RetiRaga, is a home that radiates warmth and intimacy, deeply rooted in culture yet effortlessly modern in its spirit. With one partner from Gujarat and the other from Kerala, the residence naturally became a conversation between two distinct yet harmonious traditions. Our task as designers was to honour this duality without leaning into overt symbolism or thematic heaviness.
Project Name: RetiRaga
Studio Name: UrbanNest Design Studio
Location: Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Site Area: 1700 sq.ft.
Year: 2025
Design Team: Jhanavi Parikh, Aakansha Dad, Ayushi Bhatt, Arpita Shah, Darshan Gajjar and Kailash Jangid
Photography by: Umang Shah Photography
We worked instead with nuances. The home unfolds over a calm, neutral base muted-toned walls, clean-lined flooring, and understated architectural gestures forming a serene canvas for accents of wood, handcrafted furniture, and carefully curated details. Warm teak anchors the interiors, shaped into bespoke pieces that embody the tactile richness of Indian woodworking traditions. Traditional patterns and motifs appear almost like quiet notes an Ajrakh-inspired textile here, a Kalamkari accent there, a stroke of Kutchi art enlivening a wall each adding a subtle layer to the raga of the home.
Color is introduced in deliberate, graceful measures. Whispers of indigo, sage, and tender blush drift across the interiors, finding their way into textiles, ceramics, and subtle surface details. They never dominate, but instead infuse rhythm into the otherwise earthy palette, much like a melody weaving in and out of silence.
The kitchen conceived as the heart of the home combines solid wood cabinetry with a marble backsplash, brought alive by a striking mosaic of blue tiles along the service counter. The guest bedroom carries a more expressive personality: a bold floral wallpaper sets the stage for a sculpted wooden bed, a freestanding mirror, and a handcrafted light that doubles as an artifact. In contrast, the master bedroom embraces quiet restraint teak-lined furniture accented with indigo touches, evoking a serene, composed retreat. The parent’s bedroom thoughtfully integrates a compact prayer space, designed to blend seamlessly into the larger narrative rather than stand apart.
The journey begins at the foyer. A hand-carved wooden mirror greets visitors a detail at once familiar and distinct, anchoring the home in India’s craft heritage while affirming its contemporary identity.
Ultimately, RetiRaga is a tribute to Indian culture and heritage not as a nostalgic recreation, but as a living, evolving interpretation of what it means to be both rooted and modern. It avoids the extremes of being “too traditional” or “too contemporary,” instead finding balance in a grounded middle path: a sensory composition where earth (reti) meets rhythm (raga), and every crafted detail contributes to a home that feels deeply personal, quietly soulful, and timeless.
