Magari, the design-forward furniture and lifestyle brand, has opened its new store in Kochi, bringing its signature blend of Indian craftsmanship and modern aesthetics to the historic Pappali House.
Magari, a homegrown furniture and lifestyle brand celebrated for blending traditional Indian craftsmanship with modern aesthetics, has unveiled their latest store in Kochi’s historic Pappali House. Kochi marks the brand’s fourth outlet in South India, after establishing a strong presence in Bengaluru (2015), Hyderabad (2022) and Chennai (2023). The store is designed by Amitha Madan, Founding Partner & Director Design, Magari & Principal Designer, TreeLight Design.
“Magari has always been design-led and committed to crafting high-quality pieces that remain aspirational in price, yet accessible across diverse Indian homes,” explains Vishal Wadhwa, Founding Partner & Director, Production, Magari. “Our pieces and collections are designed with clarity, mood and a story, that allows people to connect with them and visualise them as part of their own homes,” explains Amitha Madan, Founding Partner & Director Design, Magari & Principal Designer, TreeLight Design.
This ideology also underpins the new store, which is envisioned as a home, as opposed to a retail experience. Inside, the open, interconnected and intuitive layout of the old historic house has been maintained. Rather than segmenting areas into typical retail categories, furniture is placed to evoke livability and emotion.
In the heart of Kochi stands a familiar presence—an 80-year-old home known to generations as the Pappali House. Revered by locals for its historic charm and deeprooted identity, this structure posed both a challenge and an opportunity when it was selected to house the new Magari furniture store. The transformation demanded utmost sensitivity, respecting the past while thoughtfully inviting in the future.
The two-storied colonial-era house, with its distinctive pentagonal wing and quiet grace, had remarkably stood the test of time. Aside from a few irreparable grills, the structure was largely intact. The original façade was preserved, with only subtle interventions like enlarging a few windows—never disturbing the soul of the architecture. Impulsively chose to embrace the effects of fabric to create this flow thus making the eye travel
Like many colonial homes of its time, the plan featured a maze of interconnected rooms, each opening into the next. Rather than erase this legacy, the design chose to embrace it—creating a natural visual flow that responded to the functional needs of a showroom while retaining the warmth and intimacy of a home. This seamless blend resonated deeply with the ethos of the Magari brand: understated luxury grounded in storytelling.
One of the most compelling tools used to achieve this spatial rhythm was fabric—not in the literal sense, but as a conceptual driver. The visual narrative was carried through alternating wall textures: smooth grey and coarse beige, skimming the walls like a bolt of cloth. These ‘fabric rolls’ meandered through the space, their transitions determined by instinct rather than rigid geometry, allowing the space to breathe and move organically.
Further movement was introduced through the use of dark Kadapa stone flooring, laid in varied sizes and patterns across the store. The result was a tactile, patchwork-like quality—each area with its own distinct identity, yet part of a cohesive whole. The ceiling mirrored this gesture, folding and flowing in response to the floor’s rhythm, giving each room a unique sculptural character.
The contrast between dark ceilings and floors and light-textured walls heightened the sense of depth and fluidity. Where the original structure embodied fabric’s grounded nature, the newly added extension explored its lighter, more ethereal qualities. Roof panels appeared to float, their weight suspended by glass walls composed of a mix of plain, frosted, and brick glass—each offering a different lens through which to view the surrounding greenery. These translucent surfaces echoed the varying transparencies of sheer fabric, filtering light and creating layered views without ever feeling enclosed.
Throughout the space, small details paid homage to the language of textiles. Folds and creases along the walls and ceilings added a lived-in, textural depth—like fabric gently settling into place. The staircase was imagined as a fabric carpet unfurling to welcome visitors to the upper level. Even the pegs joining two textures hinted at temporary bobby pins used in tailoring, holding fabric pieces together before they are sewn permanently.
Sheer fabric panels were used to define zones and create intimacy. These partitions were not only functional but poetic—each one an abstract interpretation of Kerala’s landscapes, from oceans and mountains to tropical forests and the local people. Designed in collaboration with textile artist Unmesh, these panels celebrated Indian weaving crafts from across the subcontinent, bringing artistry and cultural memory into the present.
What made this project especially gratifying was witnessing the joy on the faces of former residents and city dwellers as they stepped back into a space they remembered so well—now reborn, yet still familiar.
