When a home is christened ‘Pause’, you know it is a place to linger just a little longer, take that well-deserved break, and cherish special moments. This weekend home in Ahmedabad designed for a family of four, including a couple and their twins who are pursuing engineering and medical degrees respectively, provides a blissful respite from their otherwise hectic pace of life. They commissioned the job to Devanshi Doshi and Shivam Vaidya, principal designers and co-founders of Studio Deshi, with a simple brief of creating a minimalist, clutter-free home.
“This space is their sanctuary to unwind from the daily grind of the city, designed as their weekend home in Ahmedabad. They asked for bright and open spaces that can accommodate multiple activities and age groups. Connectivity with nature and warm materiality was the key criteria of the design brief,” shares Doshi.
Even though the family resides in Ahmedabad, their idea of a second home in the same city was to find calm amidst chaos—a truly tranquil space to foster relaxation, connection, and the art of unwinding. The process began by blending the raw beauty of nature with modern, minimalist design sensibilities.
The main door encompasses many of the materials used in this home such as raw wood, Corten steel and earthy hues. As you enter inside, the open plan of the ground floor leads to the living room, dining area, and an informal seating space. Here, most of the furniture is custom-designed by Studio Deshi, taking inspiration from different forms found in nature. “We designed these keeping the home’s overall aesthetic and functionality in mind. The colours are muted greys and browns to blend in with the rest of the room,” says Vaidya.
The couch is inspired by the smooth contours of pebbles which beckon one to sink in with their plush soft furnishing. An avocado-shaped cluster table adds character whilst offering flexibility in its usage. The dining room is dominated by a large, monolithic dining table crafted from Indian stone with a river finish. “It adds to the raw, earthy and organic language of the space. We interconnected the X-shaped legs in stone to form a joinery which can withhold the weight of the thick stone on top,” explains Doshi.
The ground floor, which is largely reserved for hosting get-togethers, game nights and more, is provided with ample, movable seating to accommodate several guests. From multiple sofas to a swing, there’s no dearth of places to sit. In the centre, a circular table is surrounded by concentric benches that serve as multifunctional pieces. “We designed these to function as secondary serving tables, as footstools, and even as seating when required, making them quite versatile in use,” adds Vaidya.
Connected to the garden and verandah outside, the ground floor rooms boast of an indoor-outdoor flow that is concealed and revealed as desired through the use of blinds and curtains. Even the spaces inside function as one or separate units controlled by a sliding and pivot door system. The spatial fluidity allows the residents to create a cocoon or a free-flowing space as per their changing needs. “When both the doors are closed perpendicular to one another, the living room is beautifully enclosed, leading into the dining space like a secret passage. One door slides effortlessly into a hollow partition, merging the living and dining areas for lively gatherings, while the other pivots to offer direct access from the main entryway. This enhances the usability of the home, creating an environment that adapts to the needs of its inhabitants, whether for intimate dinners or boisterous celebrations,” share the designers.
The three bedrooms of this home in Ahmedabad are kept purely functional in compliance with the overall language remaining the same as the common spaces. The infusion of colour, however, brightens up these rooms, adding a warm glow. The low bed in the children’s room is designed to keep the space open, to adapt to their requirements of having sleepovers and movie nights. In the couple’s bedroom, a live-edge wooden headboard against the bed is the primary decor detail.
While the demure colour palette, custom furniture and soft furnishings create a minimalistic vibe, it is also the lighting and material play that enhance the overall living experience. “The homeowners’ inclination for a slightly Scandinavian yet Indian contemporary space veered us towards this design direction. We primarily used oakwood, terracotta, and cane in an otherwise neutral palette,” says Doshi.
The abode is designed to encourage one to disconnect from their fast-paced life and reconnect with themselves and others. “Our intent was to remain true to the materiality and bring nature inside through forms and tactile experiences. It is a home where time slows down so one can savour the simple joys of life,” concludes Vaidya.
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