Mumbai Houzz: This Refreshing City Apartment is Far From Vanilla
A unique flooring system, soft hues, ingenious storage and space-enhancing tricks come home here
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their two children
Location: Mumbai
Year built: 2015
Size: 176 square metres (1900 square feet); the addition was of 69 square metres (750 square feet); 3 bedrooms; 3 bathrooms
Architectural and interior designers: Huzefa Rangwala and Jasem Pirani of MuseLAB
Photos by: Sameer Tawde
Who lives here: A couple and their two children
Location: Mumbai
Year built: 2015
Size: 176 square metres (1900 square feet); the addition was of 69 square metres (750 square feet); 3 bedrooms; 3 bathrooms
Architectural and interior designers: Huzefa Rangwala and Jasem Pirani of MuseLAB
Photos by: Sameer Tawde
The task in this apartment was essentially an addition job; the client wanted MuseLAB to add a 1BHK flat to an existing 2BHK one. Their scope of work was the 1BHK, where a hall and kitchen were combined to create a formal living room and a master bedroom with a large walk-in wardrobe. “We had to bring down walls, re-lay the flooring and change the layout,” Huzefa Rangwala of MuseLAB says. “The entire home’s design is a study in flooring – how it lends character to spaces, how it connects different areas of the house and, of course, how every home doesn’t need to be finished in the usual white marble,” Jasem Pirani says.
A narrow entry passage leads to the bright, pattern-dominated living room. A wall in soft powder blue sets a calm, relaxing tone. “We used three types of marble for the flooring, Australian white, Armani beige and black Marquina, to create a unique flooring system. No tile was cut here, all triangles are laid out to perfection from wall to wall,” Rangwala says.
The furniture has been custom-made. The three peg tables are in teak wood topped with black mirrors. Special grilles were custom designed for the windows of this home. “We didn’t want to use the usual grilles seen in most homes. This metal design comprises 16 different patterns that form one model,” Pirani says.
Paint: Asian Paints; tiles: Armani; pendant light: Lightbox; monkey figurines: Gauri Khan Designs; table-top accessories and cushions: Address Home; furnishings: DDecor and Pure Concept
Check out these grilles that are decorative and functional
The furniture has been custom-made. The three peg tables are in teak wood topped with black mirrors. Special grilles were custom designed for the windows of this home. “We didn’t want to use the usual grilles seen in most homes. This metal design comprises 16 different patterns that form one model,” Pirani says.
Paint: Asian Paints; tiles: Armani; pendant light: Lightbox; monkey figurines: Gauri Khan Designs; table-top accessories and cushions: Address Home; furnishings: DDecor and Pure Concept
Check out these grilles that are decorative and functional
Adding another dimension to the dynamic living room is the ceiling. “Rather than lowering the roof further with a false ceiling, we decided to reveal all its beams by painting it white and adding artefacts there. So, if someone’s eyes travel to the top of the room, you aren’t just looking at an empty space,” Rangwala says.
The passage with the specially constructed window seat used to be a kitchen, originally. The present structure is in teak veneer, finished in matte polish. “This window-seat reading nook has Roman blinds and holds storage on all four sides,” Rangwala says.
Seating from the living room extends into this area, too. The designers have brought in a contrasting accent wall to play against the bright blue in the living room. “The wall is in leather and flame-finished granite. The idea was to get some texture on the walls, using materials that aren’t very expensive,” Pirani says.
Take a look at these accent walls
Take a look at these accent walls
This is the area in front of the entrance. “The vibrant chest of drawers in teak wood is a quirky take on Piet Mondrian’s artwork, where the colours are bright and bold. The triangular mirror and the tabletop elements add to the eclectic mood of the house,” Pirani says.
Mirror: Red Blue Yellow
Mirror: Red Blue Yellow
The passage to the left leads to the TV room.
“A soft wall was erected here to install additional storage with the same kind of cupboard design as at the entrance,” Rangwala says. This space has a sliver of the patterned flooring; the rest of the room has Australian white marble.
Next to the TV room is a gallery lined with wardrobes, leading to the master bedroom. “We have used a coat of white PU on the wardrobes to make the space more light and airy,” Pirani says.
Here are 10 ways to have an amazing walk-in wardrobe
Here are 10 ways to have an amazing walk-in wardrobe
While the floor is of the same marble tiles as the living room, instead of their being laid in a pattern of triangles, they have been put together to form bands. Laying tiles diagonally makes a small floor space seem larger. “The black from the living room floor moves to the bedroom walls. We used the slightly glossy mosaic tiles from Piccolo Tiles. These, in fact, wrap around the bed and carry on outside the bathroom,” Pirani says.
The custom bed is in teak wood with uniquely designed legs and headboard. “The client didn’t want storage below the bed, so we got more space to create a sculptural bed. We decided on a design that would make the bed seem larger than it is. The legs were designed at a slight angle, projecting space beyond the dimensions of the mattress; the same angle is visible on the headboard as well,” Rangwala says.
The custom bed is in teak wood with uniquely designed legs and headboard. “The client didn’t want storage below the bed, so we got more space to create a sculptural bed. We decided on a design that would make the bed seem larger than it is. The legs were designed at a slight angle, projecting space beyond the dimensions of the mattress; the same angle is visible on the headboard as well,” Rangwala says.
The custom side table is made in teak wood, too, finished in matte paint in soft blue.
Accessories: Address Home
Accessories: Address Home
The flooring in the bathroom uses Australian white and black Marquina, the tiles laid out in the same pattern as in the living room. Since the bathroom was fairly small, about 6x7 feet, “we decided to do away with a door and instead used a PU frosted-glass partition. The glass helps take the focus away from the small square-footage of the bathroom,” Pirani says.
See how these bathrooms make the most of less space
See how these bathrooms make the most of less space
The vanity is a compact unit with tiny niches for hand towels and candles. “Black mosaic tiles have been used on the wall behind the vanity and Armani beige and Australian white are used on the shower walls, thereby connecting all the newly renovated areas with common tiles and floor palette,” Rangwala says.
Bathroom fittings: Grohe
Read more:
Baroda Houzz: Geometric Designs & Play of Contrast Define This Bungalow
Tell us:
What did you like the most about this home? Tell us in Comments below.
Bathroom fittings: Grohe
Read more:
Baroda Houzz: Geometric Designs & Play of Contrast Define This Bungalow
Tell us:
What did you like the most about this home? Tell us in Comments below.