Every room has a characteristic that grounds it. The sofa anchors your faze. The artwork commands the wall. The rug defines the floor.
However, in Cordkraft Design Studio’s LAAD-5 in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, the most captivating element of the space is the forgotten fifth wall, where eyes rarely wander unless forced upward by a chandelier. The architects thought that the idea that murals were only restricted to walls confined creativity. And so, a sculpted, handcrafted plaster-of-Paris installation that required weeks of physical labour was drawn on the ceiling.
“The ceiling was physically, mentally, and economically tiring, making it the hardest and most challenging to do,” reflects the team. However, fortunately, the design studio loves challenges. This philosophy is reflected in other aspects of the home as well.
The brief
When homeowners approached Cordkraft in 2022 for the Vastrapur bungalow, their requests seemed simple enough. They had to connect the formal living room to the garden and work with a subtle colour palette.
However, the 370 sq. ft. space held technical complexity that would test their problem-solving prowess. It was housed within a load-bearing structure that turned a simple wall removal into a complex engineering task.
The architects brought a structural consultant on board to ensure that their vision could come to life without compromise. This resulted in a 700 sq. ft. space (including the entrance foyer) that flows seamlessly between interior and exterior, making the garden accessible while maintaining the room’s sense of enclosure when desired.
The monochrome
With the ceiling taking over as the living room’s spotlight, other elements assume a supporting role. Italian marble sweeps across the floor in dark, dramatic specks, its polished surface making the room expansive through reflection.
Subtle hues of lime wash softens the walls in matte neutrality, a finish that absorbs light, embracing warmth. The palette moves fluidly through shades of black, grey, and pearl.
Against this monochromatic canvas, sculptural elements scatter to complement. A coiled floor lamp in bronze-copper tones rises from the dark marble like a totem, its stacked disc structure creating vertical rhythm while its metallic finish provides necessary heat against the cool-toned palette. The piece is almost architectural.
The decor
A generous grey sectional in plush upholstery anchors the seating area, paired with a constellation of coffee tables in mixed materials, including marble, wood, and resin, that layer texture. Each piece has been selected for how it authentically contributes to the room’s overall composition. Even the television, housed in a sculptural media console with circular design elements, becomes part of the room’s visual vocabulary.
“It breaks away from the luxury trends of today’s market,” the studio notes. While much of contemporary Indian luxury design equates richness with abundance, like more marble, more gold, more everything, LAAD-5 argues for luxury as minimalism.
The expensive materials are present (Italian marble, custom sculptural furniture, that labour-intensive ceiling), but they’re placed intentionally. This creates a room for living rather than staging.
