THE WHITE HOUSE

Location:Vadodara
Plot Area:5500 SQ.FT
Built-up Area:6500 SQ.FT
Programme:Homes
Status:Completed
Completion Year:2022
Design Team:Urvi Shah, Naimisha Desai
Photographer:Tejas Shah

Located on the outskirts of Vadodara, The White House as the name suggests celebrates the colour white. Desiring a unique house, the couple reached out to us with the hope of a home that is distinctive yet functional. With a great fondness for white marble, the client was keen on using it generously in the house. Thus began our journey of exploring the theme of white and the varied possibilities of exploiting marble as a material. Since it was an interior project, we as a team paid meticulous attention to the choice of colours, materials, and details.

Spatial Organization
Accommodated in a three-storey block, the house sits on a spacious plot of 5500 sqft overlooking the garden in the east. With a simple and straightforward spatial organization, it integrates an array of ancillary spaces. The ground floor houses both, a formal living area and a family living space along with a kitchen, puja room, and a guest bedroom. The double-height dining area which is flooded with light from the adjacent glazed wall graciously opens to the garden outside.
The staircase with the underside as exposed concrete and the tread and riser with white marble cladding leads one to the upper floor. As one ascends, the mid-landing presents the user with a small, cozy, and brightly lit library space facing the main road. The first floor which acts as the main family area hosts a family sitting, the parent’s bedroom, and the kids’ bedroom. The recreational spaces like the gym, home theatre, jacuzzi, and deck along with an open terrace are accommodated on the second level.


Material and colour palette
The recurrent theme of white with extensive use of white Italian marble creates a dramatic visual narrative for the user. The elegance of the natural stone is contrasted with the warmth of wood, and the soft hues of greys and blues. It was a challenging undertaking for us to retain this language throughout the house in a way that makes it striking and not mundane. It also encouraged us to rethink the way marble can be used in interior spaces in a subtle yet creative way.
With the flooring predominantly in white Italian marble and the walls in white finish, the spaces in the house seem to flow into the next seamlessly. To complement the flooring, the kitchen uses a white composite stone with a similar vein pattern for the platform and dado along with white shutters for cabinets. In an almost unconventional way, the bed in the master bedroom along with the side tables and wall unit are designed out of white marble which gives it a very sculptural appearance. To break the monotonous colour palette, shades of blue have been employed in the daughter’s and son’s bedroom for the wall finish, back painted glass of the wardrobe, and partially in the study unit. The bathrooms too have walls cladded in marble with a feature wall of blue subway tiles.

Lights and Furniture
It is hard to miss those lights positioned in different corners of the house. Designed in accordance with the character of the interior, these minimal custom-made lights add a sense of dynamism to the space. These geometric lights are made of black metal rods with white spherical light at the end. They are all thoughtfully designed according to the space in which they are fixed; some hanging from the ceiling, some mounted on the floor, some with a slight bend, and some with a dramatic bend.
To break the monochromatic material and colour palette, wood is used for some furniture pieces while some are with sleek metal legs with white marble tops. To further add the element of playfulness to the space, muted shades of blues and greys have been used for the upholstery. Carefully curated artifacts have been picked to adorn the niches and corners of the house.
Rooted in simplicity, the house exudes tranquillity while also providing the users with a space that is unique and functional. Trying not to revel everything at once, the house has its own little moments of surprises but not failing to come together as a whole for the user.