Most of the furniture in the Knowles home has been designed by Preeti including the unusually-shaped Kahani chairs in the basement sitting area

It’s nice to have designers in the family. That’s obvious when you stroll through Mike and Preeti Knowles’ effortlessly tasteful home in south Delhi. Mike is a well-known product designer and Preeti, a sought after interior designer. They’ve both added their own touches while putting together their abode.

Whether its Preeti’s furniture or Mike’s artwork the Knowles’ home showcases not just their work but also their extensive travels.

Mike, the dean of the Sushant School of Design, juggles his time between his own design studio, The Hidden Gallery, in Chattarpur, collaborations with other designers and creating products for interiors. Meanwhile, Preeti runs Inline, her interior design firm.

Their builder’s apartment is a riot of colours that are in perfect sync. The 3,000sqft area is split over two levels — the ground and half a basement. The flat initially had five bedrooms, five bathrooms and two cloak rooms but the Knowles knocked down a bathroom and bedroom to create different spaces. They’ve also made other changes since they moved in four-and-a-half years ago. “The niches in the basement were painted strawberry pink and the marble flooring was changed,” says Preeti. But some things they have let be. The ceilings,busy with beams that show, and a hollow here and there have been left alone.

The lounge on the ground floor is bright and airy and is done up with furniture designed by Preeti and Mike’s digital print artworks; (below) a silver scroll sits pretty on a cabinet in the dining area

As you enter, there’s a small sitting area flanked by the guest room, kitchen, children’s bedroom and TV lounge. This floor belongs entirely to their two daughters — Jehanara 19 and Meera 15. Jehanara’s creative streak is on display with two artworks on her bedroom walls. She has also designed a chair in vivid colours that’s kept in the sitting area.

The focus of the guest bedroom is a bed with Bastar work (which has figurines cast in metal) on its headboard and footboard designed by Preeti. Uniquely the carving is done in wood.

The house has a TV lounge or den on each floor. The one on the ground floor is airy and done in tones of beige, cream and black. The furniture is a mix of Preeti’s designs and imported pieces and the walls have Mike’s photographs and digital prints.

But the lower floor is evidently the Knowles’ chill-out zone. The wooden stairs to the basement are beautifully worn. The mirror on the landing between the two flights of stairs, lends the area a feeling of space. Step off the staircase and you see the dining area and TV room. And to the right — surprisingly enough — an outdoor area spread over half the basement. Below the stairs is a utilitarian crockery cupboard and bar closet. To the left a large sitting area’s divided into two sections. One section’s done in purple, burgundy and blue while the other offers a sharp contrast with its red bean-bags and bright red wall. The wooden floor lends warmth to the space.

The half basement has an outdoor area that’s open to the sky and is perfect for a sit-out

The Knowles’ elder daughter, Jehanara, designed this psychedelic chair that greets visitors at the entrance

In one section the piano, purple Kahani sofa-chairs designed by Preeti (without the mandatory armrests) and cushion covers from Turkey are all stunners. Another interesting piece is a wooden bench, one of Preeti’s first designs. Kept outdoors for a long time it flaunts a weathered patina.

The other section is done in tones of beige and red. Red bean-bags on a beige rug and a sofa with a beige and red print in front of the red wall all are in perfect harmony. This part of the house displays works of artists from different parts of the globe, including several sketches by Alan Halliday, who’s collaborated on many projects with the Knowles.

However, the place that’s a real surprise is a sitting area that brings in the outdoors. “There was a bathroom here that we removed,” says Preeti.

Mike and Preeti’s home speaks of their love for travel and reflects their design sensibilities

Despite being half a basement, it’s well lit by natural light as, being on the side of the house and without any construction on top, it is open. Potted plants, the terracotta tiled floor, sunlight streaming in and cane furniture create a serene atmosphere here.

And when the Knowles entertain, the entire floor — the sitting room, dining area, TV lounge and the outdoor area — seamlessly become one.

The Knowles’ home combines the best of many worlds. Despite being a stone’s throw away from Mall Mile in Saket it’s tranquil. It’s an ideal getaway and a party zone — depending on what its residents are in the mood for.