The spacious living room is made vibrant with the use of earthy cane blinds, wicker furniture and a lot of Daroz’s own ceramic artworks

It’s a house in which ceramic in different forms — as pots, artwork, busts and platters — runs as a theme in the interiors. And that should be no wonder as ceramic designer P.R. Daroz loves to surround himself with not just his own work but that of ceramic artists from across the globe.

Daroz says a cutting-edge architect made it possible for him to create his dream home in a space that wasn’t exactly beautiful when he bought it. The ground floor duplex in a private housing society in Kendriya Vihar in Gurgaon, was transformed from just-another-flat into a home high on aesthetics. “I visited the flat just once or twice during that time. I let my architect transform it as per my specifications,” says Daroz.

P.R. Daroz has filled his home with ceramic art from across the globe as well as paintings by India’s top signatures

The artist, who’s from Hyderabad, moved to Delhi in 1990. Till recently he lived at his home-cum-studio in Aya Nagar, a colony between Delhi and Gurgaon. But two years ago he moved to Gurgaon as he wanted to be closer to his son Janamejaya’s school.

The apartment’s main entrance has been set apart from the other flats by cladding a section of the wall with stone tiles. On the ground floor is a living room and the dining area, a guest room and the kitchen while the first floor has the family parlour and two bedrooms.

The house was literally ripped apart and put together again. The windows were broken down and broadened into large French windows. The staircase leading to the bedrooms upstairs was given a smart marble finish. The living room was made bigger by knocking off the servant’s room that was originally at the entrance. Also, his son’s bedroom on the first floor had a small balcony that was included in the room to make it more spacious.

Ceramic masks enliven a niche near the staircase leading to the first floor

Though there’s no garden, Daroz uses the space meant for a verandah at the back to grow a variety of herbs and vegetables in pots — galangal, lemon grass, brinjal, mint and more.

“I’ve travelled extensively and was very clear about the kind of house I wanted. I looked into every detail of the structure and to me good workmanship was of utmost importance,” he says firmly. His potter wife Deepali was happy to let him do things his way. “I trust his tastes and judgement,” she smiles.

Daroz has converted the verandah space at the back of the house into a garden where he grows herbs and vegetables in pots

Having the keen eye of an artist, Daroz created a palpable sense of design in his home. He settled for an earthy look for the interiors with a lot of cane, bamboo and wood. So, instead of the mandatory curtains, the windows have chic bamboo and cane blinds. Cane has also found its way on the bedheads, the coffee table and cupboards. “It’s confusing to choose furniture from the huge variety available in the shops. So, we design it ourselves,” says Deepali. Most of the furniture is wicker and the designs simple yet elegant. The furniture, like the coffee table, is low, giving a sense of space.

The house is an eclectic mix of art — Daroz’s own work, paintings by his artist friends and art from around the world. A work that grabs attention in a corner of the drawing room is a giant ceramic pot. This one is from one of his solo exhibitions held in Baroda many years ago.

Another prized possessions is an artwork in the living room. Some years ago, Daroz picked up some old bowls from a flea market in China. He was unaware of the value of these “rejects from a kiln in Jingdezhen’’, once known as the porcelain capital of China. Later, he discovered they dated back to the 4th century. He assembled them in a row and mounted them on a frame — giving a new lease of life to both the bowls and the wall.

Daroz has designed most of the furniture in his house including this bed with it’s cane headboard

Of course, ceramics are all over the house. Ceramic heads painted in metallic colours are displayed near the staircase leading up to the first floor while ceramic platters fill the niches and corners of the living room. Adding to the home’s aesthetics are works by Manu Parekh, Jogen Chowdhury and Paresh Maity — all displayed on a wall in the living room.

A wooden shelf serves as a partition between the dining and drawing rooms. On the shelf sit Daroz’s collection of art from different parts of the world — a glass work by a Spanish artist, a porcelain piece by an Australian artist and yet another work by a British artist.

A staircase from the dining area leads to the first floor. The two bedrooms flank the lounge where the family watches television or reads. Their 13-year-old son room has a vivid red wall with a bright yellow and green, patterned stripe running across it. A xylophone that sits on a low table on the floor indicates his inclination towards music.

The master bedroom on the other side of the lounge is spacious and opens to a balcony where Deepali keeps some potted plants. Daroz loves the feel of the soil and enjoys caring for his plants when he’s away from his kiln.

This apartment is clearly more than Daroz’s home. It’s the space from which he draws his inspiration.