“Away from the hustle and bustle of the city of Mumbai, this apartment turns to the vibrancy of colors for the feeling of calmness. The decor is intertwined with the home as one of its own, keeping it as integral as the design.”- Nishal Sevak(Co-Editor)

The Bhuva family connected with Ajjay SSharma of studioADAPL when they moved into a bigger apartment in Mumbai. He had designed their earlier house about a decade ago. “This was an achievement and a challenge for me at the same time” says Ajjay. Achievement, since they had appreciated my work earlier and trusted me again as the architect to design their new abode. Challenging, because they were expecting me to design their new house on the similar lines as the earlier one, recalls Ajjay. This 3BHK house is full of textures, colors and patterns.

This 3BHK House Is Full Of Textures, Colors And Patterns | studioADAPL

Visit : studioADAPL

There was no brief given by the clients. “I have never followed the current trends or style in the field of design while approaching any of projects” says Ajjay. The design process started taking cues from the experiences of the earlier house. The client’s aesthetic preferences were very flamboyant. The tight square footage of the apartment (950 sqft) posed a challenge while negotiating the spaces. It was a typical Mumbai builder’s layout of large L- shaped living dining room as one enters the house followed by all other private spaces.

A small lobby was carved out from the living dining space by creating an alcove seating at the entrance which also housed the shoe cabinet below. The mirror above the seat creates a sense of expansiveness in the less than 3ft wide lobby. The idea was to give privacy to the space when the main door opens. “An attempt to carve “a space within a space” is what I always try to create in an apartment interior project” says Ajjay. This is a pause point to just drop all the shopping bags after a heartful shopping day or make your office boy comfortable while you sign the important documents. A bejewelled “Shreenathji” frame from Nathdwara blesses everyone entering the house. The subtle sound of the waterfall below the frame creates the perfect setting for the lady of the house when she offers her prayers to the God.

The living area was demarked by raising the floor by 6inches. The metal grid holding the “Shreenathji” frame further adds to privacy of the living space since it placed bang opposite the main door. Coral pink & grey colour palette is used in the living & entrance lobby area. Geometrical shaped black & white paintings add contrast to the coral pink.

The abstract rug adds a touch of quirkiness to the otherwise formal living room décor. A bespoke floor lamp designed by the architect is inspired from the 1961 Picasso’s painting “Head of a woman”. The bench in front of the window provides a perfect seating to enjoy the view the apartment offers.  A large Ficus plant in the corner brings in the nature into the living room.

A set of black framed family photographs provide an ideal back drop to the high back master chair. Also, it initiates conversation within the family members for reliving all the yesteryear memories.

The alcove seating in the lobby resulted in a defined dining area. Two different kinds of seating were created for the dining. The built-in alcove seating helped in saving space by cutting on the need for the circulation space. Use of mirror continues in this area also, to double up the space visually. The ubiquitous “Hichko” that one witnesses in many Guajarati houses in Mumbai added the traditional touch with a modern vibe.

The tree bark topped table with a bespoke metal base is going to be witnessing some amazing soirees under the star lit ceiling hosted by the family. The dining space can be converted into an informal seating by replacing the dining table with a set of coffee table. The dining table could be stored in a large covered duct space that came along with the apartment. The corner planter & the tropical fabric swing further adds to the nature inspired feel of the dining area.

The master bedroom admeasuring 12ft x 15ft was again a tight space to propose anything else besides the bed & wardrobe. We proposed an open wardrobe to the clients which would be separated with an aluminium & glass partition from the sleeping space. The clear glass partition housed a sheer curtain behind, which could be drawn to hide the wardrobe whenever required.

A raised platform was proposed to create extra storage space which was an important ask by the homemaker. The low bed smartly avoided the need for a formal seating as one could just sit on the mattress admiring the outside views.

The tv cabinet snugly fits inside the offset of the beam & column avoiding any extra projections from the wall. The light wood panel finished cabinets was designed as a set of diagonally opposite squares & rectangles creating niches to add small curious and plants. “A custom-made metal wall art inspired by the 1925 Picasso’s painting “Three dancers” clubbed with aroma candles, books and indoor plants creates a very cosy “love corner” in the master bedroom” says Ajjay. The landscape patterned headboard fabric was “love at first sight” for the clients, so making that has the focal point the other furnishing was selected.

A four-poster bed was proposed for the elder son, a fresh MBA graduate. The colour scheme for his room was more subtle as per his brief. The soft glowing natural light makes the bedroom look ethereal. A wall hung tv ledge doubles up as a working table for him on the “WFH” days.     

An altar like metal frame was proposed for the buddha statue which adds a sense of calm to the room. Task light were fixed above the frame to create drama by shadows of the frame adding an extra dimension in the evenings. Small planters below the buddha brings in the natural element in this otherwise subtle bedroom.   

The younger son’s bedroom was stark contrast to the older ones. This bedroom had an interesting play of colour pattern & texture mimicking the dynamic nature of the user who is an avid gamer. A black chequered fabric bed was housed between the wardrobes to maximize the space in this room.

The “Charlie Chaplin” frame flanked by the concrete hanging lamps adds to the playfulness of this room. The predominant colour in this room was blue which was used in a lighter & darker shade. The walnut wooden flooring provides a subtle base for the medley of colours & patterns.

The design philosophy of my practice has been that “A house should be an extension of the personality, philosophy and standards of the users” says Ajjay. Beneath the layer of the different colours and bold patterns lies a canvass of simple design & geometry. The design facilitates the possibility of redefining the character of the space by minimal changes in the colours & soft furnishing. “This is idea of “space sustainability” that I follow in an expensive real estate city like Mumbai, where the user can overhaul their houses with minimum dent in their pockets after couple of years to experience it all new” concludes Ajjay.

Fact file

Designed by : studioADAPL

Project Type : Residence Interior Design

Project Name : House of patterns & colours

Location : Juhu, Mumbai

Year Built : December 2022

Project Size : 950 Sq.ft

Principal Architect : Ajjay Ssharma

Team Design Credits : Ajjay Ssharma & Sayali Tamboskar

Photograph Courtesy : Photographix & Sebastian Zachariah

Firm’s Website Link : studioADAPL

Firm’s Instagram Link : studioADAPL

For Similar Project >> A House That Is Warm And Comforting, Keeping Up With The Modern Outlook