Minimal And Soulful, The Kanso House In Mumbai Is Anchored By Its Unpretentious Style

Awash with simplicity and purity, the Kanso House by Kumpal Vaid of Purple Backyard perfectly represents its moniker with a palette of quietude, sophistication, and minimalism. Modelled after Kanso, one of seven principles of the Japanese Zen philosophy, the 4,000 sq.ft., four-bedroom abode in Mumbai for a family of three celebrates the art of decluttering by relying on tactile materials, subtle colours, and soft fluidity to evoke the personalities of its residents. 

Designed for a family that cherishes their time together, the residence is an embodiment of peace and tranquillity. The apartment came together along the thread of the client’s desire for a serene home that was simple and unobtrusive, allowing them to naturally converge in communal areas while still enjoying their personal spaces. It’s a residence for its people to pause and reflect, have spaces that resonate with their lifestyle, and enjoy their private sanctuary amidst the urban milieu.

Fluid Forms Meet Uncluttered Spaces

Kanso House is a space devoid of visual interruptions, despite its clear distinction between public and private spaces. Sliding glass partitions and curved walls fulfil this role perfectly, allowing the homeowners to go about their daily activities by easily transitioning from room to room, and permitting light to penetrate through every nook. “We consciously incorporated curves throughout the built features, furniture, and accessories, ensuring a seamless sense of continuity,” explains Vaid. “This design choice enhances the natural flow of the apartment.” 

Tied Together By Design

Cocooning the home is a 21-foot-long deck equipped for large gatherings and quiet evenings indoors. A window to calming views of the sea and the Mumbai skyline, the deck is fitted with a custom bar, a water body, a two-way swing by The Rocking Chair Company, and an array of potted plants. This is the home’s crowning glory, created as a space for the family to come together to marvel at the city at any time of the day.

Conjoined with the deck is the living room, where a straight-lined sofa comfortably counters a curvilinear chair and a round coffee table. A thoughtful addition to the room is the pair of stone wall art pieces above the living room sofa, that have been etched with the word Kanso by every vendor and member of the design team at the client’s behest. Complementing these are stone-topped lamps by Leviosa Design that add an element of intrigue to the room.

Along a curved wall, situated across from the living room is the dining room. The prominent use of art in the design details gives the room a personal touch. In this space, a white monolithic table sits against the backdrop of a striking interpretation of Van Gogh’s Starry Nights by House of Berserk. A dotted wooden door opens into the dramatic powder bathroom with a solid Basalt vanity. A design strategy that Vaid has employed in every room of the house, by sourcing flea market finds, locally-made trinkets, and handmade Indian arts and crafts, is to infuse the contemporary setting with an old-world vibe.

The private spaces, which are the four rooms and two ensuite bathrooms, befit the personalities and needs of the occupants as well as the visual and textural aesthetic. The three bedrooms retain the minimal and understated tone, while the den evolves through the day – it’s a sitting room for relaxed conversations, an extra bedroom for unexpected guests and a prayer room for mindfulness. 

An Earthy Material Palette

In every space in the home, both communal and private, the material palette is extensive but layered to maintain uniformity. Marble, wood, stone and metal form the primary material mix, with adornments in jute, cane, cotton and linen adding to the natural aesthetic. Indian art and craft feature prominently, especially in stones such as the Indian black limestone in the bathrooms, Kota stone on the deck, and Silverstone elsewhere. 

“We mindfully handled the theme of less is more in the apartment. The colours and materials were positioned to be artful and not jarring, creating harmonious yin and yang nuances. The idea was to avoid having blank spaces or overindulging in the layering of materials and colours, and fostering a smooth flow throughout,” says Vaid, who managed to find a place for sustainability in the home as well, by using leftover veneers from the dining unit to create shutters, and extra cladding stone pieces to make artworks and the waterfall on the deck. 

The Definition of Character

While it was imperative to maintain a sense of continuity throughout the home, drawing out the tonal range across all rooms posed quite a challenge for Vaid and her team, especially in ensuring that every space had a distinct character – one that’s just as individualistic as it is cohesive. To subtly break through the evenness of the soft colour and material palette, Vaid introduced art pieces, dealignment in the ceilings and floors, and striking accent colours in each room. A prominent player here is the silent red that cuts through the blacks and beiges and manifests in different areas of the house in the form of a side seater in the bedroom, a bathroom light, and a piece of wall art in the corridor. The skilful use of these low-key feature elements not only personalised each room, but also unified the individual spaces to create a multifaceted aesthetic. 

Every aspect of the home has been built with purpose, to reflect the wishes and needs of its inhabitants. From the unified and immaculate communal areas to the soothing inner spaces, Kanso House has an aesthetic charm that speaks volumes. “The powerful sense of calm and meditativeness that resonates throughout the space is one of the most gratifying feelings of achievement that we get from this home,” concludes Vaid.