Thoughtfully designed interiors with subtle aesthetics define Amara Avana, a private residence designed by Pencil and Monk. High design, high art and high technology combine in seamless elegance and art-fuelled grandeur in Amara Avana, designed by personal space design studio Pencil & Monk. The contemporary space, the Chennai based private residence of studio founder Siddharth Chandrasekhar, showcases the ability of his team at customising thoughtful design with consummate skill.
The four-bedroom house sprawls across 4500 square feet and has been crafted to maximise comfort and evoke luxury. Guided by the homeowners’ lifestyle, personality and personal tastes, the design studio built a visual narrative of a warm material palette, muted colours and layered with rich ethnic accents.
Step over the threshold and the high-octane design makes immediate impact with an unmissable sculptural wooden wall artfully lit to draw the eye. There is a sense of discovery that is heightened with the slowly unfolding design story.Beyond the louvered slats of a wooden screen lies an open-plan living and dining area. The fluid transition is facilitated by the uninterrupted botticino marble flooring and the generous flow of natural light, which was achieved by breaking open the layout. The luxury is undeniable and articulated in subtle and grand ways: in the plush furniture, the rich material palette and through the cascading crystal curtain suspended from the ceiling.Taking the idea of comfort and ease into high gear,Pencil & Monk’s design team built state-of-the-art speakers into the walls of the living room. It was the perfect touch of technology to provide an immersive, surround-sound theatrical experience right at home.
Enhancing the design further are the various objet d’art and a vast and diverse personal collection of artworks throughout the house. Either hanging on walls or strategically placed in nooks and alcoves, the artworks make the space more inviting and add a personal accent to the design.Art, in fact, also makes its way into the well-equipped kitchen in the most innovative way, with a magnetic kitchen wall.“The owners had sourced some magnetic spice jars that could stick to a metal surface. They wanted a space to showcase their spices in a way that would allow them easy access while cooking and also serveas an installation,” says Divya Chandrasekhar.
It was magnetised by incorporating a metal sheet over which cement was applied. The allure of the magnetic wall, an artwork in itself with its Indian block-print impressions, is inescapable as it becomes a backdrop for an array of spice jars. The four bedrooms, distinctly designed to be spaces of peace and solitude, are minimalist but distinct design touches are evident in the floor-to-ceiling wardrobes with patterned surfaces. Meticulous design and a sensitive approach to customising design and going beyond the brief is a firm hallmark. And the finely made Amara Avana with its rich, textured opulence is yet another testament to the firm’s innovative design approach.
Fact File
Location : Chennai
Area : College Road, Nungambakkam
Furniture: Poltrona Frau, Hartmann Moebelwerke, RocheBobois, Eames
Lighting: Artemide, Linea Light – Gojis LifestyleLight Consultant:Light Lab, Dr Amardeep
