John plans a home expansion

John Abraham, who lives on the eighth floor of Sea Glimpse Apartments, is now extending his home. The apartment below his place is now being readied for the actor.

The seventh floor space is being designed in Bandra, jointly by his father, brother and cousin sister.

Talking about it, John says, "I come from a family of architects my father (Abraham), brother Alan (who got married this year) and cousin sister Anahita are all architects. My brother is there 24/7, and together with my cousin, is designing my flat. Though I always had the seventh floor apartment, the penthouse terrace apartment on the eighth has always been my home. I am uncomfortable in large spaces."

John adds that though he had bought the seventh floor apartment, he never shifted into it as his penthouse apartment suited his basic needs. It was so functional that it didn't have a proper bed but a futon, which functioned as one. John smiles and says, "Now this apartment has a bed. My apartment on the seventh floor looks like a home while the terrace one never did though it fitted my description of a home. But now, I want a proper home. My family and I got together, took a collective call and decided to get it designed."

John is very enthusiastic about Alan's designs. He says, "My brother has some brilliant plans. I am very much a wood and glass person and the interior design is amazing. It's a reflection of my tastes. Its very today's architecture and some of Alan's ideas are real head-turners. The ideas he's shared with me are unbelievable! For me, every step of architecture and interior designing is a learning process. When dad and Alan talk, I just listen. They are functional and when I sometimes go wild with my ideas, they bring me down."

John says the concept and design of his home is along basic minimalistic lines. "I will be having stuff like wooden flooring and lots of open air spaces. My tastes are very simple, basic, earthy and not overtly done up yet exude a positive energy. I take a final call on everything. I am very close to nature and love plants, so my new home will have lots of greens too. Everything will look real and not posh. I feel uncomfortable with too much sophistication."

The shifting will take time, says John. "It will take about six months and we have just started breaking stuff.

The society people have been very gracious, tolerant, cooperative and a big help to us."