Homes

Vishakha Dholakia of S.Alt Studio concocts a family home and a party pad for her sister in Mumbai

SEP 26, 2023 | By Shriti Das
a black and white artwork from Raju T offers contrast to the sofa set from Eichholtz, carpet from Jaipur Rugs, vibrant cushions from Anthropologie, set of four artworks by Manohar Rathod and sheer curtains from S.ALT x Shades of India; Photography by Fabien Charuau
The corridor with custom marble inlay by S.ALT Studio in collaboration with NITCO leads the way from the lobby into the private areas of the sublime home; Photography by Fabien Charuau
The master bedroom foyer showcases an armchair by S.ALT Atelier and a side table from West Elm. Large Thrive planters, Havwoods flooring and rug from Shaw Carpets adds a tropical vibe to the room. Windows from Reynaers are accented with sheer curtains from S.ALT X Shades of India; Photography by Fabien Charuau
Flanked by views of the city, the master bedroom features a wooden flooring from Havwoods, bed and a side table from S.ALT Atelier and furnishings from S.ALT X Shades India enclosed by windows from Reynaers Aluminium. Tucked away behind the bed is a workspace with a desk and a chair; Photography by Fabien Charuau
Havwoods wooden flooring in the walk-in closet of the master bedroom with a pouffe from S.ALT Atelier and dresser light from Milan Bano, Firefly Lighting. It opens up to the bath area with a view of Maximum City. Sanitary fixtures in the attached bathroom are from Hansgrohe and C. Bhogilal Westend; Photography by Fabien Charuau

Here’s the thing about siblings, they could be best friends or arch rivals, but there’s nothing that a pair of resolute siblings cannot accomplish, all with a story to tell. Three decades ago, Vishakha Dholakia’s elder sister, who was studying medicine at the time, remarked that her younger sibling should study architecture. Because “she looked the part!”

Cut to the present day, the prophecy stands true as Vishakha walks us through her sister’s expansive home in Mumbai, the third that she has designed for ‘Diddee’, as she fondly calls her. “For me, this house was my own baby, it was like designing my own house,” she declares. Vishakha helms the boutique architecture and design firm in S.Alt Atelier with partner Muninder Chowdhry.

Indoor plants along with a mix of art, antiques from Paris and collectibles find their right place in the home. A curved sofa atop carpet from Jaipur Rugs draws visual movement in the living room. A cylindrical chandelier illuminates the sleek dining table and pink chairs from S.ALT Atelier. Metal rug art from Richa Arya of Space 118 on the wall forms the focal point; Photography by Fabien Charuau

Both were also the face and brains behind the popular series Small Budget Big Makeover. But unlike a typical project, this one had no brief! “That’s part of the reason why the home has turned out the way it has. Our design direction was user-based. We knew their lifestyle and schedule and had to work around the same,” says Vishakha. The 5880 sq ft space as it stands today is an amalgamation of two standalone apartments that combine the best of disparate worlds.

The living room is crafted to captivate the user by virtue of its circulation and colour palette. A black centre table from S.ALT Atelier alongside a black and white artwork from Raju T offers contrast to the sofa set from Eichholtz, carpet from Jaipur Rugs, vibrant cushions from Anthropologie, set of four artworks by Manohar Rathod and sheer curtains from S.ALT x Shades of India; Photography by Fabien Charuau

On one hand, the home had to be an abode for a family of five — the sister and her partner, their two children and an elderly mother. One the other, it also had a core function to host large gatherings since the couple enjoys entertaining. The individual flats were stripped to their bare skeleton and recalibrated to create a residence that is warm and familiar with a sense of belonging. But it is also engaging and impressive in a way that it can hold together a crowd of 200 effortlessly.

Upon entering the apartment, an entrance foyer splits the layout in distinct public and private areas. The public area, as the name suggests, is privy to the parties with a living, dining and a bar area alongside the kitchen and gendered powder bathrooms. Vishakha adds, “My sister is obsessed with keeping the men’s and women’s bathrooms separate. Men are messy and she did not want them in there!”

