9 Must-Haves in Mumbai Homes Under 1200 Sq Ft
Discover the various design ideas that can make living in Mumbai flats comfortable, functional yet stylish
Necessity is the mother of invention. This adage comes into its own in a city like Mumbai, where small-footage homes are wedged into tall buildings. Here, we pick design elements that are common (and hence, can be termed must-haves) amongst apartments that range between 800 and 1200 square feet. From innovative tricks to maximising space to creating their own little havens of green, these home owners have perfected the art of comfortable living in an urban jungle.
The bigger the window, better the chances of letting in Mother Nature, not to mention getting a glimpse of the distant sea. Whether they are with grilles (on lower floors) or without (mostly on higher floors), these large apertures are the flats’ windows to the world, literally. This is a 1100-square-foot flat designed by Inscape Designers.
Find a designer on Houzz to make the most of your home
Find a designer on Houzz to make the most of your home
2. Breakfast counters
The dining area, with a dining table and chairs, takes a lot of space and adds bulk. Open Atelier Mumbai has done away with the whole shebang in this 1076-square-foot flat and replaced it with a breakfast bar that works as a multi-utility space
Take a tour here
The dining area, with a dining table and chairs, takes a lot of space and adds bulk. Open Atelier Mumbai has done away with the whole shebang in this 1076-square-foot flat and replaced it with a breakfast bar that works as a multi-utility space
Take a tour here
Breakfast bars double – or rather, triple – as a prep place, social hub and dining spot all rolled into one. This kitchen island designed by mybeautifulife, in a 1060-square-foot apartment, sports a high ledge accompanied by a couple of tall chairs for easy reach.
Open Atelier Mumbai set up a vertical garden on the balcony wall in a 1076-square-foot flat; it adds a refreshing touch of wholesome nature.
4. See-through partitions
Light-weight see-through partitions are ideal for Mumbai apartments that are characterised by compact rooms and open floor plans, as demonstrated in this 900-square-foot flat created by ZERO9.
Tour this house here
Light-weight see-through partitions are ideal for Mumbai apartments that are characterised by compact rooms and open floor plans, as demonstrated in this 900-square-foot flat created by ZERO9.
Tour this house here
Slatted wooden screens, crafted by SML Architects in this 807-square-foot apartment, create a boundary without completely blocking the light and ventilation between two spaces.
5. Neutral colours
Calm, neutral-toned rooms fool the eye into thinking they are larger than they are. Clearly, loc design house got that right in this 1033-square-foot apartment by using shades of off-white and grey which seem to expand the space.
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Calm, neutral-toned rooms fool the eye into thinking they are larger than they are. Clearly, loc design house got that right in this 1033-square-foot apartment by using shades of off-white and grey which seem to expand the space.
Look at more living rooms on Houzz
The trick is to add a mix of textures to keep the space from falling flat. In this 807-square-foot flat, SML Architects mixes the warm wood tones of the closets with neutral-hued but finely textured bedding to achieve a nice balance.
6. Maximising the foyer
It would be sacrilege for a Mumbai homeowner not to use every inch of available space, and that includes the hallway, no matter its size. In this home, covering 1060 square feet, designed by Sonali Shah, a tall storage unit for shoes is cleverly enclosed within the mirror-on-mirror wall that lines the entryway.
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It would be sacrilege for a Mumbai homeowner not to use every inch of available space, and that includes the hallway, no matter its size. In this home, covering 1060 square feet, designed by Sonali Shah, a tall storage unit for shoes is cleverly enclosed within the mirror-on-mirror wall that lines the entryway.
Discover the rest of the apartment
Floating cabinets in this hallway by loc design house provide storage without encroaching upon walking space, in an apartment with an area of 1033 square feet.
View more pictures of the apartment here
View more pictures of the apartment here
7. Going vertical
The compact kitchens in Mumbai apartments necessitate exploiting the often under-utilised space between the tops of cabinets and the ceiling. Inscape Designers uses every inch of the kitchen wall in this 1150-square-foot apartment to full effect.
The compact kitchens in Mumbai apartments necessitate exploiting the often under-utilised space between the tops of cabinets and the ceiling. Inscape Designers uses every inch of the kitchen wall in this 1150-square-foot apartment to full effect.
Taking the cabinets all the way up like ZERO9 did, not only maximises space but also makes the room feel higher, and hence, voluminous, as one can see in this 900-square-foot home.
Read how to maximise vertical storage in Indian apartments
Read how to maximise vertical storage in Indian apartments
8. Customised storage
Mumbai homes throw up innovative storage ideas, such as bespoke built-ins, storage nooks, and furniture tailored to exact needs that can utilise every available sliver of space. Clever, built-in storage under the bed is one such trick employed by SML Architects in this 807-square-foot home.
Look up custom furniture services on Houzz
Mumbai homes throw up innovative storage ideas, such as bespoke built-ins, storage nooks, and furniture tailored to exact needs that can utilise every available sliver of space. Clever, built-in storage under the bed is one such trick employed by SML Architects in this 807-square-foot home.
Look up custom furniture services on Houzz
When customised shelving is part of the walls, one doesn’t lose nearly as much valuable square footage. This 1076-square-foot home by Open Atelier Mumbai
shows how.
Have a look at the rest of this home
shows how.
Have a look at the rest of this home
9. Reflective surfaces
Mirrors are often used to increase the sense of space and light in a room. Other reflective surfaces include smoked glass tops or glossy kitchen cabinets. mybeautifulife applies this trick to wardrobes in a 1060-square-foot home.
Mirrors are often used to increase the sense of space and light in a room. Other reflective surfaces include smoked glass tops or glossy kitchen cabinets. mybeautifulife applies this trick to wardrobes in a 1060-square-foot home.
In this home that measures 1050 square feet, a back-painted glass on the wall has been used by Limited Edition Design Studio to full space-expanding effect due its reflective nature.
Read more:
6 Design Ideas to Steal From Most Popular Indian Bedrooms
10 Must-Have Furniture Pieces for Small Flats
Tell us:
Which of these design elements would you implement in your home? Do tell us in the Comments section.
Read more:
6 Design Ideas to Steal From Most Popular Indian Bedrooms
10 Must-Have Furniture Pieces for Small Flats
Tell us:
Which of these design elements would you implement in your home? Do tell us in the Comments section.
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Anyone who lives in Mumbai knows that to own a balcony is to own a piece of heaven – but what do you do in the absence of one? In this 900-square-foot home designed by Ravi Vazirani Design Studio, the firm has replaced a wall with windows.
See more of this flat here