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    A whiff of macarons breezes across chef Pooja Dhingra’s Mumbai home designed by Ravi Vazirani

    AUG 25, 2023 | By Pratishtha Rana
    The Palm Treats wallpaper from Kalakaari Haath sets a vivacious tenor in the living room with an inviting white IKEA sofa and Kangaroo chair by Mahendra Doshi. Commanding attention with Sand Cast aluminium table from the QIT.A collection by Ravi Vazirani are vases with sculptural ears, grey vase with rim and textured low vase by The Pure Concept Home, while the two white vases on the right are Pooja’s finds and art frames by Apnavi Makanji from TARQ and The Flame Store; Photography by Pankaj Anand

    That relentlessly absorbing, consuming and lulling feeling of coming back home is probably unparalleled. You unlock the doors, fling it open, one step in, then the next, and all you are surrounded by is the resounding quietude of freedom. And Pooja Dhingra likes to call this freedom of homecoming ‘joy’. Moving out of her parents’ house in Prabhadevi, a suburb in South Mumbai, where Pooja lived all her life to finally set out on a search for her own sweet nest was a milestone of sorts.

    Bordering the sofa behind is a vintage ledge and a stone bust on it, both, by Mahendra Doshi. Sand Cast aluminium coffee table from the QIT.A collection by Ravi Vazirani stands steadily beside the round IKEA rattan pouffe. Plant, white vase and the pink pedestal are from Ravi Vazirani; Tying the living room together is IKEA’s flatwoven rug, vintage chair by Mahendra Doshi,  The rust cushion is from Ranjit Ahuja while the beige cushion is by The Pure Concept Home; Photography by Pankaj Anand

     

    Pooja Dhingra
    Sand Cast aluminium coffee table from the QIT.A collection by Ravi Vazirani. Plant, white vase and the pink pedestal are from Ravi Vazirani; Tying the living room together is IKEA’s flatwoven rug, vintage chair by Mahendra Doshi, limited edition brass stool from the QIT.A collection by Ravi Vazirani, pure linen drapes from Saphed. The rust cushion is from Ranjit Ahuja whie the beige cushion is by The Pure Concept Home; Photography by Pankaj Anand

    A few kilometres away and several decisions later, Pooja Dhingra had her eyes set on this snug apartment in the prime locale of Bandra with her confidant, close friend and designer Ravi Vazirani by her side, throughout. And this is how Pooja’s first independent home found its soul in the concept of collaboration, last year, a time when isolation was the trending word during the pandemic. In a never-heard-before span of 45 minutes (all of 2,700 seconds only), Ravi and Pooja designed and dressed up the home together, connected virtually over a Zoom call.

    Pooja Dhingra
    Teak wood dining table by Lap and Dado is decked with a vase by The Pure Concept Home, platter and bowl are a part of the Lila collection by Ravi Vazirani for Ikai Asai alongside Pooja’s own glass and kettle; Photography by Pankaj Anand

    The celebrated patissier and founder of Le15 Patisserie confesses that she simply wanted her own space with aesthetics that echoed her personality without reservations, “I feel that I didn’t have any idea of what the space would look like or end up being, but I knew that I wanted it to be me.” Her chosen spot where she catches the best sunrises, golden hours and sunsets from is the sink-worthy white IKEA couch in the living room, perched delicately but sturdily as the pièce de résistance, while the Palm Treats wallpaper by Kalakaari Haath serenades the rest of the space with soothing tropical tunes.

    Pooja Dhingra
    TOP Decanter, glasses and black paper mache vase from the Lila collection by Ravi Vazirani for Ikai Asai on the bar trolley by Mahendra Doshi. White vase by The Pure Concept Home and sculptures by Claymen and Sameer Kulavoor from TARQ; Photography by Pankaj Anand

     

    Setting a saccharine scenario in the kitchen is an indulgent cake sculpted by Pooja Dhingra; Photography by Pankaj Anand

    With a rapturous ear to ear smile, Pooja muses about the wallpaper, “Ravi sent it to me on Instagram and I loved it. Every time I open my door, I see it and it just makes me smile”. Underlined with the very signifcance of teamwork, this home treads the precis of two creative minds converging and Pooja is quick to summarise, ̧”Now I am like I probably wouldn’t have picked up this (furniture or decor) myself, but I love it so much now that I don’t see how I could have done this just by myself Strolling further in, a creamy hued palette drapes the home with shades of decadent desserts. Shades resembling browns of chocolate cake batter glaze the kitchen cabinets.

    Pooja Dhingra
    The main bedroom hosts a custom bed by Ravi Vazirani styled by Sakshi Pathak with bed linens by Bonnie&Saks, Easy Breezy wallpaper by Kalakaari Haath drapes the wall, artwork from The Flame Store, black paper mache vase by Ravi Vazirani for Ikai Asai and lamp sourced by Ravi Vazirani from an estate sale sit on the vintage cutlery console by Mahendra Doshi used as a bedside table and a pink dholpur marble scoop table from the QIT.A collection by Ravi Vazirani; Photography by Pankaj Anand

    The boudoir, like much of the residence, breathes a high-spirited yet mellow mood of slow living with select pieces of decor. -or a space that would have been otherwise restricted with its compact expanse, Ravi maximised the home, decor by decor, section by section. But how does one practically, really do that? “Working with small spaces, you have to understand proportion. It is also about investing in the right pieces, being true to scale and highlighting what works for you.” Ravi adds, “Tomorrow when Pooja moves, 90 percent of the things are going to move with her. >hat is not going to move are the things she didn’t listen to me about!”

    Pooja Dhingra
    Pooja Dhingra with Ravi Vazirani; Photography by Pankaj Anand

    Creativity – be it in interior design or the culinary realm · is a virtue that pays rich dividends where both act as food for the soul. Respect for the individual as well as the crafts and skills they bring along is what anchors the foundation of this home. Pooja’s trust in Ravi and Ravi’s understanding of Pooja’s design aspirations is how this collaboration feeds off each other. It isn’t everyday that you are blessed with the right set of friends, who not only make your life, but also your home a better place to live in!

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