Lifestyle

In just one and a half months, designer Zara Eisa art directed Jawaani Jaaneman actor Alaya F's 1,200-square-foot dream home in Mumbai’s northern suburbs. It is this home that has frequently appeared as the setting from which Alaya F broadcasts her life on social media: yoga reels, pre-party glam shots, sweet selfies in solitude. Perhaps it was that overexposure that triggered her desire for a design refresh. Earlier this year, she reached out to interior designer Zara Eisa to art direct her home so it better aligned with her idea of the big roles that even small spaces can play—in this case, an apartment that is home, office and filming location rolled into one. Creative Director: Vidhi Balasaria Producer: Harshita Nayyar Digital Editor: Harleen Kalsi Production Agency: Kinetic Stories Cinematographer: Bhavish Dhanwani (via production agency) Editor: Kushagra Tiwaree (via production agency)

Sonam Kapoor’s Mumbai home is a magnificent layering of Tanjore paintings, Naga panels, Rajasthani jalis, zardozi embroideries and beyond. Along with AD100 designer Kavita Singh, she composes a love song to the decorative arts of India. Director/Editor: Piya Pahwa DOP: Chirag Sadhnani Producer: Harshita Nayyar Styling: Nikhil Mansata Creative Direction: Dhun Cordo and Nikhil Mansata Interior Styling: Samir Wadekar Fashion Assistant: Roshni Sukhlecha Hair: Hiral Bhatia Make-up: Namrata Soni Florals: Manisha Pamnani

Jaaved's recent move to Bandra is inspired by sentimental reverence, not just for the coastal suburb but also for his two elder children, Meezaan and Alaviaa. He says, “Earlier my problem with Bandra was that, with the amount of construction everywhere, buildings are situated amusingly close together where you can open the door and ask for a cup of sugar. But when I saw this place I just fell in love’’. After hours of discussion and brainstorming, his succinct brief to Kush Bhayani of KULx Studio was to create a space with minimal sophistication. “Warm, natural, eclectic.’’ And so, Kush designed a home that hangs heavy with history…a mature, expansive twin of his family home with Mediterranean design ethos. Directed by: Piya Pahwa Produced by: Talib Chitalwala and Nidhi Panicker Videography: Rohit Mendiratta (@thematterstudio_) Words: Harleen Kalsi

Virat Kohli unwinds at his wellness-chic and tech-savvy holiday home in Alibag, brought to life by globally acclaimed architects at SAOTA, led by Phillippe Fouché. Although this conscious preacher of wellness and slow living didn’t just choose any property to call home in the coastal town, he handpicked Avās Living, a community centered around a holistic luxury lifestyle, started by founder and CEO Aditya Kilachand. While being outdoors and within the vicinity of nature soothes Virat, it’s the Avās app integrated with wellness technology features such as circadian lighting, gas leak detectors, and advanced air and water filtration, among others, that truly makes him happy. “One thing that makes spending time here easy is the Avās app, which more or less organises everything for me. It gives me a customised dashboard of all the things I need while I’m here. My favourite feature is home automation.’’ That’s understandable.

With plenty of natural light, indoor plants and a controlled colour palette, Ananya Panday’s 1,100-square-foot apartment has been designed by Gauri Khan as a light and breezy space— one that feels very calming!

Sonakshi Sinha’s 4,000-square-foot Mumbai home is an embodiment of understated luxury. The idea of creating multifunctional spaces tailored to Sinha’s lifestyle was at the heart of reD Architects’ creative process. An airy four-bedroom apartment was duly transformed into a 1.5 bedroom home complete with an art studio, a yoga area, a dedicated dressing room, and a walk-in wardrobe overlooking the sea. Sliding walls, Murphy beds, and automated screens allow the actor to continually adapt her home to fit her every requirement. “Rajiv and Ekta have done a fantastic job of getting my vibe right,” a satisfied Sinha (@aslisona) tells us. Visuals Editor: Harshita Nayyar Directed and Edited by: Piya Pahwa Videography: Rohit Mendiratta Words: Nuriyah Johar

Designer Rutuja Tulsulkar’s take on best friend and actor Mithila Palkar’s Dadar abode is a thorough labour of love.

With personally curated art and emblems of her childhood, Aahana Kumra's home, designed by Shireen Mahna, is at once trad and tony. For Kumra, the home is a manifestation twenty years in the making, and one that nods equally to her Lucknowi roots and her life in Mumbai. "There are whiffs of Kashmir, London and Delhi too. It's a collection of all my favourite places," she says, adding that the vision was largely informed by English design, because "I travel a lot to London". But really, as I step inside, what strikes me isn't the English-ness at all, but rather the glimmers of India that peep through the pastels.