In an urban setting, a terrace can feel almost decadent. It allows you the best of both worlds - the bliss of being surrounded by greenery and a vantage point to take in the cityscape. In an apartment where square footage is precious, it also offers additional room to entertain. From carving out cozy seating spaces, setting up a dining area and bar, or creating your own pocket of lush greenery, we bring you inspiration to design the terrace of your dreams.
1. An open terrace with a teakwood jaali and private dining area
When businessman Jay Mehta decided to renovate an empty terrace on the tenth floor of his family-owned apartment building in Malabar Hill neighbourhood, in Mumbai, he turned to Sri Lankan architect Channa Daswatte, who worked alongside the renowned tropical modern architect Geoffrey Bawa. A steel and teakwood structure shields part of the open terrace from the sun, creating a dappled shade, and affords privacy from prying eyes. Fitted with built-in bench seating, it is softened with antique carpets, from the family collection, mounds of cushions and woven, lobster-pot ottomans. Copper-framed armchairs and a similar bench, from Barker Furniture, add to a Moroccan atmosphere. Double-height jali screens lead the eye towards Back Bay and unparalleled views of Marine Drive.
A second terrace at the back forms the perfect setting for an intimate dinner, with a vast Indonesian teak and wish-bone table surrounded by Italian, turned-wire dining chairs and framed by a pair of frangipani trees. - Gayatri Rangachari Shah
2. A terrace in a Mumbai high-rise with a sustainable garden
Designed by landscape architect Kunal Maniar, this 6,000-square-foot terrace garden juts out from the fourth floor apartment of a high-rise in South Mumbai. Maniar divided the terrace into two areas: a semi-covered space with a metal pergola that eventually became the client’s favourite work-from-home area, and an open expanse dictated by artificial lawns, stone boulders chiselled to form water reservoirs, and indigenous trees.
“As the terrace is exposed to direct sunlight, we decided to create a microclimate by using a lot of tree species and tree covers that could help cut the rate of evaporation. My team (Hamza Barafwala, Pandurang Patil, and Gajendra Mandrekar) planted a variety of xerophytes that store moisture and hardly demand any water. To compensate for the heat generated by the artificial lawns, we planted indigenous trees around the periphery and at the centre,” he explains. - Rajashree Balaram
Also read: 5 balcony design ideas to recreate in your home
3. A terrace built for impromptu dance parties and movie-screenings
Entrepreneur Mansi Poddar's chattai-lined terrace is coloured by the sun and singing with plants—so many that it’s hard to spot the hosts sometimes. Its views of flaming gulmohar trees, a club’s tennis courts, hotels’ neon signs and the Rajabai Clock Tower make the space transition from Tangier garden to Mumbai terrace. A four-poster daybed and mooda stools are there for those who want to sit, but most winter nights here have been spent dancing, while watching a projector cast ’90s music videos on the sliver of bare wall that hasn’t been colonized by bougainvilleas (yet). - Kanika Parab
4. A cosy terrace filled with old-world charm
Though located in a high rise, the 875-square-foot terrace of this Bandra home was designed to echo the quaint villas that were once ubiquitous in the suburb. Shiraz Jamali Architects choose a predominant material palette of wood with antique furniture from the client's collection. Equipped with different seating arrangements, it features a pergola and an outdoor bar, with varied plants dotting the space. - Avni Raut
Also read: Inside a Bengaluru apartment that feels like a heritage bungalow
5. A bohemian terrace with a Mediterranean air
When designing this 400-square-foot terrace, Gauri Satam and Tejesh Patil of Studio Untag wanted to represent the feel of sandy beaches and the deep blue hues of the Arabian Sea along Mumbai's coast.
Blue Moroccan patterned tiles and Indian Shahabad stone flooring that's reminiscent of the paved walkways in Santorini bring in a Mediterranean feel. The terrace is abundant in seasonal flowering plants, such as bougainvillea, champa (plumeria), heliconias, and butterfly pea, and welcomes a variety of birds including kingfishers, kites, sunbirds, and bulbuls. - Rashmi Harlalka
6. A terrace designed for both work and play
Designed by Aditi Vora Nair of AVN Interiors, the terrace bar area of this Mumbai home over-looks the sea. It's a beloved space as it’s a multi-purpose room that can be used for yoga, workouts, lounging or partying. The black counters are made from fluted MDF finished with lamination and the marble is Lasa white Italian marble.
7. A minimalist but warm terrace
The earthy material palette of brick and concrete extends to the terrace of this Bengaluru home designed by Studio4A. A terrace abuts the living area and serves as a semi-outdoor space with a burst of hues from the purple Queen Crepe Myrtle (Lagerstroemia speciosa), also known as jarul flowers in Hindi and as Ioledasavala in Kannada. The step-out space next to the dining area has a concrete bench resting against the brick wall to enjoy the outdoors. Planters bring in colour and a sense of calm. - Rashmi Harlalka
Also read: Should you install a green roof? Here's all you need to know
