AD100 2025: Most stylish homes

ns*a Architecture and Interiors, Mumbai

Shruti Jalan, Neesha Alwani

Project in focus: A heritage bungalow in Mumbai with a timeless façade and interiors. The enchanting wooden staircases, balconies, and even the repurposed horse stable that now serves as a garage offer a journey back in time. It’s a delicate balance between heritage and modernity, where the enduring values and craftsmanship of the past meet the evolving needs of the present.

Upcoming projects: Restoration and interiors of a British colonial bungalow in Ooty; a boutique hotel in Panchgani; interiors of a wellness centre in Alibag; a nursing college in Panvel.

Material you’re obsessed with: Exposed brick

Philosophy: “A wonderful blend of functionality, aesthetics, and a profound connection to the human experience, the environment, and the essence of belonging.”

Iram Sultan Design Studio, Gurugram

Iram Sultan

Project in focus: A home in Delhi designed for young clients who are avid art collectors. It opens with a perforated jali; the interiors are peppered with their quirky and eye-catching collectibles. Adventurous in their choices, their vision is reflected through the colour scheme, placement of art, and the overall aesthetics. “For this home, we also did a fun lighting experiment, designed with Vis à vis.”

Upcoming projects: Several projects in different Indian cities; a few new projects with repeat clients.

Material you’re obsessed with: Parchment

Philosophy: “Happy spaces! A sense of comfort, warmth, oodles of joy and a sense of belonging. That is the end goal of most of the spaces we design.”

Rajiv Saini + Associates, Mumbai

Rajiv Saini

Project in focus: A duplex in Mumbai where the art brings the space to life. Spread across 8,000 square feet, the home comprises five bedrooms, besides the living, dining, study, and large entertainment room. The clients, who lived in the same building on a lower floor, had their eyes on this penthouse for a few years and finally got their dream home.

Upcoming projects: An apartment in London; holiday homes in Aamby Valley and Pawna, Maharashtra; flats in Mumbai high-rises; family homes in Delhi, Hyderabad and Chennai.

Materials you’re obsessed with: Parchment and paper.

Philosophy: “To imbue spaces with a certain mood or emotion that stems from long conversations and discussions with clients. Always context driven.”

reD Architects, Mumbai

Rajiv Parekh, Ekta Parekh, Maithili Raut

Project in focus: A triplex penthouse in Mumbai that reimagines a 5-bedroom layout into a 3.5-bedroom home. The lower level features terrazzo floors, versatile living and dining spaces, and a reconfigured kitchen for seamless functionality. One of the project’s highlights is a perforated metal staircase that connects all levels, leading to private zones upstairs and a terrace with a lap pool, shaded seating, and dining areas.

Upcoming projects: A boutique resort property for Postcard Hotels in collaboration with Iram Sultan Design Studio, a residential bungalow in Lonavala with Ashiesh Shah, and another bungalow in Hyderabad with Neterwala Aibara | Interior Architects. The team is also working on a flagship fashion store for a couture brand in a heritage building, a celebrity home in Goa, and a celebrity office in Bandra.

Materials you’re obsessed with: Natural pigments that can be seamlessly applied across all surfaces—walls, floors, ceilings and furniture—while exploring various sealing methods to ensure they age gracefully.

Philosophy: “We have strived hard as a practice to not get slotted in a specific niche and believe ourselves to be pure designers—not limited by typology or scale. We pride ourselves in designing anything from the most minuscule hinge, which would play a pivotal role in the way some project feature functions, to setting out the master plan for a 100-acre educational campus. Hence, the practice is multidisciplinary, involving product design, interior design, architectural, and urban design. The process and approach towards each is equally rigorous and comprehensive.”

The Orange Lane, Mumbai

Shabnam Gupta

Project in Focus: Designed for a young couple and their little boy, The Slow Life Villa is a retreat from the hectic life they lead in the city. The layout is inspired by traditional Indian homes, with a central courtyard (with a fountain) open to the sky. The living, dining, and private spaces all open into this courtyard, yet at the same time, ensure privacy for those who want it.

