked behind the bar counter. By integrating the service end into the main living axis, we transformed the kitchen into a communal hub rather than a private workspace.
Material Integrity
Our material palette was driven by reuse and local availability. We sourced pantry shutters from salvaged shop fronts and utilized oyster shells from Goa, mixing them into the cement oxide counters to create a durable, textured surface. The flooring utilizes simple stone, and the entire structure is flanked by low 'Jagli' (veranda) roofs that blur the boundary between the farmhouse and the surrounding Kanakapura landscape. Every element, from the upcycled car sofa to the floating benches, was curated to encourage 'points of rest'—spaces designed for unhurried activity.
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