Cover The living room of a multigenerational family home in Ahmedabad, India, designed by Compartment S4
The living room of a multigenerational family home in Ahmedabad, India, designed by Compartment S4
1 / 1
Dive into the design process of Compartment S4 as they transform an Ahmedabad, India family home into a multigenerational sanctuary
Transforming a home into a multigenerational arrangement is no easy feat. But under the thoughtful, innovative eye of the Compartment S4 team, this Ahmedabad, India home has created the aptly-named Cocoon House. Within this 4,500-foot sanctuary, a sprawling family tree is able to balance a celebration of heritage with the fast pace of modern living, ensuring that all family members can feel at ease within the space.
The Ahmedabad home’s previous iteration was anchored on a courtyard topped with glass bricks, which has since been transformed into a double-height living room that balances contemporary charm with the luminous, semi-outdoor character of the original courtyard. An expansive skylight floods the space with natural light, whilst large Oorja pendant lights assume command after dusk.
Underfoot, warm terracotta tiles ground the living room, as Italian marble provides a refined contrast throughout the rest of the house. This intentional material dialogue bridges two design languages: one rooted in traditional domesticity, the other reaching toward 21st-century sophistication. The palette emphasises understated luxury with the Italian marble as elegant base, while warm wood accents add warmth to the space and brass details add metallic glamour throughout the room.
More from Tatler: Home tour: a multigenerational family home in Mumbai, India infused with neoclassical design elements
Above The living room of a multigenerational family home in Ahmedabad, India, designed by Compartment S4
Above The living room of a multigenerational family home in Ahmedabad, India, designed by Compartment S4
The living room of a multigenerational family home in Ahmedabad, India, designed by Compartment S4
1 / 2
Adjacent to the living room, the dining area announces itself through subtle spatial manipulation. A custom-designed furniture console adorned with commissioned artwork creates both threshold and separation, its surfaces thoughtfully curated by Studio Champa to add layers of the homeowners’ personality. The dining table itself, an elegant piece from Indian furniture brand Sunday, serves as both a functional element and a visual anchor, illuminated from above by a delicate brass pendant light from West Elm. Nearby stands a crimson artwork from Morrii, which creates unexpected chromatic dialogue with the traditional carpet from Studio Champa.
Behind this arrangement, the pooja area occupies its own serene corner, marked by a traditional Pichwai painting framed within wooden louvres. From diminishing the spiritual, the pooja is integrated with architectural sensitivity, ensuring cultural and spiritual continuity while reminding the family members to engage in small moments of daily reflection.
Above The living room of a multigenerational family home in Ahmedabad, India, designed by Compartment S4
The living room of a multigenerational family home in Ahmedabad, India, designed by Compartment S4
1 / 1
Flanking the Ahmedabad home’s courtyard on the opposite side, a formal living room connects directly to the garden beyond, a clever spatial adaptation that extends the home's perceived boundaries. Contemporary green sofas by Sarita Handa encircle a custom-designed centre table whose marble tops subtly mirror the verdant upholstery tones. A patterned accent chair introduces playful disruption to the solid hues, its bold gesture gently anchored by a rug from Jaipur Rugs that brings balance and cohesion. Altogether, the earthy greens, woods and commanding marble textures converse across surfaces, creating layered visual interest without cacophony.
In case you missed it: Home tour: a modernist family home near a verdant oasis in Austin, Texas
The dining room of a multigenerational family home in Ahmedabad, India, designed by Compartment S4
1 / 4
The ground floor also houses the parents’ suite, which balances serenity and functionality. Moving up the staircase, the upper level opens to a common family study overlooking that dramatic double-height living room. Here, the design team deployed particularly clever detailing: a smartly designed railing with sliding fluted glass windows. The flexibility of the space can turn the study into a secluded corner for focused work, or open it completely to play a part in the courtyard drama below.
Above A bedroom in a multigenerational family home in Ahmedabad, India, designed by Compartment S4
Above A bathroom in a multigenerational family home in Ahmedabad, India, designed by Compartment S4
A bedroom in a multigenerational family home in Ahmedabad, India, designed by Compartment S4
1 / 2
Adjacent to the study, the master bedroom employs the same level of functionality. Entry begins with what the designers describe as a “pause point,” with beige striped wallpaper against a herringbone-patterned wooden console with black and gold accents. Within the space, wooden rafters accentuate the pitched roof ceiling, highlighting architectural geometry before the room extends into an informal lounge area. A vibrant orange bean bag sofa chair introduces playful chromatic contrast, energising the otherwise neutral palette with youthful exuberance.
In line with this whimsical touch, the children’s room makes no apologies for its vibrant character. Inspired by the children’s love for Lego, the space incorporates vibrant Lego-style storage units surrounding a colourful Bent Chair bed. The bathroom takes experimentation further, drawing directly from Mondrian paintings. Clad in bright primary colours accented with sharp black-and-white contrasts, it establishes a striking interplay of geometric forms and bold hues that ensures its inhabitants feel pure joy.
Above Details of a multigenerational family home in Ahmedabad, India, designed by Compartment S4
Details of a multigenerational family home in Ahmedabad, India, designed by Compartment S4
1 / 1
What Compartment S4 has achieved in this Ahmedabad, India home transcends conventional architectural renovation. This is spatial archaeology married to social sensitivity; with every intentional detail, the design gracefully accommodates three generations’ vastly different daily rhythms. The home breathes and adapts, offering communal connection when desired and private sanctuary when needed.
That transformed courtyard—now a soaring double-height living room—remains the spatial nucleus it always was, but reimagined for contemporary life. The name reveals everything: Cocoon House is indeed a space designed for transformation, where family members at different life stages find exactly what they need.
NOW READ
Home design tips that support everyday wellbeing, from PIID president Cecil Ravelas
Home tour: an interior designer’s playful home filled with antiques in Moscow, Russia
Topics
About
Celine first read Charlotte’s Web at the age of five–and she hasn’t stopped turning pages since. Her favourite authors are Mona Awad and Nat Cassidy. Besides writing for Tatler, she listens to BTS and spends time with her family.
Work
Celine took up secondary education with a major in English, graduating from De La Salle University in 2023. She advocates for female empowerment through creative expression by writing for Tatler Homes.
For story leads or inquiries, you may reach out to her via celine.dabao@tatlerasia.com.
