Moving on to my absolute favourite part of this beautiful home… the terrace of Falak Azura. In a city where apartments barely even have balconies, it is not often that I get an opportunity to design an open terrace like this one. So I am especially excited and really proud to be able to share this with you today.
Terrace of Falak Azura
I remember the first time I stepped onto this terrace when we initially went to see this home. I couldn’t believe my eyes. A large terrace, open to sky on the top floor of a highrise. There was nothing but the beautiful blue skies above and an uninterrupted bird’s eye view of the city stretching all around us. I remember feeling really excited… and so incredibly lucky to get a chance to design a space like this.
I could imagine that this would be the hangout space for the family, whether by themselves or with friends. This is where they would come to catch up with each other at the end of the day, to entertain their friends on weekends… or for a timeout by themselves to work in quiet or think things through. Even in it’s oddly shaped, unfinished form I could picture that this would be the heart of the home. And so we went around making sure it lived up to that!
The Plan
It wasn’t the easiest of spaces to design in terms of the layout. The terrace is not a regular rectangle with an open floor space. It is oddly shaped and interspersed with solid structures enclosing pipes and ducts.
We used these to our advantage as best we could. We worked with them to make them a part of our plan and design rather than working around them.
The walls all around were extremely high so you couldn’t see beyond them. (Scroll down to look at the before pics). We raised the floor using decking, so that the entire terrace is still accessible below the floor boards. We then added a glass railing along the walls for safety.
The Entryway
As you enter the terrace, a narrow passageway leads to the steps going up to the main terrace.
We have a trellis running above this pathway with bougainvillea in hanging pots above and large planters below. Over time the bougainvillea will cover the trellis to add a burst of natural colour and shade this entryway.
The walls on both sides of the entrance have been finished in a white brick texture to give them a more natural and outdoorsy feel.
The Day Bed
As you climb up the steps, the first thing you see is the day bed.
This brick structure covers the duct pipes below it. As we raised the floor, the top of this structure came to seating height.
We finished it neatly with marble and then threw a mattress on top for seating. The arch forms the perfect canopy to protect it from direct sunlight. Layering it with a throw and a whole lot of cushions makes it just the comfortable and cozy spot you need to relax and unwind.
If you do favour some sunshine, then this lounger in the opposite corner is the perfect spot for you.
The Main Deck
Beyond this entryway seating lies the main deck of the terrace of Falak Azura. Since it’s narrower than the first part of the terrace, the seating is placed closer to the glass railing on the opposite side.
Which means, sitting here gives you the most breathtaking views of the city you can lay your eyes on.
The seating here includes a large, round lounge chair, and a stool that can double up as a table top or extra seating when required.
At the far end we have the deck going a step higher. A couple of bar stools give a balcony seat to the most magnificent sunsets that the city has to offer.
Terrace Lighting
You can never get bored of the dancing shadows and the changing hues of the light as the sun sets.
After which the terrace takes on a new, more glamorous avatar.
The lights along the boundary wall add dramatic patterns of their own and a simple LED strip running above the brick wall highlights its texture beautifully.
The soft golden glow of the lights is easy on the eyes and just right to create a dreamy, romantic vibe for the evening. Watching the city lights twinkling below makes you feel like a part of the pulsating energy of the city, yet peacefully away from it all.
Before and Afters
Now for a few before and afters from the terrace of Falak Azura.
The entryway to the terrace…
A brick texture on the walls, a wooden trellis above and lots of plants all around instantly make you feel one with the outdoors.
The corner duct…
Using deck flooring with removable floor boards gives us easy access to the duct below the floor. A mattress on top layered with cushions makes this a cozy day bed.
I imagined this terrace to make a lot of memories for my clients, but didn’t know this would give me one of my best site memories too.
At the end of our shoot day the clients had a lovely evening planned for us here. It was amazing to sit here with them and look back at all the fun times and tough decisions we went through together while making this home. To remember the despair of the design disagreements followed by the eureka moments when we reached a happy understanding. And to be able to sit back and share the pride we all felt.. them as homeowners and us as designers… for this beautiful home we were sitting in.
More beautiful pics and design details from this lovely home are yet to come and I can’t wait to share them all with you. But for now, sit back, enjoy this view.. and tell me what you think about it.
Until next time,
.
Photography: Biju Gopal of @bizou.photos