Beyond the specific requirements, the space is devised to keep the user engrossed and occupied in a nonchalant and unobvious way. It is easy to miss that the structure turns at an acute angle owing to the furniture arrangement. Here, Muninder steps in and summarises, “A clean rectangular seating system would have been boring and predictable. The curved sofa leads your eye to its silhouette and suddenly there is visual movement and you are invested in the space. What happens is if your mind is going to take a little time to really understand how the space is working you’ll be constantly engaged.”

As the space turns, it reveals a bar that is designed as a multifunctional element. It is a breakfast area, a coffee bar, and even used for important meetings because once the shutters to the bar are closed, it looks like a regular cabinet.

A bronze statuette of Vishnu from Bali forms a rustic backdrop to the dining area with a console from S.Alt Studio; Photography by Fabien Charuau

 

A cylindrical chandelier illuminates the sleek dining table and pink chairs from S.ALT Atelier. Metal rug art from Richa Arya of Space 118 on the wall forms the focal point; Photography by Fabien Charuau

 

Curved sofa and armchair from S.Alt Studio in collaboration with Shades of India and bar stools from The Charcoal Project; Photography by Fabien Charuau

What goes unnoticed is that the bar has a little sink, a trash can, a fridge, an ice-box; all seamlessly built within the unit. It only helps that the large floor-to- ceiling window overlooking the Arabian Sea brings in a phenomenal view with natural light. “Lighting is crucial to interiors,” asserts Vishakha. The master bedroom, children’s rooms and the mother’s room, located at the opposite end of the home, are planned to bring in ample light. She continues, “The house is about the outside as much as it is about the inside. We brought in the greens because homes in Mumbai are smaller and cannot afford big open spaces. So by consciously adding more indoor plants, we aim to bring in happiness and cheer. The user cannot put their finger on it, but they are happier.”

A souvenir of the owners’ travels alongside a collection of decor pieces find the right place in this home; Photography by Fabien Charuau

The colour and material palette too, are unobtrusive but extensively detailed. The bases are neutral. A greyish floor might seem dangerously dull but owing to the abundant light, it feels large and expansive. “We did not want anything popping or garnering all the attention. There is colour, but none of it is in your line of vision. We played with the textural quality of things on the floors, walls and furniture. And then interventions like the mirror at the dining area just opened up the space,” says Vishakha. And while the floor plan and functions were planned meticulously on the drawing board, many elements have been driven by instinct.

“After working for 25-30 years you intellectualise less and trust your intuition and experience over the years,” say the couple. Which is also perhaps why the mix of art, antiques and collectibles from over the world seem to find just the right balance. A painting from Bali, statuettes from Bhubaneswar, some art from exhibitions in Paris; all have found their rightful place in the house.

“We travel a lot and often find these pieces on our little adventures. My sister wants to know where it will go, how it will be used. I like to go with the flow. I tell her, don’t think, just take it. And she takes it,” Vishakha adds. While Vishakha takes the lead in all things design, Muninder is quick to mention that Diddee’s the final word for his lady, “We all make fun of her because she will ask for everyone’s opinions but finally go by her sister’s advice. Why even ask!”

A multifunctional element, the bar serves as a breakfast area, coffee bar and even for important meetings once the cabinet shutters are closed; Photography by Fabien Charuau

 

The women’s powder room features a marble basin and a grey console from S.ALT Atelier. Set against a tropical backdrop, mirror art from S.ALT atelier, sleek lights and complementing sanitary elements create regalia in this room; Photography by Fabien Charuau

 

The men’s powder room has a custom marble mosaic floor by S.ALT Atelier in collaboration with NITCO. The marble basin is from S.ALT Atelier too. A black side table from IAAH and art by Charmi Gada Shah flanks the outside wall; Photography by Fabien Charuau

But in the case of this house, Vishakha believes that she bulldozed through the decisions, a luxury she cannot afford in conventional projects. When asked if they both ever want the same things, she is quick to quip, “Often yes, but often no. But we survived happily.”

You may also like: In Surat, three coves become one in a palatial design endeavour by Neogenesis+Studi0261