Living inside an art gallery: This Mumbai home by SAV Architecture + Design is a true example of art seeping into city dens

There’s something quite liberating about painting a perfectly white, flawless canvas that becomes a window to a unique perspective into art and its beauty. Amita Kulkarni and Vikrant Tike, Founders, SAV Architecture + Design, embraced this compelling sentiment when they designed a sumptuous 5,000 sq ft home in the unhurried locale of South Mumbai.

Three homes mingle together to take shape as one expansive space. While white as a colour stays the foundation of the home, Amita and Vikrant splashed generous touches of rich colours, textures, bold pieces of furniture, scultptures and artworks that materialise against the snow-white walls to emulate the mood of an art gallery like no other.

The curious brief

Golden rays of sun gush into the apartment, bouncing off the flawless white walls. “Having worked with the clients for their house in Goa we wanted to design their apartment as an open plan white gallery-like experiential spaces that connect constantly to nature, bringing in a filtered sunlight, recreating an atmosphere characteristic of bungalows or houses,” reveals the duo.

Here, one instantly sees an emphasis on art, architecture and merging outdoors with indoors. Seamless grey terrazzo floors run across the home while a magnificent gold-lined reflective pool awaits as the next pitstop. 

Tour every turn of the home

Tall, customised plants welcome guests at the entrance as the consoles blend with the beautiful architectural lines of the home. The entryway seems to dramatically unwrap the allure of the sublime cove as it easily leads into the horizontally capacious living spaces with plenty of natural light. The white petal-like ceilings, in-situ brass floor inlays, and dynamic lights create a sense of fluidity within the rooms.

Vikrant and Amita adroitly orchestrate the open floor plan to cascade faultlessly. Soft corners meet dynamic decor and interior choices, exuding a sense of theatrics. Lush foliage peeps through the tall glass windows, peering at the curved grey sofa in the living room. Shades of grey, although subtle, sit gracefully against the white walls.

The duo doesn’t try to conceal the columns between the living and dining rooms. Instead, the walls are fused into the interior design as fluid spatial divisions to add a dash of flair to the home.

Between the two living areas, the dining table alone is enough to add a pop of colour to the quarters. Voluminous, fluffy chairs upholstered with bright powder puff pink velvet gather around a matching pink dining table in the centre. An array of pearl chandeliers suspends above, adding soft grandiosity to the modern moodboard. 

A bold bespoke crimson piano draws attention as it perches by the glass windows. The monochromatic palette of the room breaks with the electric red piano as a grey lounge couches next to it. 

A customised, comfortable bar unit by Valcucine elevates the chic vibe of the informal living room. A touch sensor opens secret receding doors to display the majestic array of accessories like tall glass bottles and stylish matte black wine glasses. A tall, open Terrazzo bar console rises seamlessly for some special bar tricks for guests, making it the go-to room for gatherings.

Natural elements enter the apartment with the urban patio. Lush tropical vegetation nestles the large inset balcony with folding doors in a canopy of large green leaves. The much-needed outdoor breathing space comes alive in the form of a comfortable seating area with bold black and white, garden-style furniture. Tall candle holders and a photo-framed gallery wall accessorise the room, maintaining uniformity in the interiors.

Rajasthani artisans expertly craft the in-situ gold mosaic of the elegant pool. A white, hand-crafted teardrop sculpture hovers over it like a halo as light streams into the room through tall glass windows. The elliptical pool brings a safe, meditative experience to the dwelling, isolated from the hustle of Mumbai, making it perfect for informal conversations.  

Ideas to bookmark

It’s paradoxical how this fluid mix of living spaces that resembles a long art gallery is the art itself. Its choice of a sculptural red piano, the Italian terrazzo bar console, and textured rugs are illustrations of the central role of art in the home.  

The walls are dressed with beautiful paintings from various Indian artists or artists inspired by Indian heritage to bridge the gap between international and Indian. Artists such as Saad Qureshi, Shruti Mahajan, Mayank Goyal and Manish Nai contribute to the home’s beauty with their works.

The indoor amphitheatre with its meditative reflective pool stands as an artwork of its own. Rajasthani artists lent their prowess and handworked on the in-situ gold mosaic in the pool area. “Designed as a white teardrop sculpture that hovers on a gold lined reflective pool, the amphitheatre/gallery space allows oneself to reflect and relax, have informal conversations on the steps and bridges art, architecture and interior seamlessly as one meditative experience,” sums up the creative duo at SAV Architecture + Design.

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