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    Mrudul Pathak Kundu, Editor of ELLE Decor India, reveals her home office

    JUN 20, 2020 | By ELLE Decoration network
    (L-R) Near Mrudul—resting on geometric patterned floor from Bharat Floorings and Tiles—is a side table holding a hand painted cabinet door by yesteryear Bollywood poster artists, terracotta bottles by Mitticool and candle by No-Mad; A stack of Architecture for the People by BV Doshi, The Annotated Godfather by Jenny M Jones and a porcelain votive light by Bernardaud sit on an Iqrup + Ritz marble side table; My actual desk features linographs made by children, an illustration of a Lisbon street gifted by a dear friend along with my notebooks and the FollowMe lamp from Marset

    A fine arts graduate from Vadodara’s MS University, Mrudul has played a key part in shaping the magazine for the last 19 years. While her love for art and design are a given—her favourite being the Birth of Venus by Botticelli—she is also an ardent world cinema watcher and enjoys cooking nostalgia-inducing food with recipes that have now become family heirlooms.

    How have you set the mood to work efficiently from home?
    I start my day by listening to and reciting shlokas for 10 minutes, which have a calming effect, followed by a lightly brewed Darjeeling tea.

    What is your greatest inspiration?
    I am inspired by nature and small, random acts of kindness that I come across in my daily life.

     Your most treasured possessions…
    Drawings and models of dragons and aeroplanes made from milk cartons by now-teenage son Nishaad.

    Your current favourite design object…
    A simple and functional water bottle in copper. And my Apple watch, a gift from my brother.

    A movie you’d happily watch over and over again…
    Can’t pick one—Amélie, Erin Brockovich, Forrest Gump, Notting Hill, The Godfather and The Lord of the Rings trilogy!

    Your all-time favourite architect…
    BV Doshi, who is an institution in himself. As an architect, urban planner, and educator, he’s been instrumental in shaping the discourse of design and architecture in India. I had the honour of walking through his home Kamala House for an ELLE DECOR photoshoot, and had the chance to collaborate with him and his granddaughter Khushnu on many occasions! Internationally, architect Michel Rojkind from Mexico comes to mind. His approach to architecture and urban planning goes beyond mere functionality, extending to experiences at a deeper level. He builds to positively impact our society and environment.

    A promising product designer from India to watch out for…
    Hard to choose one but I would name Kunaal Kyhaan Seolekar, Rooshad Shroff, Saif Faisal, Vritima Wadhwa and Mangrove Collective.

    Once the travel ban is lifted, where would you first travel to?
    The ancient town of Orchha in Madhya Pradesh. It is famous for the striking spires and domes of the city’s temples, which contrast against the Betwa river’s peaceful waters.

    Scroll below to see images from her home

    On my desk: Portable lamp by Marset, above my No-Mad diary is a spectacle case I bought from The Prado Museum that features Hieronymus Bosch’s The Garden of Earthly Delights. The two books are Paths Unchartered by BV Doshi and Oh Those Parsis by Bergis Desai
    Chikki, my favourite snack! Jaggery and roasted peanuts, healthy and yummy
    In every other corner of my home, you will find these little creatures made from used cardboards or cartons by my teenage son…. Can get a bit messy but I don’t mind it
    Street view: Copper pods in full bloom near my house