#DPExclusive: This 5,000 sq. ft. Kolkata Home Masters The Ancient Art Of Shou Sugi Ban

A city and its craft have a way of slipping into our lives. Sometimes it hides in plain sight, and other times, it is a conscious choice that surrounds us, much like in this 5,000 sq. ft. Kolkata home, envisaged by Spaces & Design. When Pooja Bihani, the principal Architect of Spaces & Design, was tasked with designing a sentient space for a young family of three, she adorned it with timeless artistry. “To me, craft is about intention,” shares Bihani of Spaces & Design. In this abode, she chooses wood and its hand-hewn processes as a muse for celebrating artisanal skills. Aptly christened ‘Ingrained,’ this Elysian abode in the south east region of Kolkata, “celebrates the grain, texture, and finish of the material in new, contemporary formats,” avers Bihani.

In ancient India, generous rains nurtured vast forests, making wood an abundant commodity. Its craft then, traversed centuries—from Chandraketugarh (2nd century A.D), West Bengal, to the artisan village of Natungram, Kolkata and to the venerated halls of Victoria Memorial during the colonial era. A resident herself, Bihani channels a similar lineage of “care, storytelling, and memory,” eschewing the conventional notion that craftsmanship is merely an act of patience. The result is a home that borrows its name and ambience from its own making. Whether charred, fluted, polished, or etched, it showcases the versatile nature of wood that has lived many lives in the city’s history.

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The Anatomy Of Material

With bland minimalism becoming a prevalent trend, the clients—a young couple with their daughter, “weren’t interested in trends — they wanted a space that reflected their lifestyle, their sense of calm, and their love for craft,” notes the architect. She adds, they coveted a space, “that felt crafted, soulful, and long-lasting—Bohemian with colour.” Thus began a pursuit of an antithesis within the city’s tyranny of glass and concrete, culminating in a home, nestled within lush lawns and mature trees. In this ethereal world, the clients “were very clear that it (the abode) should be material-driven but done in a fresh and modern way,” the architect notes. While the brief was clear, “The challenge was to ensure that every room used wood in a completely new way, without repeating forms or finishes,” shares Bihani. Every room uses it in an eccentric way.

Of Craft and Continuum

The tale of this haven opens with an arduous form of woodwork. A charred wooden door, rendered in the Japanese Shou Sugi Ban technique, transpires, depicting a regional craft that is both demanding and enduring. Devised as a method of preservation, its carbonised surface now serves as the entrance passage, naturally fortifying the timber against pests, decay, and moisture. A series of colour-blocked ribbed wall panels in muted terracotta, jade, and teal surround the Hadean door, emulating the city’s vibrant character. These hues slip indoors, settling in a traditional artwork.

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“Just like older homes in the city that reveal themselves slowly and thoughtfully, this one does too,” explains Bihani, as the layout transitions from living to dining. But before that, an ombré credenza transitions from a functional objet to the area’s pièce de résistance, with a gradient polish achieved via an intrepid on-site experiment. “We had to rework it (polish) from scratch over 3 days, sitting with the polisher, mixing stains by hand, adjusting layers until it felt just right,” Bihani muses. The finish, then, became a hallmark of the studio, recurring in a storage unit by the dining area.

The living area serves as a prelude to the home, with a wrap-around wooden totem that underscores the woodturning technique, which transforms raw timber into sculptural form. The account of wood continues into the dining area—the culmination points of the publicly accessible areas—where another totem subtly delineates the space. These wooden totems integrate a lighting system, eliminating the need for ceiling fixtures, which in turn tempers the dense character of wood, leather, and bouclé, keeping the spaces light and airy. The enclave is corralled with fluting, where vertical grooves exude a sense of rhythm while conjuring a mirage of interconnectedness. 

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The Epicurean’s Den

Away from the public zone, Bihani tucked away a duo of cloistered chambers. One reveals a soft and cocooning vibe, while in the other, hedonism unfurls across clean lines. In the den area, walls with striped woven textures, monochrome artwork, sculptural lighting, and moody furniture imbue a hygge snugness. Its boundaries are a deliberate counterpoint to the home’s open, sociable spaces, exuding a more intimate ambience.

Avid hosts themselves, the clients envisioned a decadent bar, which spills onto a terrace area. While its interiors juxtapose wood and stone with a raven leaf-shaped counter, the alfresco outdoors “looks minimal from afar but reveals itself up close — just like a well-woven textile,” shares Bihani. Overhead, a cascade of fluid panels ripples across the ceiling, mimicking the tree canopies around the home.

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Like every material, even wood bears its limitations. When the bathrooms were conceived, Bihani made a conscious choice to diverge from the core material palette. These spaces are clad in marble in keeping with every room’s chromatic palette. While the grey marble anchors the den’s bathroom, variegated stone and antiques lend the powder room a vintage charm, while brecciated marble softens the master bath, and pink-black tones animate the daughter’s bathroom. Amidst these vignettes, wood transpires in mirrors, chairs and as lamps.

Honeyed Hues Of Wood

In the home, colour was a key consideration. “For their daughter’s room, we were mindful not to fall into the usual ‘pink or princess’ clichés,” asserts Bihani. This room unfurls in soft pastels, punctuated by vivid art and stippled wall textures. With distinct study, play and sleeping zones, the room mirrors her routine. It begins at the study area where a wooden table and chair are backed by mint green shelves that archive her personal craft. Drenched in honeydew warmth filtered through the French windows, the play and sleeping area integrates a polka-dotted wall.

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“The clients were very involved in shaping the soul of the home,” shares the architect. So, when it came to curating their room, they layered it with geometric panels inlaid with leather, velvet and stone accents that emulate a sense of chiaroscuro calm. Primed with a neutral palette, the room conceals ingenious spots like a study area behind the bed and a reading nook that catches the sun. In her choreography of space, the designer suspends an underslung leather hammock beneath a cabinet that cradles books and gadgets, keeping the space hassle-free.

The Fine Line Between Grain and Art

The home treads a journey of beauty and belonging. It recognises the onerous character of craft and orders it in a nuanced hierarchy that aligns with the function and temperament of every space. From the exclusivity of inlay—a technique reserved for the skilled few—in the den and bedroom, to the inviting rhythm of fluting in the daughter’s room and living, the parallels between material and spaces are glaringly apparent. “They encouraged us to push material boundaries, supported prototyping, and gave us space to create something unique,” remarks the architect. She adds, “We’ve used a mix of ash wood, charred timber, fluted and carved panels, veined Italian marble, metal details, stone inlays, and textiles in neutral tones with earthy accents.”

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Bihani reimagines the essence of the city’s artisanal legacy with an arbour that felt like “a dream home.” She shares, “InGrained is very contemporary in its language; it still reflects Kolkata’s layered spirit—through materials, scale, and intimacy.” At its core, it is a home that remembers the trees once standing tall, the hands that carved patiently, and the city that still listens to the artisanal rigour.