Upcoming Projects: Two farmhouses in Alibag; a large house in Uksan, Kamshet; regional two-floor restaurant in Himachal Pradesh; Lifestyle retail in Goa; restaurants and villas across India and UAE.

Materials you’re obsessed with: Tribal fabric and vintage textiles.

Philosophy: “Great design isn’t just about shaping spaces—it’s about shaping lives. The belief here is that truly exceptional design is cohesive, transformative, and always centred on people. It’s not just about aesthetics; it’s about a work ethic that places human needs above everything else, with function leading the way before form.”

Vinita Chaitanya, Bengaluru

Vinita Chaitanya

Project in focus: This project began with the shell of a mansion that had a grand scale. After understanding the clients’ lifestyle of being in the business of high-end realty and luxury residences, this 20,000-square-foot residence was transformed into a glamourous art deco home that still had contemporary elements. The house is dramatic with bold wallpaper and fabric choices, masterful inlays, and intricate marble details.

Upcoming Projects: HNI mansions; luxury penthouse apartments.

Materials you’re obsessed with: Wood and luxe finishes in wallpaper.

Philosophy: “Try and create something unique and meaningful in every project.”

ZZ ARCHITECTS, Mumbai

Zubin Zainuddin, Krupa Zubin

Project in focus: A multigenerational family home in Kerala that explores the charm of understated design, with vernacular aesthetics and sensibilities. The courtyard-based plan has been derived from researching traditional homes. It features a subtle structure, with an emphasis on enhancing the tropical living experience. The countryside house’s personality is based on rhythmic repetitions and the graphic trait of the coverings with local materials.

Material you’re obsessed with: Stone.

Philosophy: “To follow a bespoke and intimate process to discover each client’s personal style.”

Annkur Khosla Design Studio, Mumbai

Annkur Khosla

Project in focus: A double-height home in the heart of Mumbai, inspired by gothic architecture, interpreted in a neo-gothic stylistic identity. The archways on both sides of the double-height space allow light to pour in and also juxtapose the window systems externally. Artworks and vibrant furnishings infuse colours into its sombre interiors.

Upcoming projects: A massive villa in Alibag; Earth Cafe in an art deco building in Mumbai.

Materials you’re obsessed with: Textured cementitious walls in a matte finish.

Philosophy: “To create soulful and meaningful spaces with immense thought to design and detail, and challenge to push the envelope with every project.”

Cormac Lynch, Mumbai

Cormac Lynch

Project in focus: A contemporary high-rise Mumbai apartment, designed in collaboration with Karishma Bajaj of Black Projects. The style of the home is modern yet warm. It has flat ceilings and pared-down wall elevations with subtle detailing that accentuates the owner’s art collection. The colour scheme is also muted with accents of moss green and blue to create a soothing ambience.

Upcoming projects: A traditional house and garden in Jaipur with lots of details and accents.

Materials you’re obsessed with: Moire or watered silk.

Philosophy: “I feel that an interior should have a character and should always feel individualistic. I love to work with every style—Georgian, minimalism, art deco, contemporary—that’s what keeps things interesting for me.”

Iqrup Design, Delhi

Ritika Dhamija, Iqrup Dhamija

Project in focus: A private residence in London spanning two buildings just off the prestigious Onslow Square. This three-bedroom apartment is a lateral flat with east- and west-facing views, featuring floor-to-ceiling French windows on both sides. The apartment was completely gutted and renovated to maximize space and light, with the addition of new flooring, fireplaces, bathrooms, and a modern kitchen. The owner’s eclectic collection of antiques is juxtaposed with Indian textiles and heritage prints.

Upcoming projects: A holiday home in Greece; an apartment in London; and homes in Jaipur, Kanpur, and Assam.

Materials you’re obsessed with: Antique French tapestries

Philosophy: “Enjoying every moment of the creative process, embracing spontaneity and experimentation, and allowing ideas to evolve naturally.”

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