Homes

Eshita Marwah of /e draws curves and paints pastels in this Surat home

JUL 29, 2022 | By Sneha Gandhi
The formal living is characterised by lights from MGM Design Studio, rug made by House of Knots, Egon Schiele prints from Ikka Dukka and all furniture made in-house at /e; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala
The family living room harbours all furniture and rug designed /e, terracotta links on the coffee table by SELVES, lamp by MGM Design Studio, artwork on the wall by Gradient India and circular wall accessory from Heirloom Naga; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala
The English Cottage displays hand painted walls by Rogán; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala
The English Cottage flaunts artwork from Ikka Dukka, Dessine Art, Richa Kashelkar and Divya Sawlani along with lighting by MGM Design Studio, planter by Mudberry Studio and rocking chair from Design Ni Dukaan; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

A home should flow like a narrative, close-knit and coherent, punctuated by thoughtful details. For when the ‘feel’ is scripted to perfection, the ‘look’ spontaneously flows in. Endorsing this theory is Designer, Eshita Marwah and her interior design studio /e (e.aesthete). 

Taking risks, the firm believes in complementing and contradicting the context in varying proportions. Situated in Vesu, Surat, their latest project—a 2,000 sq ft modern home exemplifies this design philosophy and much more. 

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The foyer welcomes with an in-house designed rug by /e and lighting by MGM Design Studio; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

The curious brief 

Cosy and happy—the owners of the chic home were confident about the ‘feel’ they desired from day one. As for the ‘look’, they let the studio take complete charge. Evidently, after a couple of quick conversations, /e finalised a complementary pastel mood board for the home with subtle yet contrasting curves.

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Custom-made furniture by /e governs the formal living along with lights from MGM Design Studio, rug made by House of Knots and Egon Schiele prints from Ikka Dukka; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala
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Artworks by Gradient India, terracotta links on the coffee table by SELVES and lamp by MGM Design Studio craft a warm and cosy mood in the family living room along with in-house furniture and rug by /e; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

Tour every turn of the contemporary home

One glimpse through the entrance vestibule reveals an earthy-themed living room, dining area and kitchen. Doused in muted colours and curvilinear accents are the terracotta-based lamps, lighting, accessories and artworks. The fabrics and rugs reiterate the same scheme throughout the communal expanse.

Hand painted backsplash tiles by Shibani Dhavalikar and artwork from Art&Found™ add subtle colours to the kitchen
Hand painted wall at the back by Rogán and lighting by MGM Design Studio form a pleasant set-up for the dining area housing table by /e and chairs by Home Canvas; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala
Bar stools made by Vaidehi accompany the Country Kitchen breakfast counter; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

Hand painted tile backsplash decorates the kitchen that is fully furnished with a utility area in the back. Adjacent to the hidden bar unit is the dining area overlooking the balcony. Two bathrooms were merged to make room for a spacious primary bath and one of the bedrooms was modified into a home theatre. 

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Artworks by Vaibhavi Gandhi and Rogán and lamp from The Hesperus Store adorn the closet bar; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

While pastels is the overarching theme of the home, hand painted motifs spill across all three bedrooms from pleasing wallpapers to embroidered curtains. Taking it a notch higher, the studio designs and prints a handful of the upholstery fabrics that are further dyed in the exact shades as the walls. Speak of a seamless visual flow!

Poised in a stark contrast from the rest of the house is The Cave (home theatre) and The Art Bath (powder room), flaunting darker toned walls full of drama and intrigue. The custom-printed tiles in the powder room are also a labour of love of the studio. 

The art bath feature vanity, mirror and tiles designed in-house by /e and lighting by MGM Design Studio; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala
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Artwork from BestofBharat, Dessine Art, Heirloom Naga and coffee table by /e make The Cave; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

Ideas to bookmark – a play with pastels

Interpreting the cosy-and-warm brief with a touch of personalisation, all furniture and fabrics are revamped to include handcrafted designs. Made in collaboration with artisans around the city, the handmade accents render an authentic aura to the home. 

Experimenting with colours, the studio divides the home into three sections—the communal spaces, the bedrooms and the home theatre—featuring variations of subtle yet similar tones. The material palette on the other hand, features a diverse range of organic elements like wood, cane, terracotta and hand painted ceramics, along with cotton and linen furnishings.

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The Storybook bedroom harbours hand painted walls by Rogán, all furniture designed by /e, bedding by Cottons and Satins, curtains by One O One Aesthete, lighting by MGM Design Studio and carpet from Jaipur Rugs; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala
Hand painted ceiling by Rogán, custom hardware /e and lighting by MGM Design Studio; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

What Eshita fell in love with…

 “Although, I was concerned about The Art Bath and The Cave not fitting into the overall theme of the home and making too bold a statement on their own, they’ve ended up adding character, drama and fun elements of surprise,” divulges Eshita.

The minimal home by /e packs not one but two fluid and chic aesthetics with its pastel palette and curved compositions.

Scroll below for more stunning glimpses of the space!

The English Cottage bedroom accommodates hand painted walls by Rogán, all furniture designed by /e, custom ceramic wall plate by Shibani Dhavalikar, bedding by Cottons and Satins and carpet from Jaipur Rugs; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala
Artwork from Ikka Dukka, Dessine Art, Richa Kashelkar, Divya Sawlani, lighting by MGM Design Studio, planter by Mudberry Studio and rocking chair from Design Ni Dukaan compose a quaint seating corner in the English Cottage; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala
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Chandelier from The Kaleido Store elevates the artistic appeal of the Whimsical Garden bedroom; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala
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Covered in wall painting by Rogán, The Whimsical Garden bedroom houses bed from Gulmohar Lane, bedding from Cottons and Satins, dresser from Be Vintage and carpet from Jaipur Rugs; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala
Furniture from Be Vintage and lamp by MGM Design Studio render the study corner in the Whimsical Garden bedroom; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala
The balcony sports a customised swing and furniture by Vaidehi, ceramic and terracotta planters by Mudberry Studio; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

Loved this pastel paradise? Then check out Many moods of summer—A Gurugram apartment by The Concreate Story that is reminiscent of French-style homes