The Wall and The Whites

This residence is designed for an industrialist couple. The couple has a natural flair towards painting & both of them nurture 'PAINTING' as their hobby.The design concept is very simple. A wall which runs from the front compound wall to the back compound wall divides the space into two zones.t consists of common area like living, dining , Kitchen on one side & private areas like Master Bed & Studio on other side. The studio can be converted into Guest Bed room, allowing the multiple use of space. The wall is conceived as the panel for the exhibition of their paintings . It is well lit by natural light with a provision of a sky light in the roof to serve the purpose efficiently. The wall creates an excellent interaction between the spaces on both sides through its well designed openings.

The space flows in & out into the nature through the various walk outs & opening from living , dining & bed areas, Thus it perfectly blends the architecture, interior decoration & landscape to complement each other & none of them stands alone to dominate the other.A small tree with a sky light over it & a platform at base which is inspired by the tradition 'PAR' ( a traditional platform -katta under a banyan tree ) provides a perfect sitting place for the bar & dinning area.

The front & side setbacks are well utilized with elements of landscape and enhances the space visually till the plot boundaries .The house is energy efficient & eco friendly. It has been designed to make maximum use of natural resources. The use of artificial lighting during the day time is absolutely avoided. The entire house is well lit by natural light with the provision of various skylights in living , dining & even in toilet area.The large openings in all direction which open out in the garden provides ample ventilation naturally. This has minimized the use of air-conditioning.

MATERIALS:- The wall is treated with tandoor stone , giving it rough grey texture which creates the perfect background to enhance the paintings on it.The rest of the elements have been treated in white with different materials.The use of natural wood & veneers is minimized. Eco- friendly materials are used. Innovative use of glass & laminate creates a new material for kitchen dado.The kitchen platform & the dining table have been finished with solid surface to give a homogenous effect.

LIGHTING: The light has been an important element of design & is playing a vital role in creating a perfect mood for the various activities in the house.The bar counter & the dining table are designed with built in lighting in it.The water bodies outside the dinning & studio are lit with LED lighting , setting up a perfect mood in the evening.

DETAILING:Intricate detailing is done to achieve the desired results in various areas. The table in the studio is designed to get converted into guest bed whenever required. The refrigerator has been treated to maintain the harmony with the white theme.

Sunil Patil and Associates

Sunil Patil and Associates started in 1994, completed more than 300 projects in residential, industrial , commercial, mass housing, public places etc. Having offices in Kolhapur and Pune with around 40 team mates together.

Having won a National award-IIID-MK 2008 for Interior+ Architectural Interior Category and a Regional award-IIID-MK 2008 for Interior+ Architectural Interior Category was one of the Three Architects from India Invited to attend the International Conference "Foreign Architects Meet Marmomac on Stone Architecture" held in Verona, Italy in October 2003. .

His Design Philosophy: Harmony with Nature . By instinct, man likes to be with the nature. His body his mind responds better to the nature than man made spaces. There is nothing better than nature that relaxes the man and keeps him healthier. Architecture that we create shall be as sensitive to the nature as our skin. We try to create spaces with the minimum intervention with the nature, The Architecture which is in -Harmony with nature.The spaces which we create shall not just satisfy the functional needs of the users but shall become their companion in sharing the unforgettable moments in their life. .

The Contemporary Vernacular Architecture: The architecture shall belong to the geographical location, the culture, the climate and the aera in which it is built. Our designs stress on using vernacular material in a contemporary Architectureal style says Sunil patil .

Times Students Outreach Program

As the part of the Students Outreach Program initiated by Times Interior for encouraging students to accomplish new heights, let me welcome all you creative ones to take part in this online event.

Assignment for this month:

Send the complete sketch for a 5000 sqft house including plan, front elevation , side view and back view to robin@timesinterior.com. The mandatory requirements are 4 bedrooms , 1 dining room , 1 kitchen and 1 living room. Visit our FB page to see if your plan is published. The entry which gets most LIKES will win a prize money of 200 USD!

The top 5 entries will be published in our website www.timesinterior.com featuring the full bio of the contestants.

Rush in with your creative drawings to robin@timesinterior.com .
Details Required:
Full Name

• Address
• College Address
• Educational Background
• Contact Number
• Reference Email

Entries will be closed on DEC 15, 2011

Prize Announcement on JAN 1, 2012

Powder Room

A Breath Of Fresh Air For The Powder Room

Few people consider a bathroom as a room. For most people it is a place to fulfil the morning ablutions. A chosen few consider it a room and are creative enough to make it more than a place to flush and wash the face. How about creating the classic 18th century Powder Room? We have some mint fresh ideas. So dig your noses and learn how the scent of the talcum and perfume can rejuvenate not only you but also the guests when they want to retouch the make-up after a delicious dinner.

What is Powder Room

The existence of powder rooms started in the early 18th century during the Victorian era. Ladies excused themselves to use the powder rooms rather than using the term going to the bathroom in public places. They used these powder rooms to reset wigs or powder their noses and fresh the makeup.

Economy and paucity of space has compelled us to use less FSI. Creativity can do wonders and here's how once you add the powder room to the amenities of the guest room. It is an understated luxury that will be appreciated. In today's property mart having a powder room means you belong to the elite neighbourhood. Most places have undergone renovations to create a niche for indulgence by cutting down the balcony space, by converting closet space into a small bathroom. By downsizing a few spaces a homeowner is glad to display a small area for the guests as 'POWDER ROOM'. Dressing up your Powder Room can be ongoing and easy. You can have wild, cozy, warm, cool, and even pink with color schemes. It provides all the liberty to be creative. You don�t need the perfect blend of colors. The range of accessories in the market contributes to the kind of variety that can be displayed to enhance your mood or that of the guest. Right from the soap dispensers to scent candles and antique framed mirrors with linen towels embroidered the range is endless. Even though your powder room is being placed in the smallest area in the home, it will grab the attention of guests if done well.

Choose right accessories

Coming to the accessories you can line up one of the best exquisite range of perfumes, organic soaps, liquid soaps, and linen hand towels and liven up with a few creepers in your ceramic pots. The lights can also bring drama to your powder room .You can opt for lighters above the mirror or even on a small colourful painting on a wall. Or just colour one wall bright clad with tiles or covered with a wall paper and use bright LED light. Having a few magazines to read add to the accessories of your powder room.

Sanitary fittings

The minimum size needs to be 4�0�x 6�0� and maximum to your taste and space. You don't need to have a bigger space like your bathroom defining dry and wet area, all you need to have is a dry area with a wash basin accessorized and well lit with a mirror and toilet with enough space to move around and allowing your guest to redress or to add the last pin in time or slightly refresh themselves with a hand wash. Let's grab logical ideas from the range of ceramic fittings available. Well for the basin you can choose a ceramic or a glass bowl fitting it above your counter with a good foam flow spout going for granite and a marble counter looks very repetitive so here the counter can be of under lit glass, acrylic or any bright natural stone. It is not necessary