In praise of abundance in Mumbai

Enter a home by DesignHex that goes beyond the minimal to deliver verdant maximalism

29 Apr 2026

The beauty of maximalism lies in its refusal to repeat itself. It is deeply personal, an expression shaped by a surplus of choices rather than limitations. In India, where culture seeps effortlessly into the way we live and decorate, maximalism has long been an intuitive design language. Roof for 37, a 2,000 sq ft home in Navi Mumbai, embraces this ethos with remarkable clarity, layering taste and personality into every corner without tipping into incoherent excess.

Designed by Shimona Bhansali of DesignHex, the space is envisioned as a richly expressive den for a family of four, along with two huskies, a cat and a chorus of thirty exotic birds. It is a self-contained ecosystem, alive with movement, colour and character.

A mythical sanctuary

Perched close to the hills, the home sees sunlight filter through foliage and settle gently across its many textures. A metallic kale green threads its way through the home, reappearing in varied intensities across rooms. In the living area, this palette shifts with the sun — soft olive to deeper forest tones — absorbing and reflecting light much like the underbelly of a monsoon cloud.

Layers of texture, pattern and colour unfold across the space, decorated by custom furniture that feels like a natural extension of this sanctuary. At its centre, a table inspired by mountain foliage helps dictate the ambience, while a bespoke arched artwork replaces the conventional TV wall, lending the room a distinctly narrative design language. Adjacent to this setup, a retro-inflected bar channels the mood of a 1980s speakeasy, complete with rounded marble edges, open shelving and niches for collected curios.

The dining space takes on a more composed rhythm with an eight-seater marble-topped table on brass legs framed by chairs embroidered with avian motifs, while a carved white console evokes the permanence of fossilised forms. Overhead, a creeper-like chandelier draws the eye, tying together a space that makes it ornamental. The kitchen, meanwhile, softens the palette with pastel green cabinetry set against Moroccan blue walls that peek through in contrast.

Light drifts across green patina surfaces, wrapping the room in a cool, contemplative atmosphere; Photography by Abhishek Sawant

The entry to master reveals sneakily the homage to the scenic beauty of the outside world; Photography by Abhishek Sawant

Echoing the outdoor ecosystem

The master bedroom unfolds like a sensorial retreat. A sculptural, mountain-inspired headboard rises like a topographic form, while parquet flooring captures light in shifting, almost tidal patterns. Painted birds echo the aviary just beyond the window, and a stingray-inspired luminaire casts a warm, diffused glow. Blush-toned mouldings and tasselled drapery lend the space a soft theatricality without overwhelming it. Elsewhere, the den emerges as a playful third space as a cartographic wallpaper enlivens the room, offset by a bright yellow sofa that feels like a deliberate misfit.

The guest bedroom is more restrained, dressed in a palette of white, green and gold, where ornamentation finds a home per usual. The children’s room leans fully into whimsy, with an abstract pastel landscape, twin beds and study areas designed to mirror the imagination of its young inhabitants. It reads somewhere like a toy shop fantasy and a life-sized dollhouse.

At every turn, the home reveals something of its inhabitants. It is expressive, layered, coherent and refreshingly free from the monotony that defines many contemporary interiors.