Designed by Open Atelier Mumbai, this home in Wadala, brims with simplicity and functionality within its vibrant interiors.
This 2000 sq. ft. sea-facing home located in a high rise by Ajmera Builders in Wadala, Mumbai, is a stellar example of a home that’s cosy, functional and elegant. Crowned by traditional and contemporary elements, this apartment is quiet luxury personified. Besides creative outpourings that are evidenced in several nooks; fine furniture, bohemian palette and classic detailing elements form the heart of this residence’s design, which has been thoughtfully curated from scratch by Principal Designer Rahul Mistri, Founder at Open Atelier Mumbai.
Taking us through the client’s brief and requirements, Rahul says, “The client aspired to have a luxurious and opulent home of global standards. However, they had a strict timeline of just 5.5 months, which made it essential to incorporate prefabricated design elements for timely completion. The client’s family consists of 2 young daughters and the couple, therefore the space was designed using their favourite and vibrant colours along with spatial flexibility creating space for their yoga-cum-dance studio within the guest room of the home.” He further adds. “What makes this project collaborative for both the client and us, is that the homeowner works as a furniture consolidator for various global brands, bringing diversity to the curation of fine furniture and lighting in terms of functionality.
As one enters the residence, the entrance lobby opens to the dining area, intersecting a living room and a LCD unit, organically fostering social interactions. The dining table is placed right in front of the television to be unobtrusive, allowing for a seamless viewing experience from the couch. Since this zone has two balcony decks, unobtrusive pendant lights elevate the visual spectrum. The living room is flanked on either side by four bedrooms: a master bedroom on the right, a guest bedroom and the two daughters’ bedrooms on the left.
The master bedroom has two-sided glass French windows, offering a panoramic view of the Eastern Harbourline. Metal PVD capping runs across the length of the bed’s back wall, with mirror panelling alongside the bathroom wall’s door to create the illusion of a sprawling space. The master bath has gold leaf, mother-of-pearl mosaic tiling, and matte-finish gold accessories. A common thread uniting both daughters’ bedrooms is a mural by Rangari, and even though both siblings had completely different tastes in wall colours, it creates continuity in the layout of the kid’s bedrooms. Since the younger daughter is growing, ingenious pegboard hooks enable her to add more shelves for more books and toys. “The guest room has been devised as a multifunctional space to avoid falling into disuse when the family is not hosting. The design allows a Murphy bed to be tucked away and used as a yoga room instead. Two cosy alcoves have been carved to act as side tables”, informs Rahul.
The client’s strict timelines— of five months—led to a decision to pre-fabricate a significant portion of the project, including the panelling systems, doors, and closets. “This suggestion by us represents an up-and-coming trend in interior design, moving away from traditional on-site construction. It offers advantages such as time and cost savings, quality control, and reduced disruption at the construction site.
While this address is not automated, the lighting is based on calculated lux levels. Water flow control has been enabled within the apartment to save water volume while ensuring continuous flow simultaneously. Sustainable water-based paint has been used all over the wall surfaces. As far as the colour palette is concerned, the home’s bohemian palette does not shy away from strutting a colour bomb of hot pink, zesty orange and cobalt blue wall panels. The vintage wall panels have classic detailing elements like cornices and wainscoting to create a timeless and elegant interior design. “The client is a furniture consolidator for various global brands. Hence most of the furniture is sourced to ensure meeting the tight timelines. As a result, functional diversity is brought to the curation of fine furniture and lighting”, concludes Rahul.
Simply put, this project is an idyll abode with an amalgamation of classic and contemporary tastes that pay homage to the client’s furniture background. It’s a home that invites residents and guests to embark on a visual journey through curated memories, where a wave of warmth reverberates across its placating interiors.
Photo credit: Prashant Bhat
