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Houzz Tour: Deft Design and Clean Lines Make This Mumbai Home Shine
A tone-on-tone colour scheme coupled with mirrored panels magnifies natural light and space in this cosy apartment
When compact spaces follow a minimalist decor, clever design solutions are an imperative. Founder Kumpal Vaid of the Purple Backyard manages to achieve just that for the owners of this cosy Mumbai apartment. “They asked for a minimalist-style home that has a tinge of international flavour to it,” says designer Kumpal Vaid. To make the house look bigger and brighter, Vaid plays with different textures and shades of white throughout the house. She further maximises the space by cleverly concealing storage in custom-built furniture, as well as making key design changes, such as replacing a solid wall in the living area with full-length mirrored shutters to amplify natural light.
The wife travels frequently between London and Mumbai on business and wanted the home to reflect a more international aesthetic. “They preferred to have wooden flooring, but didn’t want to go with the traditional brown tone,” says Vaid. “We thus framed the living and dining rooms in grey laminated wooden floor boards.”
A grey couch with teak legs further complements the floor. However, Vaid breaks the monotony of light tones by introducing warm colours through two digital ballerina prints that have a touch of red and mustard.
Just like storage, there wasn’t much scope for seating in the space. Vaid clads the window ledge in cushioning, making room for some extra seats.
Sofa; custom-made by Red Blue & Yellow.
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A grey couch with teak legs further complements the floor. However, Vaid breaks the monotony of light tones by introducing warm colours through two digital ballerina prints that have a touch of red and mustard.
Just like storage, there wasn’t much scope for seating in the space. Vaid clads the window ledge in cushioning, making room for some extra seats.
Sofa; custom-made by Red Blue & Yellow.
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In the original layout, the dining area was a dark corner. To aid cross ventilation and magnify light, the wall between the kitchen and the dining room was knocked down and replaced by three sliding shutters covered in mirror panels. Vaid expounds, “This way natural light filters in through both sides. To keep the space pleasant to the eyes, we also used single-toned materials in different textures. The dining area exudes a subtle elegance with a suspended light fixture being the only standout.”
Browse through more dining room images
Browse through more dining room images
In a compact space, using multi-utility furniture or pieces that are collapsible is a boon. This home too makes the most of the custom-made four-seater dining table, which can be expanded when needed. “As we didn’t have any storage or console here, we designed the table to extend on one side to incorporate more seats or double as a serving unit when guests come over,” she says.
The guest bedroom continues in the minimalist style but with retro accents, such as a tripod light and a red metallic accent table, instead of the usual symmetrical side tables. “As a studio, we like to think of every element and not just the bigger components like the wardrobe and the bed. It is everything that makes a space – paintings and soft furnishings too. These styling elements are what add character and personality, transforming a house into a home,” she explains.
The wardrobe shutters perfectly blend the minimalist and retro styles. Although inspired by patterns found on cupboards in the ‘70s, the shutters are washed in a single light-grey tone.
Apart from a few accent pieces and the bedroom essentials, the space is kept spartan. The only art showcased is what the owners have picked up on their travels.
Apart from a few accent pieces and the bedroom essentials, the space is kept spartan. The only art showcased is what the owners have picked up on their travels.
To maintain the volume in the master bedroom, Vaid opts for a fabric bed and customised side tables in white lacquer to blend into the wall, while lights in silver beaten metal add a touch of glamour. “The wife is a big fan of Marilyn Monroe,” says the designer, “so we personalised the space with a pop-art graphic of the iconic movie star above the bed.”
Plain white shutters with no detailing seamlessly merge a full-length wardrobe with the walls of this room. “There is no drama on the outside. The drama happens when you slide open the cupboard and move from light tones to the teak laminate inside. This also brings warmth into the room,” says Vaid.
The third bedroom has been converted into a home office. “From the printer to the electrical sockets that are neatly tucked away, we specially designed a study table that incorporated all they needed in one place,” says Vaid. “To further give the space a premium office feel, we coupled the table with an elegant industrial-styled lamp. On the opposite side is a restored old bookcase that houses all her books and knick-knacks.”
Instead of wallpaper, of which the owners are not fans, Vaid completes the room with a subtle accent wall painted in a striped pattern.
Read more:
Houzz Tour: The Villa Life in a Mumbai Apartment
Houzz Tour: Contemporary Meets Classical in This Hyderabad Home
Tell us:
What do you like most about this house? Comment below.
Instead of wallpaper, of which the owners are not fans, Vaid completes the room with a subtle accent wall painted in a striped pattern.
Read more:
Houzz Tour: The Villa Life in a Mumbai Apartment
Houzz Tour: Contemporary Meets Classical in This Hyderabad Home
Tell us:
What do you like most about this house? Comment below.
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Who lives here: A young couple
Location: Goregaon East, Mumbai
Size: 305 square metres apartment; two bedrooms; a study
Interior designer: Kumpal Vaid of Purple Backyard
“For me, this project, where I had to create a minimalist, uncluttered space, was a dream come true,” says the designer. “Given that it is a city home, few people would opt for a minimalist decor. However, the young couple was clear that they wanted a space that was uplifting and had a white-and-grey colour palette.”
An example of unique design solutions used in this space is the hemispherical table made from Corian with a teak veneer top. Instead of lining the walls with cabinets, which would defeat the minimalist look, Vaid has created innovative storage, like that inside the centre table. “I had to think of smarter ways to incorporate storage that didn’t look heavy on the eye and which was stylish at the same time,” says the designer.