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    Feet on the ground and dreaming of the sky—Tejal Mathur weaves a timeless narrative through this family home in Juhu

    OCT 12, 2021 | By Pratishtha Rana
    Accompanying the backlit round vanity mirror is the grey and white marble work that swathes the washbasin space, mimicking the mood of the monsoon; Photographs by Photographix.

    A home that brings alive the personality of its dwellers without compromising on superlative touches of decor and interiors is always bound to catch the eye. Interior designer Tejal Mathur of her practice Tejal Mathur Design deftly translated this secret recipe of success in this Juhu home designed for a family of three.

    Dubbed Neev and The Monsoon Terrace that spans 3,500 sq ft, this home is built across two floors. The first level houses the family home, while the second level generously accommodates an indoor entertainment zone and a breezy, open terrace with arresting views of the Arabian Sea that skirts maximum city from three sides. 

    The family’s brief was simple, innocently underlined with the only demand to build their own identity through this home. The young couple with a three-year-old daughter entrusted Mathur to concoct their homely dreams dominated by the warmth of teak woods, the modernity of cement walls and the eccentricity of pattern floors with splashes of Indian karigari. And, so she did.

    The solid, grey cement walls and foliage outside peep indoors, a cosy space that is done up with warm-toned wood, candle-lit lanterns and an eye-catching pair of wood-carved sea urchins; Photographs by Photographix

     

    The dark grey sofa and marble coffee table by KKD Studio play between the cold and warm moods of the Mumbai downpour; Photographs by Photographix

    The home fashions a renewed energy as the structures here have been rejigged to synchronise the space with the outdoor vantage views. What was initially a narrow foyer was remodelled into soft archways to subtly contour the walls.

    Playing hide and seek with your sights, the space opens up to an inner foyer to your right, finally leading to the living room, which is fringed with accordion-style charcoal screens that veils the optionally open kitchen area. Embracing a tonal palette dominated with grey, black, white in the living area, the space brings a slice of nostalgic monsoon indoors.

    Tejal Mathur has employed furniture pieces that are equally functional and flattering, characterised by their fresh and mellow colour palette; Photographs by Photographix

     

    A sensorial calm engulfs you when you step inside the bedroom outfitted with polished teak wood walls; Photographs by Photographix

    The stream of textural overlaps inundates the many corners of the home with a playful variation. But, the balance is such that it never overpowers the basic essence and mood of the space, which can aptly be described as slow paced yet modernly upbeat.

    Most of the decor elements at Neev and The Monsoon Terrace scream the beauty of made-in-India crafts. The bedroom is dressed up with an attractive interplay of lustrous wood punched on the walls, hints of linen and jute, a metallic dresser from Dotto: Objects of Curiosity and an alluring artwork from Calcuttan. The eyes also catch the clever integration of different styles of door flaps—in copper, teakwood and charcoal tones—one of the signature interior elements in Mathur’s works.

    Turning to this corner of the home, one finds a well-planned storage space that is resourceful and refined at the same time; Photographs by Photographix

     

    A finely laid out Kerala-style sit out overlooks the lush foliage around bringing an al fresco mood to the Monsoon Terrace; Photographs by Photographix

    Not an afterthought or a complimentary zone, the monsoon terrace is conceived as a cardinal part of the home, speckled with black limestone floors and asphalt-hued walls that stand tall, come rain or shine (literally!) A staircase lined up with garden hares exposes a joyful string of dense foliage, champa flowers further elevate the beautifully laid out kerala-style sit out and the specially sourced pillars from Kerala.

    A chandelier by Arjun Rathi dangles above the Riverrat poker table by KKD Studio, complemented with beautiful wall plates by Gulmohar Lane; Photographs by Photographix

     

    A staircase connects Neev with the Monsoon Terrace, flanked with lightweight concrete panels that lend a visual edginess to the space that just cannot go unnoticed; Photographs by Photographix

    A confluence of barefoot living and architectural dexterity, the Monsoon Terrace is an unrestricted, tropical world of its own, contrasted with an urban-themed recreational indoor zone with a long bar, large screens and furniture for poker and game buffs to revel in. A clever exchange of textures between the concrete walls and the wooden roof is further interrupted with the intersection of an exposed pipe above and a cement pattern floor below.

    Descending back to the first level, Neev, alongside the master and daughter’s bedroom, there is a hidden door beyond a concrete mural of ‘hands that bind’ by Craft Beton that navigates to a scenic, windowed walkway along the guest and powder room.

    Marble inlay flooring adorns the bathroom rivalled with dark grey marble cabinets and countertop washbasin by Kreoo; Photographs by Photographix

     

    A vintage mailbox in the vestibule exhibits handpainted lettering of ‘Neev’ done in mustard tones. This narrow foyer further guides you to the inner foyer of the home; Photographs by Photographix

     

    The framed Concrete hands by Craft Beton adds a silent personality to the space; Photographs by Photographix

    When asked which part of the home she enjoyed designing the most, Mathur expressed, “I derived my mojo working on the 3-year old’s room. It was a complete challenge to understand how the narrow, long room could fit in a formal study, multitasking bench, house-shaped bookshelf, a bubble swing, a row of phased moon mirrors as a dresser and the Chicken Chair by The Big Piano.”

    As she rightly outlines, “There was enough time spared to layer every corner with soul and conversation.” And if one pauses and ponders for a while, one will realise how the dual meaning of Neev, a Hindi word that translates to the foundation of a building or the basis of familial values and ideologies, fluently coalesces into Neev and The Monsoon Terrace, indeed.

    Scroll down to see more glimpses of the space—

    Designed by Tejal Mathur, this home is splashed with the use of teak wood, oak wood and some sober colours that add a touch of elegance to every corner; Photographs by Photographix

     

    Pieces that make you stop and stare appear in this Juhu home, too—such as this hair brush bench by Riva by Zolijns; Photographs by Photographix

     

    This exquisite sideboard by KKD Studio is teamed up with an artwork by Josmo, bringing a pop of colour to the space; Photographs by Photographix

     

    Bespoke retro classical concrete panels drape the backside of the bed, amplified with wall lights by AnanTaya; Photographs by Photographix

     

    There is yet again a peppy interplay of patterns and texture, thanks to the striking but sombre flooring by Bharat Floorings; Photographs by Photographix

     

    A corner to think out loud and be creative, this study area features a study table by The Big Piano and the chair by Baro; Photographs by Photographix

     

    The home finds its moments of modernity, especially when accentuated with metal patina work by ICA; Photographs by Photographix

    If this Juhu home filled you with warmth and joy, make sure to check out this Chelsea Residence by Aamir Khandwala