Architect Alan Abraham of Abraham John Architects has managed to break away from the cliché of a celebrity home, infusing warmth and serenity into this sprawling duplex penthouse he’s designed for his brother, actor John Abraham. Two separate apartments on the top floors (seventh and eighth) of a building have been combined to craft a sophisticated 4,000 sq ft ‘villa in the sky’, designed with an open-plan concept to eliminate the distinction between indoor and outdoor spaces.

Views of the Arabian Sea line the window frames and beautiful landscaping on the ‘inside and outside’ give it a feel that is rare to find in the context of a city.

“Our design theory is to work around nature without giving up the comforts of a modern home,” says Alan Abraham. ‘A neutral palette inspired by tones of nature gives longevity to a design. We believe it’s the people who bring colour into a house.”

Sketched in a contemporary vein, this project capitalises on air and space, with plenty of natural light as well, to create an unpretentious and elegant haven. The ‘Villa In the Sky’ has won the National Runner-Up at the IIID Anchor Awards and was also nominated for the World Interiors News Awards in 2013.