A page from a painter’s book: This Mumbai home by Essajees Atelier is vibrant and vivid

Whether it’s the fisher boats at dawn or the super cars on Sunday; the cotton candy on marine drive or the galleries in Kala Ghoda; the clothes on Colaba Causeway or the graffiti in Bandra; Mumbai is filled with colours. While there is a trend for homes to shy away from vibrant hues, this 4,200 sq ft abode in Prabhadevi echoes the many colours of Mumbai with sheer sophistication. Designed by Sarah Sham of Essajees Atelier, this bare-shell duplex looks on to the sea, with bold colours and finesse. “The client has an open and easy energy, and she wanted a space that reflected this,” explains Sarah. 

Mumbai’s melange 

Home to a family of 4, each space has a distinct character and shows the experimental angle that the designers have taken on. One enters into a foyer where a sculptural staircase steals the show. Curved, it features a blue band enhancing its shape, and drawing the eyes upward toward the delicate paper lights hanging between. The blue, clearly an ode to the city’s coastline, can be seen in traces across the home. In the foyer, it is seen in the seats of the chairs. In the living room, it takes the form of a sofa. The dining room chairs don this deep blue too, and in the study it wraps the walls, albeit with a green tinge. As one goes up the stairs, the same hues can be seen on the shelves and the curtains of the home lounge. In the upstairs dining area, a textured blue wall reminds one of the waves crashing outside. Taking a modern turn, one of the bathrooms features a patterned blue floor. 

While the connotation of grey skies and concrete towers is usually negative, it is something that has become synonymous to Mumbai and these hues are championed in this home in a positive sense. The first floor features a cloudy grey marble, which is the perfect backdrop to the experimentation of colour seen in the furniture, walls and art.

The bedrooms draw away ever so slightly from the bold colours. The guest bedroom and daughter’s room take an earthy turn. The son’s bedroom features a geometric wallpaper in shades of grey that tie to the bold blue in the rest of the house. Simple and classic, the master bedroom bathes in a blue that we wish the city’s skies were every day. With a four poster bed and a patterned wooden floor, the room has everything one could wish for. 

Truly tying the home together are the artworks – they portray a range of shades that could very well be an abstract representation of the city. “We were very blessed that after a long time, we had a client who was absolutely not afraid of colour, which gave us the freedom to use different colours and textures in every space,” explains Sarah. 

This home stands as a vibrant testament to the assemblage of colours that are the essence of the city. From the vivid hues of the streets to the blues of the coastline. Designed to perfection by Essajees Atelier, the home brings together serenity with experimentation. While taking heavy inspiration from the city, it is an ideal respite from the city too.