This Home in Mumbai Displays a Whimsical Melange of Elements

Designed by Mumbai-based Studio Tab, this home is a interesting mix of eclectic elements and colours

The home in the tony suburb of Mumbai was designed for a young family. “The family didn’t want a space that was dipped in perfection,” says Rahul Menon, Chief Architect, co-founder, Studio Tab. The owners desired an eclectic space that was full of colours and textures. A space that was not intimidating but inviting. A tactile space that invited human intervention. Rahul and Ojas, the other half of the Mumbai-based studio delivered just that — a home bursting with colours, quirky elements, and most importantly, a home that had its own character.

The owners wanted a dynamic space where their kids could explore and learn. Rahul and Ojas worked on a design that was not just dynamic, but intriguing as well.  It keeps one guessing about what’s to come next. It’s a 2500sqft home, but it seems much larger. Thanks to the judicious planning implemented by the architects. The living room is divided into formal and informal settings. The red couch from Baro holds your attention, but there’s a lot more about this space than the obviously visible details.  The living room opens into a gorgeous terrace, with a central water body, the tinted lime plaster wall, the blue bench …and the quirky sculpture.

A linear wooden bookshelf flanks an entire wall, but what makes it interesting is the dynamic circular shelf in the centre. The architects wanted to make the space as intriguing for the children as it is interesting for the adults. The colours and the textural palette, all encourage the young ones to interact with the house with absolutely no restrictions.  The living room extends into the dining and the kitchen. The architects used clever spatial demarcations for different zones. Instead of using wall partitions or any sort of vertical partitions, the architects resorted to patterned flooring. For instance the kitchen and the living room sport patterns, while the rest of the house showcases a subtle concrete flooring. The palette of colours and materials is so distinct, yet it all comes together to weave together one cohesive narrative.

The master bedroom too follows the simple, clean narrative, devoid of any unwanted additions. But the architects have been generous with colours, the teal wall as the backdrop to the bed, and the mustard yellow for the study, are welcome additions.

In the living room, a fully-stocked bar is neatly tucked behind the sofa wall. The bar elegantly slides out to reveal a bar table, bar stools, and of course, the bar cabinet.

The owners didn’t want the children to be confined to their own rooms, hence the master bedroom opens out to the kids’ room via sliding doors enabling a much larger space for the kids to interact and play with the parents. The chalkboard wall in their room encourages them to explore their creativity.

“The home isn’t a showpiece, on the contrary it has been designed to grow with the kids, where the wood will age, the lime colours will evolve, the concrete will react to weathering changes and the dyes will discolour. It’s a home that celebrates imperfections and a free spirit,” concludes Menon.