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Mehraab by &t studio

Interior

2023

Photographer : Mr. Ekansh Goel (studio Recall)

The residence sits within Coimbatore, nestled in a residential neighbourhood predominantly inhabited by the Dawoodi Bohra Muslim community. This undertaking involves both renovation and expansion, transforming an initial 18' x 64' narrow space into a 36' x 64' footprint, creating a total area of 2200 sq.ft. Our redesign focused on reconfiguring the layout to incorporate a centrally positioned lift within the existing stairwell shaft. This reorganization allocated all social areas such as the entrance, foyer, living room, dining area, and kitchen at the front, while situating the bedrooms toward the rear. Additionally, the house features two entrances: the primary entry leading to the foyer and a secondary access point into the formal living room on the opposite side, one being the formal entrance and the other reserved for social events.

Commissioned by a Muslim family, this project breathes new life into a decade-old house. Drawing inspiration from their lifestyle and cultural background, they proposed a contemporary design infused with Arabesque motifs, offering a fresh avenue to explore while honouring their cultural values. Their task involved blending Moroccan and Bohri influences seamlessly with modern design elements and aesthetics.

Architects	:	&t studio
Area	:	2400 sq. ft.
Year	:	2023
Website	:	https://www.instagram.com/andtstudio/

Living room with the choreography of rugs, mehraab and furniture

Slim columns, adorned with ceramic tile finishes, provide support for these arches.This corridor leading to the living room serves as a prelude to the grandeur that awaits

The foyer, dining room, and an open kitchen, delineated by arches and distinct flooring patterns, compose bustling part of this home. The flooring, a combination of white marble and ceramic tiles set within grey marble, unifies the entire design. At the heart of the design philosophy lies the endeavor to strike a delicate equilibrium between the minimalism of contemporary interiors and the grandeur of traditional Arabesque geometries.

Around the kitchen, you are at the threshold of a narrow corridor of arches. The arched planes intersect, forming an intricate web of lines and curves that create an illusion of phantom domes suspended in space. Slim columns, adorned with ceramic tile finishes, provide support for these arches. This corridor leading to the living room serves as a prelude to the grandeur that awaits.

Detailed shots of the corridor from living room

Evening shot of the Corridor showing the living room on the side and the panyara at the end

The living room has an ensemble of tropical furniture finished in patterned fabrics on the foreground of a "Mehraab". Mehraab(miḥrāb), is a niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the qibla, the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca towards which Muslims should face when praying. The wall in which a mihrab appears is thus the "qibla wall".

The Mehraab niche draws inspiration from this, serving as a symbolic gateway to prayer and reflection. Finished in ceramic tiles commands attention, anchoring the living room. Its presence within the living room not only adds cultural significance but also provides a focal point.

The tile colour and furniture harmoniously complement the overall design scheme, while rugs both on the floor and ceiling, vibrant and evocative, anchor spaces, infusing warmth into the modern interiors. The careful selection of marble patterns elevates surfaces, lending an air of sophistication to the living areas.

The foyer, dining room, and an open kitchen, delineated by arches and distinct flooring patterns

A detailed shot of Kitchen and dining

The master bedroom, amidst the modular design of the wardrobes and functional elements with storage solutions, the headboard with hand-knotted rug reigns as the room’s pièce de résistance

The Bedrooms are adorned in Moroccan tiles,rugs, geometric patterns and pop colours. Every facet of the house embodies the duality, creating a seamless synthesis that celebrates both heritage and modern comfort. Modern designs have always been about optimal functionality, therefore the kitchen, wardrobes and other storage solutions are completely modular. The clean lines of contemporary design coalesce with the intricate motifs and patterns borrowed from centuries-old architecture. For instance, in the master bedroom, amidst the modular design of the wardrobes and functional elements with storage solutions, the headboard with hand-knotted rug reigns as the room’s pièce de résistance.

The rich tapestry of pointed arches, the allure of ceramic tiles, the warmth exuded by vibrant rugs, and the timeless elegance of geometric patterns all resonate with the essence of Islamic aesthetics. These elements, carefully integrated with modern solutions, form the cornerstone of the design.

The master bedroom, amidst the modular design of the wardrobes and functional elements with storage solutions, the headboard with hand-knotted rug reigns as the room’s pièce de résistance