Muted tones speak loud in this spacious Mumbai home that feels like a warm hug

Hues of golden rays bounce off the soft, neutral tones in this quaint studio apartment located in the premier neighbourhood of Mahalaxmi, Mumbai. This 2,200 sq ft space designed by Kshiti Shah, Principal Architect, KSD Studio offers its owners a quiet abode away from the city’s hubbub. 

While Shah maintains the freedom of space that the owners asked for, the muted tones she uses here envelope one in a snug blanket.

The Curious Brief

“The client had chosen the apartment for its ceiling height and openness. They wanted us to make the apartment look larger,” says Kshiti.

And so, with her army of two, Rishi Pathak and Anshuli Kadam, she decided to move the existing kitchen space to the staff’s quarters and converted the kitchen into an open study room. Reimagining the corners of this dwelling, Kshiti astutely transferred her design intellect through appealing visuals, where open expanses are as crucial as the utility of each room.

The apartment’s two balconies on either side of the living and dining room behold the Mumbai skyline as the fresh air and sunlight calmly gush in to voyage the home. 

Tour of every turn of the home

As you enter, tall wooden-frame windows adorn the wall and lush plants line the corridor to build a cosy, scenic foyer. A long corridor branches into a bedroom, kitchen, and powder bathroom before reaching the heart of the home, the living, study and dining room.

Sliding glass doors glide to the side to break the divide between the study and dining rooms.. The uniformity in the versatility of the soft colour palette blends the two areas beautifully. Black pottery and stylistic lamps sit in unison to give the room a blend of the traditional and modern.

“We believe in using materials in its true state so we used lime-based plaster and crushed stone for walls,” says Kshiti.

The architect leverages the apartment’s high ceilings with hanging lights to give it a sense of openness. An abstract painting with mauve undertones towers over the dining area to complement the subtlety of wooden exhibits and gives the room a pop of colour.

Under a simple design umbrella, each room has its own essence. The master bedroom resembles the warm evening sky with its subtle shades of dusty pink and purple. The architect’s spirited addition of urbane geometric panelling that embosses the wall texture further adds to the room’s overall look. While the grandparents’ room harbours dangling wooden almirahs and fabric-sandwiched glass to accompany the soft white tones of the room.

Ideas to Bookmark

The home embraces a mix of rural and urban imagery. Its muted tones and use of stone, wood and other natural materials blend into the dwelling’s urban symmetric patterns. The raw sustainable materials are balanced with polished marble and sleek metal designs in different parts of the home.

While the foyer holds the attention and passes off an entrancing, lasting impression, the rest of the home maintains its unwavering appeal, too. An open dining creates the illusion of a larger home while tall bookshelves accommodate contrasting colours of authentic exhibits creating a sight of wonder. And the balconies might just be the perfect place to enjoy a cup of hot chocolate. 

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