“The key to working with small spaces and constrained structures like this Mumbai home, is to look inwards, opt for a creative approach, and to focus on the possibilities at hand,” quips Riddhi Doshi, founder at her eponymous interior design firm, as we gaze out of the windows at the lapping waves. With the apartment we are in situated on a higher floor of a 1970s residential tower abutting the sea in midtown Mumbai, the intuitive design strategy would typically have been to lengthen the windows, knock down walls, and have the sea views penetrate all spaces.
The striking blue abstract artwork by artist V. Hariram mirrors the colours of the sky and the sea.
Kunal Bhatia
Sliding doors in teak wood and fluted glass open the den-cum-guest bedroom and are mirrored in the kitchen door on the opposite wall. A sofa-cum-bed and pull-down roller blinds allow for a comfortable sleepover. The large pouffe provides additional seating and functions as a comfortable footrest, while custom-designed nesting side tables can be pulled out and used as necessary.
Kunal Bhatia
Alas, those were not options here. Society regulations didn’t allow for window openings to be altered, and since most of the internal walls were in RCC, making any major structural changes was not possible either. Tasked with working within these limitations, Doshi turned towards her core design philosophies–stripping down spaces to their innate functions; employing minimal materials, neutral colours, and basic forms; while balancing aesthetics with functionality.
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Weighing close to one hundred kilograms, the dining table exudes a robust presence, with its black granite top complemented by a painting by artist Prabhakar Kolte. The painting’s deep red tones are carried forward in the geometric ikat patterned fabric of the dining chairs.
Kunal Bhatia
To ensure visual connectivity, the laminate used for the kitchen cabinetry closely matches the veneer in the rest of the house. Taking forward the hints of grey found in the flooring marble, the kitchen counter is made of grey quartz, while the diagonally laid out dado in green tiles infuses a country-style charm.
Kunal Bhatia
With the clients being a married couple, and their daughter–who divides time between India and abroad–one of the three bedrooms of this 1,050-square-foot apartment remained unused for the most part, and was thus converted into a versatile den cum guest bedroom. “Although we couldn’t directly connect this space to any other, the one wall which was not in RCC was broken down and replaced by a set of sliding shutters in teak wood and fluted glass,” shares Doshi. This gesture allows daylight to filter through to the entry passageway of the apartment, onto the kitchen that lies on the opposite side.
The den’s storage unit cleverly incorporates closed storage for guests staying over, along with open shelves for books and curios, the TV, as well as the entry door into the guest bathroom.
Kunal Bhatia
This multi-purpose unit in the daughter’s bedroom functions as a study desk as well as a TV table. The artwork propped against the wall is by artist V. Hariram.
Kunal Bhatia
Here, as in the other primary spaces of the apartment, a white onyx marble was chosen for the flooring. Its veins and spots in greys and pastels form a seamless flow across different rooms, while balancing the fine line between being too busy or too flat. Likewise, a white palette was chosen for all the walls, creating a neutral backdrop for the client’s noteworthy collection of modern Indian art to take centre stage.
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The spatial highlight of the apartment is the linear living and dining area with windows on both sides, overlooking the sea from the former and the cityscape through the latter. The client shared Doshi’s minimal design approach, preferring a simplistic space that was practical, elegant, and free of clutter. Consequently, while every single piece of furniture–from the seating to the tables–was custom-designed, they all blend together harmoniously without being overpowering.
Windows on both sides allow for ample light and ventilation across the living and dining areas. In the backdrop, between the two bedrooms, is an artwork titled “Islam”–part of M. F. Husain’s Theorama series.
Kunal Bhatia
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