Puneet and Khushboo Kalra approached Studio Poche with a clear set of exclusions: no flashy surfaces, no loud colours, no ornamental details. The result is a 1,500‑square‑foot apartment in Kokapet, Hyderabad, where every design decision follows the principle of omission. The space was conceived by Larsen Christian and Keithy Gandhi, who treated the Japandi style as a collection of guiding ideas rather than a fixed colour scheme.
Seamless Flooring and Floating Elements
The apartment’s visual hierarchy begins at floor level. An ecru micro‑topping coats both walls and floor in a single, matte layer that shifts subtly with daylight. Because the surface lacks a tile pattern, furniture and built‑ins become the primary visual anchors. To amplify a sense of openness in the compact layout, the designers lifted most elements off the ground. “In a relatively compact home, we felt that allowing elements to float, cantilever or lift off the floor would create a greater sense of openness,” the designers explained.
The material palette that rests on the seamless surface is deliberately limited. Wenge veneer provides depth, brass appears sparingly, and linen and jute soften the timber’s severity. The designers note, “Our main rule was to keep the colour palette restrained and let texture do the talking.” This approach ensures that a grain visible on a column in one room reappears on a shelf in another, creating continuity without visual clutter.
Strategic Use of Color and Texture
While the overall scheme remains muted, a single deep red is introduced as a purposeful accent. Christian and Gandhi said, “Where we deliberately departed was in bringing in a stronger sense of Indian warmth and personality,” and they chose the red to fulfil that intent. The colour appears in measured doses, always tied to a material or spatial function. “A strong colour had to either reinforce a material, define a particular space, or create a meaningful focal point,” they clarified, rejecting any use of red purely for visual interest.
In the living area, the heaviest piece—a bouclé sofa—sits on a slim wenge platform that hovers above the pale floor, creating a visual separation. Opposite lounge chairs offer angular contrast, while a low centre table keeps the eye moving across the room. No upholstery introduces colour; texture and tone dominate. The red emerges in the marble veining of the coffee table and a rust‑brushed rug, both treated as material qualities rather than pigments.
Room‑by‑Room Design Details
The dining space continues the seamless flow, lacking a door to delineate it from the living area. A solid‑wood table with softened edges, three‑legged chairs, and a bench featuring deep‑red, log‑shaped backrests create a cohesive yet relaxed setting. Overhead, fibre‑paper pendants hang low, focusing light on the table and reinforcing the warm ambience. A bar positioned within a tall arch is lined with red Kit‑Kat tiles that swell in an S‑curve, becoming the first visual anchor from the dining table.
In the master bedroom, mustard replaces red as the sole colour cue. A low bed rests against a mustard headboard, while hidden lighting behind a ledge casts amber tones onto the plaster, making the artwork above appear to float. Dark timber continues through wardrobes, a dressing niche and a long console, with arches cutting into the niche to echo the curvature seen elsewhere. “Curves appear where they can naturally soften an edge, frame a view or create a moment of pause,” the designers said.
The children’s room reverts to the original ecru floor, with a raised platform bed that incorporates storage and a leg‑less desk extending from it, leaving the centre of the room open for play. Blue appears exclusively on the wardrobe shutters, whose wavy tops look hand‑drawn. A pegboard wall provides a dedicated space for toys. The guest room serves multiple functions, featuring a deep‑red velvet sofa and open shelves for lounging and reading, while a pale jute‑wrapped wardrobe conceals belongings.
Floating Fixtures and Structural Challenges
The most technically demanding element is a pooja unit in the guest room that hangs from the ceiling without touching the floor. The designers aimed for a look that feels both weightless and securely anchored. “It had to feel extremely light and delicate while still being structurally secure,” they stated, noting that the suspension, detailing and services were resolved within the ceiling before installation. From inside the room, the unit appears integrated rather than an add‑on, aligning with the designers’ broader goal: “We wanted these interventions to feel integrated into the architecture rather than like individual furniture pieces placed within it.”
Overall, the Kokapet apartment demonstrates how restraint, texture and a single, well‑placed colour can create a calm yet warm living environment. By allowing furniture to float, emphasizing material honesty and limiting bold hues to purposeful moments, Studio Poche has crafted a home that feels both tactile up close and cohesive from a distance.
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