Splashes of bling on a limited material and colour palette craft this Mumbai home by We Design Studio

When spoken about timeless design, most of the time a neutral palette and clean lines make their way in our brains, while opulence renders images of lustre and gleam. Evincing a balance of both, We Design Studio crafts this 3,300 sq ft home in the upmarket locality of Juhu.

This duplex apartment in Mumbai houses a joint family of 8 people, where each floor of 1,650  sq ft each is allotted to a brother and his family. “The clients wanted a strong visual element that connected both floors and a strong cohesive identity for the home,” says Nupur Shah and Saahil Parikh, Principal Architects of We Design Studio.

Tour every turn of this home

One enters the apartment on the upper floor through a private lift lobby. The long central space holds the living area, dining area and staircase. It anchors the four bedrooms, two on either side. The layouts are identical on both floors.  

Beige and pastel pink tones swathe the living room with grey cutting through. Wood accents across all the furniture pieces complement the palette. The bedrooms are no different. With the comfort of beige, calm of wood, a pop of colour and quirk of artworks, each bedroom becomes one with the home yet holds on to its own identity.

The staircase leads to the lower central area which is used as an entertainment space and houses a bar. “The staircase was the most challenging as it was retro-fitted and not something that came with the apartment. It was carefully planned to ensure optimum riser to tread ratio. It stands out as a strong visual element since it is finished in recycled Burma teak,” explains the designer duo.

Brass shines throughout the house and brings the right amount of grandeur. Nupur and Saahil elaborate, “We have worked with a lot of brass in this home, which is new to the practice. The bar cabinet on the lower floor has been constructed entirely out of brass and is a strong design feature. The railing on the staircase is also made of pure brass.”

Ideas to bookmark—colours and materials

The floor and walls of the home have been finished in shades of grey with all cabinetry finished in a light coloured veneer. Each bathroom has been treated differently to break away from the cohesive colour palette. The light neutral colours feel timeless and allow for accents and highlights.

The designer’s conclude by expressing their design philosophy. “As a studio, we have always believed in ascetic simplicity. We like working with a limited material and colour palette for each project and that drives the core design philosophy. The use of clean, bold planes is a signature to the practice and are experienced in every space within the residence.”

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