Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: An Art Deco Mumbai Home Gets a Sublime Makeover
From its muted colour scheme and clean lines, you'd never guess this contemporary styled apartment was located in a heritage building
Renovation projects in heritage buildings pose quite the design challenge for any architect, as it usually means that the original structure cannot be tampered with. This was precisely the situation faced by architect couple Tiran Driver and Nicola Gerber of FUSIONstudio, when they decided to refurbish their 1930s apartment located in a heritage Art Deco building of South Mumbai. However, through the use of contemporary design techniques and craftsmanship, the duo managed to give the space a new lease of life, while managing to retain its original features, including the doors, fanlights and windows. A natural palette of materials, muted colour tones, clean lines and a balanced lighting scheme give this city apartment an elegant and relaxed feel.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: An architect couple and their five-year-old daughter
Location: Churchgate, Mumbai, Maharashtra
Size: Approximately 111 square metres (1195 square feet) carpet area; 2 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms
Architectural designers: Nicola Gerber and Tiran Driver of FUSIONstudio
That’s interesting: This home was winner of the 2015 TRENDS Excellence Awards for Architecture & Design in the residential interiors category.
Photos by Allan Fernandes
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: An architect couple and their five-year-old daughter
Location: Churchgate, Mumbai, Maharashtra
Size: Approximately 111 square metres (1195 square feet) carpet area; 2 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms
Architectural designers: Nicola Gerber and Tiran Driver of FUSIONstudio
That’s interesting: This home was winner of the 2015 TRENDS Excellence Awards for Architecture & Design in the residential interiors category.
Photos by Allan Fernandes
Over the years, Driver and his British architect wife, Nicola Gerber, “have become veterans in negotiating cultural diversities”. “This apartment previously belonged to Tiran‘s parents, and we were living in London when we took the decision to revamp the space,” says Gerber.
The space has a contemporary style to it but subtly incorporates a number of old or traditional elements, including the two dark wooden chairs that belonged to Driver’s parents. “Although the carpets have a western aesthetic,” says Driver, “they are actually made of Indian dhurries in a mix of neutral colours.”
The front door opens into the living room. A white bookcase acts as a partition, providing privacy for when there are callers at the door. The living, dining and daughter’s room are situated behind one another on one side of the house, while the master bedroom and kitchen lie on the other side.
Look for rugs for your home in Houzz products
The space has a contemporary style to it but subtly incorporates a number of old or traditional elements, including the two dark wooden chairs that belonged to Driver’s parents. “Although the carpets have a western aesthetic,” says Driver, “they are actually made of Indian dhurries in a mix of neutral colours.”
The front door opens into the living room. A white bookcase acts as a partition, providing privacy for when there are callers at the door. The living, dining and daughter’s room are situated behind one another on one side of the house, while the master bedroom and kitchen lie on the other side.
Look for rugs for your home in Houzz products
“Keeping with the age of the building, we initially leaned towards wooden flooring,” he says, “but then decided against it, as it seemed to be a better fit on the walls.” The introduction of a tall timber-panelled wall in aged elm connects the living and dining spaces. To contrast with this wooden block, the rest of the apartment is primarily white, thus amplifying the natural light. “We’ve dubbed it the Sunshine Flat,” says Gerber.
The dining area follows a mono-tone colour scheme, with the table and chairs all in white. Gerber says, “There was no need for supplementary lighting as ample light enters the room during the day. This further gets magnified by the all-white palette.” However, they do use the Hope pendant light from LucePlan over the dining table to add a touch of glamour to the space.
See more dining room images
See more dining room images
“The cooperative housing society froze the plans of all the apartments in this building,” explains Driver. “There was no sliding glass or picture windows; no walls could be demolished nor could new doorways be created to connect the different areas. We thus had to conceptualise a design that retained the original layout of the apartment. Its original doors, windows and frames were restored, reused, and adapted to the contemporary aesthetic of the space.” Forming part of the facade, traditional exterior features such as balustrades and columns, which are visible from the balcony, thus could not be touched.
5 Ways to Live Large on a Small Balcony
5 Ways to Live Large on a Small Balcony
The daughter’s bedroom is accessible from the dining area. “As it is a corner room, it has windows running along two sides and is flooded with natural light. Thus, blinds were a must,” Gerber says. The Bombay High Court and the University Clock Tower form part of the view through these glazed windows.
To give the room a feminine and comfortable feel, pink is incorporated through a custom-made rug by Shyam Ahuja and cushions and baskets from Good Earth.
To give the room a feminine and comfortable feel, pink is incorporated through a custom-made rug by Shyam Ahuja and cushions and baskets from Good Earth.
As the bathroom is compact, white dominates the room, while a half-mirrored wall over the sink adds volume. This space is illuminated through lights hidden above and below the mirrored wall.
A corner of the master bedroom is fitted with a workspace and incorporates an award-winning shelving system from the ’60s. “It was designed by the great Dieter Rams and is still relevant today, as it offers the flexibility of creating different configurations to fit the space,” says Gerber.
The L-shaped kitchen is tucked away behind the master bedroom, but is connected to the living and dining through a corridor.
This story was first published in 2017 on Houzz India.
Read more about Mumbai apartments:
Houzz Tour: The Villa Life in a Mumbai Apartment
Houzz Tour: Deft Design and Clean Lines Make This Mumbai Home Shine
Tell us:
What did you like most about this city apartment? Share your views in Comments below.
The L-shaped kitchen is tucked away behind the master bedroom, but is connected to the living and dining through a corridor.
This story was first published in 2017 on Houzz India.
Read more about Mumbai apartments:
Houzz Tour: The Villa Life in a Mumbai Apartment
Houzz Tour: Deft Design and Clean Lines Make This Mumbai Home Shine
Tell us:
What did you like most about this city apartment? Share your views in Comments below.
The white floor, coupled with glazed interior doors and fanlights, creates a series of seamlessly interconnected domestic spaces that allow easy flow of natural light. Driver says, “Light adds character to a house. It supports the idea of space, rather than just being decoration. It has the ability to change the mood without anyone noticing.” He admits to focusing more on lighting than finishes. For instance, when in use, the Allegro pendant lamp by Foscarini casts a detailed elegant pattern on the wall, which, in itself, becomes a significant element of the room.
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