The farmhouse is located on the roof-top of a residential building. What was an unused part of the building has today become an earthy studio apartment fit for hosting friends and for weekend retreats, thanks to Mumbai-based Rubel Dhuna Architects (RDa).
The terrace farmhouse has a unique juxtaposition of various textures and patterns. This had to be an office for two lawyers, but the space in this loft located in Mumbai’s Fort area was limited. So, the team flicked every unconventional switch and got working on a highly fluid scheme.
The flooring is made of kota stone inside and a glimmering cladding of mosaic outside. Next in line is the wood, finished so to look matte and homely, and combined with some of the cane furniture pieces. Then there are the French windows, with rolling drapes, filling up the bedroom with sunlight.
Rugs, mostly brown and blue but never loud, pepper the floor. The designers eschewed decking up the walls in favour of planting trees and bushes around the space. The apartment is bookended by the private garden and a community space.
Juxtaposed along the main patio are a seating area and a dining section, the latter sitting Instagram-perfect with its blue and brown window backdrop and a traditional bharani acting as a flower-holder. Seen beyond is the JJ Flyover and the rest of the city madness. But you won’t know of that inside the apartment.
The entrance corridor houses the reception, which quickly spills over to the conference room and private study. The latter two sections have a glass partition in the middle, which can be screened off when need be and opened up when a larger gathering is in the offing. The conference corner is dominated by a sleek micro concrete table-top with a white powder-coated metal base.
The study is livened up a bit by the double-depth library shelfing where the multi-coloured book spines stand out in comparison to the rest. A single-step staircase leads up to the reading loft. The space below the staircase has been turned into a double-depth storage corner.
RDa’s product line is distinguished by its simple solidity. A lot of the inspiration of form also comes from traditional Indian furniture like charpais and muddahs.
