Kanso House by Purple Backyard

A subtle pause reigns in the Kanso House, wrapped in its principle of subtlety and eliminating the unnecessary, and It reverberates with charm in its simplicity and purity. This oasis solicits solace from the mundane and connects within.

Kumpal Vaid has twined the right cords while weaving the tapestry of the Kanso Home, creating a fresh benchmark of a minimalistic home where the Kanso aesthetics and Indian influences have found a natural synergy.

Tonal palette, soft curves underpinned by subtle geometry, lux-tactile finishes, a beholding sea view from the 21-foot-long deck, tactile materiality, and the elements, blend harmoniously with nature in this expansive sanctuary in the urban rush of Mumbai.  

Kumpal Vaid, the Founder and Principal Designer at Purple Backyard, has been shaping immersive and conscious homes since 2011 with a vision to craft bespoke spaces that evoke emotions and serve a clear purpose while embracing our cultural heritage with contemporary interpretations.

This 4000 sq ft home for a family of three desiring quiet yet eloquent sophistication, a purity of design and minimal ornamentation. An approach that syncs perfectly with Kumpal’s values. Transmuting the bare shell of this four-bedroom apartment into a masterpiece that envelopes a slow-living vibe, encompassing various structural changes.

Creatively complying with the client’s brief led to the perfect melding of the esthetic narrative in the home, where beige marble flooring, grained wood, natural stone, metal elements, textured jute, soft cotton and linens collate to add layers of tactility. Once inside, an idea of pause and reflection engulfs the tonal shades as the canvas, accentuated with wood and black elements and the silent red, pique interest. A neutral, clean-lined sofa gives company to a curvilinear chair, while a black and white artistic coffee table by PB Home sits close to an eclectic lamp that enchantingly adds character to the space directly opening into the sea-facing deck. Curated small stone totems built out of material in situ, perched on small wooden poles, welcome all at the entrance console.

A softly curved wall leads to a dining area where a white marble monolith dining table sculptured in an organic shape holds centre stage, escorted by richly upholstered chairs. The fabric light by Stem, enriched with silver corners, floats above the table and is complemented with a silver wall light called Silver Sublime by PB Home, casting an engrossing vibe. An intriguing take on the ‘Starry Nights,’ by House of Berserk, sits majestically on one of its walls. This powder bath plays the perfect yin to the yang, with an artistic vanity made of the monolith Basalt that gets dramatically served with the side of the LZF red light in red veneer.

A composed sanctum, the father's bedroom with wooden panelling, cladded wardrobes, fluted walls, beige tones, and decadent adornments on the walls make for a space fitting to the occupant. The en-suite bathroom perpetuates the allure of the bedroom with a monolith vanity, vintage faucets and wood-finished ceilings. The creative uniqueness of the guest bedroom blurs the lines between art and functionality, sustained in the bathroom as well,l with totems and a sleek insert light that glows with a muted vibe.

A serendipitous moment, the sunset, led to crafting the master bedroom to make the most of the skylight golden hour pouring from the door that opens into the deck. A rust-coloured seat adds zest to the neutral ambience while the Champa tree casts a play of shadows, adding to the space. Reminiscent of the onsen, the en-suite bathroom embodies a soothing ambience that keeps the yin spirit in flow. The room naturally flows into a den that morphs into a sitting room for casual conversations, a guest room, or a prayer room. Sheathed with jute wallpaper, the walls are graced with old black and white pictures in old frames scored from the antique shops and a statement light, crafting a beguiling allure. Granite walls, an inlay white-marbled grey island, beige cupboards, wood mimicking ceramic tiles and glass partitions make the spacious kitchen a dream space.

And the finale, the twenty-one-foot-long sea-facing deck with a magnificent panoramic view. Dotted with lush greenery, a water body, a bar, and an innovative swing that can face either way, it is a space where the family can converge in togetherness, hold soirees, or just gaze at the skyline—a Utilitarian home with sumptuous storage and sliders that de-mark the private and open spaces. The most endearing and rhetorical element is a framed stone that reads ‘Kanso’ in Japanese, etched by each worker, including Kumpal.

“We believe in creating spaces that are a reflection of the people that reside in them and their needs. Hence we have crafted the private spaces to resonate with each individual’s distinct personality while maintaining a singular visual flow that connects the whole space. Everything in this home is built around a purpose, and the calm sensibilities, a dignified layering of tactile materials, tonal consistency, and intuitively done ambient lighting make this apartment like its namesake/moniker,” says Kumpal Vaid, Principal Architect and Designer at Purple Backyard.