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What unfolds when a client with a full-of-life personality collaborates with a design studio celebrated for its minimal, contemporary interiors? In Gurugram, House & Beyond explored this conjunction through Ekaa – a soulful 1920 sqft fourth floor duplex apartment in Sushant Lok-1 residing as a case study in harmonising signature style with a client’s vibrant lifestyle and memories.
Project name: Ekaa
Location: Sushant Lok-1, Gurugram
Typology: Duplex Apartment [residential interiors]
Area: 1920 sqft.
Date of Completion: May 23, 2025
Design firm: House & Beyond
Lead Architects: Ar. Pushpender Arora, Ar. Sakshi Sharma
Photography: TakenIn Studios
Text: Tanushree Saluja
Turning the page to about six months prior, Namita closed the chapter on her ancestral home in Delhi, choosing instead to script a new beginning in Gurugram with her mother. When she first encountered the studio’s work at the civil stage, she was instantly drawn to the clarity of their layouts, and at the same time, found herself resonating deeply with their interior design ethos. The brief was (deceptively) simple: create a home that feels as open as a bungalow, filled with natural light and air, yet intimate enough to nurture peace and privacy. Hosting friends and family was an important part of her life, but equally so was her need for a sanctuary, where music, movies, and nature could find space to coexist.
This vision set the tone for the design. Instead of confining the family to a pre-set modular apartment, House & Beyond reimagined the civil layout entirely. Led by Pushpender Arora, founder, and Sakshi Sharma, the team made significant interventions: walls were removed to open up sightlines and circulation, bedrooms were reconfigured to suit a more fluid lifestyle, and the terrace was internally connected to create a seamless duplex experience. Social and private zones were distinctly planned yet gently interwoven, allowing the home to breathe while also providing moments of retreat. These changes dissolved the rigidity of apartment living, transforming the space into a layered, light-filled home that feels expansive, personal, and alive.
Turning to today, Ekaa stands as a sun-kissed home that thrives on openness, embraced by the greenery around it. The moment you step inside, the apartment dissolves into an airy, open floor plan where furniture compositions are placed with ease, encouraging free-flowing movement, enhancing light, and natural connection. The expansive living and dining area is the first to catch the eye, anchored by a bar pocketed behind a custom partition—social yet discreet.
To the left, a seamless drawing and dining zone flows into a closed modern kitchen, where a large glass slider frames views of the outdoors and floods the space with daylight. On the right, a quieter semi-private area holds a serene stand-alone mandir and a sunlit lounge, bathed in light from the double-height volume that links the main level to the terrace above. Between the dining and family lounge, a special corner fulfills Namita’s childhood dream—a piano takes pride of place, framed by a gallery of cherished family photographs that capture moments across generations. “When we first learnt about her childhood dream and her love for cinema, we knew we owed her a rather emotionally dramatic corner, straight out of bollywood films,” Pushpender recalls. This connecting space becomes both a passage and a pause, where nostalgia and music meet. At the rear, two bedrooms open out to lush balcony greens, offering peaceful sanctuaries for Namita and her mother—spaces designed to breathe, connect, and belong.
The terrace continues the story into leisure and play, with an open gazebo and bar setting the mood for breezy evenings and spirited gatherings. But for Namita, the real showstopper was always going to be her starry home theatre. Designed to rewind straight to the OG movie experience, it has all the classics—big screen, popcorn, and even a coffee counter (because who hasn’t smuggled a steaming cup in during interval?). Larger-than-life posters from her own collection wrap the walls, reviving the thrill of standing in long queues, the guilty joy of butter-drenched popcorn, and the collective magic of lights dimming before a film. Infused with humour, nostalgia, and individuality, the theatre is a one-way ticket back to classic cinema at its purest.
A very direct translation of the style-meets-client is readable through the materiality of the home. At first glance, the home is holistically calm and restrained; its palette of lime-plastered walls, warm woods, and grounding stone echoing a Japandi-inspired stillness. But linger a little longer, and the client’s eclectic spirit begins to surface in joyful details. Cane and cotton add tactility, woven jute softens the edges, and glass and metal accents lend a crisp contemporary note. Further, colour is introduced in whispers through furniture and furnishings. Pastel-toned loungers that brighten the rooms, textured rugs that invite pause, artworks that spark curiosity. Even the furniture, sculpted in organic forms, carries a quiet movement, bringing warmth and intimacy to open spaces. In essence, the palette is layered; the home feels lived-in and personal, an elegant canvas animated by the personality of its owner, a home that celebrates both simplicity and joy.
This synergy of functional planning and emotional layering is what defines House & Beyond’s forte. In a time when urban living often means compromise, Ekaa offers an alternative: a home that is sunlit and spacious, yet emotionally rooted; one that balances independence with togetherness, and softness with strength. More than an apartment, it is a narrative carefully woven with intention, proving that luxury is not measured in scale or spectacle, but in light, air, and meaning. In the end, its true success lies in the way it allows Namita and her mother to feel instantly at home—surrounded by details that are both familiar and quietly transformative.
About House & Beyond:
House and Beyond is an architectural design studio based in Gurugram. They specialize in residential architecture and interior design services. Founded by Ar. Pushpender Arora, the studio embraces an integrated design process, synthesizing a cohesive approach from conception to completion. They specialize in crafting creative and effective design solutions, constantly expanding our expertise through collaborations with other professionals to deliver environmentally sustainable buildings. Ar. Arora believes in a holistic approach to design, integrating aesthetics, functionality, and sustainability to create spaces that are not only beautiful but also environmentally responsible. House and Beyond stands for innovative design, exceptional quality, and a deep understanding of the evolving needs of our clients.
