Living room of Plum House by Studio In Elements
At first glance, the apartment feels intimate. Yet its greatest achievement may be how effortlessly it expands. Despite occupying just 386 square feet, it has comfortably hosted twelve guests at a time.
That generosity was designed into the architecture. The long brass-clad TV console doubles as additional seating during gatherings, while sculptural coffee tables split apart, nest together and move easily around the room as serving surfaces, side tables or footrests. Careful circulation planning allows guests to move naturally between the living room, dining area and kitchen, ensuring the home never feels constrained.
The result is a home that invites people to sit, touch, ask questions and linger.
"I hope people feel like they understand us a little better," says Shetty. "It's like looking into our heads. It's vulnerable, but it also feels brave to put ourselves out there like this."
Living room of Plum House by Studio In Elements
The apartment's defining architectural gesture stands between the kitchen and living room. Instead of enclosing the kitchen, the architects designed a timber display wall inspired by teahouses and ceramics shops they visited in Kyoto.
The open cubbies provide subtle separation while preserving daylight and sightlines. Their dimensions were determined by an unlikely object: cups. Collected during the couple's travels and complemented by pottery they created together, the vessels became both a personal archive and a practical design tool. Their consistent proportions established the rhythm of the shelving while documenting years of shared experiences.
Resting atop an existing bar unit, the display transforms a familiar piece of furniture into the emotional centre of the home.
The material palette rejects trends in favour of permanence. Off-white textured plaster forms a quiet backdrop, while teak veneer, Levanto Red marble, Green Garnet stone, Brazilian Black marble and raw brass introduce warmth through texture rather than colour. Many of these materials are ones Studio In Elements regularly recommends to clients. "The Levanto Red marble was often rejected," Shetty says. "But I always knew it was right for us."
Living & Dining of Plum House by Studio In Elements
The brass-clad television console required perhaps the longest period of deliberation. After exploring metallic tiles, copper sheets and specialised finishes, the architects simply taped a square of raw brass onto the console and waited. Over two weeks, the mirror-like surface mellowed into a soft patina.
"The brass wasn't ageing," says Uka. "It was settling in."
That quiet transformation reflects a belief central to the studio's work: natural materials become more beautiful because they are allowed to evolve.
TV Unit of Plum House by Studio In Elements
If daylight reveals one version of the apartment, evening reveals another. By day, natural light washes across textured plaster walls, amplified by a mirrored storage wall that conceals full-height cabinetry. By night, overhead lighting gives way to dimmable decorative fixtures that softly illuminate brass, stone and timber, creating a more intimate atmosphere.
"At night we're usually on the recliner, talking about our day while watching television," says Shetty. "The lights are dimmed, and all you really notice is the brass catching the light. The whole house feels different."
Dining of Plum House by Studio In Elements
Dining of Plum House by Studio In Elements
Corridor of Plum House by Studio In Elements
Designing for clients often allows architects a degree of distance. Their own home offered none. Every decision reflected personal habits, every material carried meaning and every object revealed something about who they are.
The experience has reshaped Studio In Elements' practice. Living with the consequences of every specification has strengthened their commitment to natural materials that improve with age rather than products engineered for instant perfection. More importantly, it reaffirmed a belief that sits at the heart of the studio.
Homes are not meant to resemble trends. They are meant to resemble the people who return to them every day. As visitors admire the brass console, the wall of travel-worn cups or the sculptural stone furniture, Shetty hopes they leave with something more meaningful than design inspiration.
"If someone copied this home exactly," she says, "they'd still be missing the most important thing. Individuality."
Kitchen of Plum House by Studio In Elements
Kitchen of Plum House by Studio In Elements
Washroom of Plum House by Studio In Elements
