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    Academy Award winner Guneet Monga’s home in Delhi nods to her love for travel and curation

    AUG 7, 2024 | By Shriti Das
    Amid the home’s beige confines, a riot of patterns, textures and colours ensues; Photograph Courtesy DesignHabitat

    What is a home if not a vignette of stories, found objects and a lifetime of memories? For two-time Oscar winner Guneet Monga, her home in New Delhi unravels the producer’s love of storytelling and celebration of life’s beautiful moments within its four walls. The 3,000 sq ft home bears markers of someone who loves to travel and finds her heart in curious discoveries from around the world. 

    The keen eye and creative who put her home together is Gypsa Gombra, an interior architect behind the firm DesignHabitat based out of Delhi. “One fine day, I got a call from an unknown number. A lady on the other side of the phone said, ‘This is Guneet Monga and I would like to get my home’s interiors done!’ I was super excited, but the timeline was tight since we had to get everything done in a matter of months!” mentions Gypsa. 

    The home is imbued with a rich array of textures and patterns, housing age-old Sheesham furniture and elaborate decor; Photograph Courtesy DesignHabitat

     

    The living space is ensconced in shades of white, interspersed with lush greens; Photograph Courtesy DesignHabitat

    The Prologue

    Guneet laughs and reminisces “It was two or three months before my wedding when we decided to start renovating our homes (in Delhi and Mumbai). Just because we didn’t already have enough on our plate with the marriage!” For their home in New Delhi, all six of them including Guneet, her better half, their elderly parents and everybody else played a role in the decision-making. 

    “Largely we all just trusted Gypsa. I think the family trusted me and I trusted Gypsa,” mentions Guneet. Gypsa learnt that Guneet’s family loved art, and since they hailed from creative backgrounds, they would appreciate an eclectic space evocative of Guneet’s love for travel and storytelling. Housed within a 25-year-old villa, Gypsa altered the furniture layout to make way for an open plan that facilitated function but also conversation. 

    Illuminated by natural light gushing in through the windows, the dining space is a beige sanctuary seeped with tranquility; Photograph Courtesy DesignHabitat

     

    Vibrant rugs and upholstery act as pops of colour that enliven the home; Photograph Courtesy DesignHabitat

     

    Guneet Monga and Gypsa Gombra, seated within the striking living space; Photograph Courtesy DesignHabitat

    Making space for memories

    Against a neutral, almost white backdrop are vibrant furniture and artwork with handwoven furnishings across the space. Pastels, knits and just the right amount of layered lighting bring about an extremely intimate character to Guneet’s home. Despite its airy and muted aesthetic, upon a closer look, the home reveals many pops of colour and a pleasant revelation that this house is not all white. 

    “It originally had a lot of light brown wood. We first decided to make it a single colour and then add pops of colour. The idea was to create a collected feel, not like a hotel. It can’t be overly manicured or too perfect. This is a family house where weddings will happen, celebrations will take place, and things may break. It should feel lived-in and loved,” explains Gypsa. 

    Another interesting detail is that of upcycling and reusing the almost priceless furniture belonging to Guneet’s mother-in-law. “There was a lot of ancestral Sheesham furniture in the house which is not readily available in the market these days. And more importantly, it holds significant emotional value for the people living here,” mentions Gypsa.

    Sink-worthy armchairs lay peppered across the home, ideal for lounging and relaxing; Photograph Courtesy DesignHabitat

    Cue the applause

    When asked about her favourite space, Gypsa is quick to point towards the dining area. “Finding inspiration in sustainable materials such as the distressed wooden dining table, crockery cabinet and handmade ceramic wash basin helped me in creating the earthy aesthetic. Dining chairs are finished with chinoiserie woven fabric and rattan backrest which brings a sense of being close to nature,” she says. 

    Amidst the elements, Guneet sure knows her favourite too — it’s her cabinet of crockeries (and curiosity!). Guneet reveals, “I have to admit, I’m obsessed with crockery. While I’m trying to be minimalistic, I think I travel to find unique pieces. I’m very curious about dinnerware art from various places I’ve travelled to. This house has a lot of Uzbekistan crockery, which is slightly Turkish blue and beautifully hand-painted. There are also some plates from Turkey, cups and everyday tea items from Vietnam and recently, we’ve added a lot of dinnerware from Nicobar’s elephant collection. When I saw those elephants, I knew they had to come home.” And just like those cherished stories in The Elephant Whisperers, the home is a journey, a memory entrenched in a deep love for beauty in the world.

    Guneet Monga, two-time Oscar winning producer; Photograph Courtesy DesignHabitat

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