THE JOURNAL
From the Studio — page 7
Hiring Guides
Studio Contour: Why We Do Not Subcontract Your NKDA Drawing Set
Studio Contour explains why our principal architect Sumana Kumar's team keeps every NKDA drawing set in-house in New Town, Kolkata, and what subcontracted drafting actually risks at sanction.
Hiring Guides
Sumana Kumar on the Most Common Mistakes First-Time Builders Make in New Town
Sumana Kumar of Studio Contour on the most common mistakes first-time builders make in New Town, from FAR and setbacks to NKDA sanction, budgets and hiring.
Hiring Guides
Sumana Kumar on Vastu and Modern Architecture: How She Reconciles Both
Sumana Kumar of Studio Contour on reconciling Vastu with modern architecture in New Town and Salt Lake, and which Vastu requests your plot's setbacks will actually allow.
Room Guides
Teal Kitchen Cabinets: 15 Colour Combinations to Try
15 teal kitchen cabinet colour combinations for Kolkata homes, with materials, hardware, lighting and cost guidance from Studio Contour, New Town's interior design studio since 2014.
Practical Guides & Ideas
Value Engineering a 3BHK Interior in New Town: The Line Items Worth Trimming
A New Town, Kolkata studio's line-by-line guide to trimming a 3BHK interior budget smartly, what to cut, what to protect, and why the difference matters over a full family life cycle.
Room Guides
Beige and Cream Kitchen Colour Schemes That Never Look Boring
Beige and cream kitchen colour schemes for Kolkata homes, done right: undertones, cabinetry, countertops, contrast and lighting that keep neutrals from looking flat.
Practical Guides & Ideas
Cheap Interior Upgrades That Look Expensive in a Salt Lake Flat
Cheap interior upgrades that transform a Salt Lake flat, from Studio Contour, the New Town studio with 330+ buildings delivered since 2014.
Practical Guides & Ideas
Cove Lighting Ideas for New Town Apartments
Cove lighting ideas built for New Town apartment ceiling heights, humidity and layouts, with what to specify, what it costs and how to plan it right.
Cost Guides
Debris Disposal Rules and Costs for New Town and Salt Lake Renovations
Debris disposal rules and costs for New Town and Salt Lake renovations, explained plainly: NKDA norms, what drives cost, and how to plan it right.
Practical Guides & Ideas
Funding a New Town Flat Interior: Savings, Top-Up Loan or EMI?
Savings, top-up loan or EMI: how New Town homeowners should actually finance a flat interior, and how the financing route should shape the design brief itself.
Practical Guides & Ideas
Kids Room Design for New Town Families: Sleep, Study and Play
A New Town interior designer's guide to zoning a child's room for sleep, study and play in typical G+3/G+4 flats, with material, layout and safety specifics.
Room Guides
Low-Ceiling Salt Lake Flats: Ceiling Designs That Don't Steal Height
Low ceilings in Salt Lake's older flats don't have to feel smaller. Beam-only drops, cove lighting, and colour strategy from Studio Contour recover height without touching the slab.
Room Guides
Mustard Yellow Kitchen Cabinets: How to Use the Colour Without Overdoing It
A practical, no-fluff guide to using mustard yellow kitchen cabinets well: shades, finishes, ratios, pairings, cost and timelines for Kolkata and West Bengal homes.
Hiring Guides
Studio Contour: Hiring an Architect for a Gated Community Plot Under NKDA
Studio Contour breaks down how NKDA sanction works differently for a gated community plot in New Town, with a worked example, document checklist, and what to ask before hiring an architect.
Hiring Guides
Studio Contour: Hiring an Architect for Stilt Parking Under NKDA
Studio Contour explains how NKDA stilt parking rules interact with FAR, setback and height limits in New Town, and what to check before your architect finalises the drawing.
Cost Guides
What a Rs 15 Lakh Interior Budget Buys in a New Town 3BHK in 2026
What a Rs 15 lakh interior budget actually buys in a New Town 3BHK in 2026, room by room, with New Town-specific cost drivers and a realistic 8-12 week timeline.
Cost Guides
What a Study Room Fit-Out Costs in a Salt Lake Flat
A grounded breakdown of what a study room fit-out actually costs in a Salt Lake flat, from electrical prep to carpentry, lighting, and realistic timelines.
Hiring Guides
Why Studio Contour Is the Architect of Choice in New Town
Why New Town plot owners hire Studio Contour: 330+ buildings since 2014, deep NKDA, KMC and Bidhannagar sanction familiarity, and design drawn inside the rules.
Hiring Guides
Why Studio Contour Is the Architect of Choice in Rajarhat
Why Studio Contour is the architect of choice in Rajarhat, New Town and Salt Lake: sanction-fluent design, buildable drawings, and 330+ delivered buildings since 2014.
Room Guides
20 Kitchen Colour Combinations That Make a Small Kitchen Look Bigger
20 kitchen colour combinations that make a small kitchen look bigger, with material, finish, layout, and Vastu guidance from Studio Contour, Kolkata's residential interior design studio since 2014.
Practical Guides & Ideas
Advance and Milestone Payment Norms Among New Town Interior Firms in 2026
A New Town homeowner's guide to how architecture and interior firms structure advance and milestone payments in 2026, and what a fair schedule actually looks like.
Cost Guides
Budget, Mid and Premium Interior Tiers in Salt Lake: What Separates Them
A Studio Contour breakdown of budget, mid and premium interior tiers in Salt Lake, what materials, lighting and design work actually separate them, and how to choose the right one for your home.
Room Guides
Burgundy Kitchen Cabinets: 12 Rich Colour Ideas for Bold Homes
Burgundy kitchen cabinets bring depth without darkness. Studio Contour breaks down 12 shades, materials, and pairings for bold Kolkata homes that want colour done right.
Cost Guides
Cost of a Utility and Washing Area Fit-Out in a New Town Flat
A New Town homeowner's guide to what a utility and washing area fit-out actually costs, what drives the price, and how to plan the work without wasting money.