Rohini Bagla's clients, a South Indian family, requested a home that would serve as a reflection of their culture. Contemporising the suggestion, Rohini stayed away from heavy wooden carvings or Tanjore paintings. In her understanding of the brief, wooden columns recalling South Indian architecture have been used liberally in the home — at the periphery of the intersection between rooms and balconies and as posts for beds. Except that these columns are slim, scaled down to be appropriate for the size of the apartment, without being overbearing or in-your-face. More of the south is recalled by brass touches, used as surface accents on furniture, or standalone accessories. “The family had a large collection of artefacts,” says Rohini.
Throughout the apartment, doors were repositioned to increase functionality. The design of this home in Mumbai straddles traditional and contemporary, with classic mouldings at ceiling level, skirtings which contrast with walls, and borders on floors. “In each room, the inlaid borders on the floor have been created by us to provide a personalised touch,” says Rohini. Bed-backs are arched, padded, and layered in an old-world sensibility which adds visual interest. The walls are clad with a wainscoting till waist-height, a touch which doesn’t see frequent use in contemporary design. The colour palette has calm, muted earth tones, with no pops of colour or contrasting accents.
“When we started working on the design, the apartment was in a dilapidated condition, with all the balconies already enclosed.” In Rohini’s design, the balcony of the living room has been reinstated, now housing a sit-out and a bar. Within, limewash-finished textured walls add a subtle depth to the space.
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Since the dining area had little natural light, Rohini toyed with the idea of pulling down the wall separating it from the kitchen. “The kitchen had a large window from which light pours in,” she says, “but I had second thoughts about the sight, sound, and odour of heavy-duty traditional Indian cooking being constantly on display. That would not have been a sensible decision. An alternative was to make a window in the wall, with a shutter which can be opened or shut as required. This turned out to be a good compromise,” she says. “In my practice, I never block off windows.”
In the master bedroom, the wall behind the bed bears a botanical wallpaper with palm trees, creating a tropical vibe. As in the living room, the balcony is now a delineated space, separated by large sliding doors in glass. The large plant it houses appears to be a three-dimensional extension of the print on the wallpaper. An arched, padded headboard flanked by columns adheres to the imagery of the home. Sage green trim on the bed linen echoes the green on the wallpaper.
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In the daughter’s room, boho-chic prevails. With sizable touches of blue uplifting the ambience and giving the space a young vibe, the wall behind the bed has an asymmetrical CNC pattern in relief, depicting leaves and flowers. The ubiquitous pillars flank the headboard, while the top of the study table slides down one end to create a shelf for knick knacks. At floor level, the customised borders and skirting add a personal touch.
In addition to hints of the south, this client was very keen that his parents’ room should be ‘the best in the home.’ “This was his way of giving back to them…and our endeavour appears to have paid off, because the feedback from several guests at the house-warming noted the effort we had put into this space,” says Rohini. The swing which they wanted has been installed near the window and has an easily adjustable backrest, so the user can choose whether to face the room or look out of the window. The art on the wall behind the comfortably upholstered headboard has brass accents, a nod to the aesthetics of the south. Their en-suite bath has a combination of terrazzo and subway tiles.
As part of the other non-negotiables, the clients were cognisant of the fact that three generations would be living together in this home in Mumbai, so varying needs had to be met. “I think we fulfilled their wish-list,” says Rohini.
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