Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: This Actress's Mumbai Nest is Glamorous Yet Homely
Vibrant, welcoming and filled to the brim with fascinating 'glocal' finds, actress Monica Bedi's home is far from mainstream
Home is where the heart is and Mumbai-based actress Monica Bedi’s was in Europe, where she grew up. Comfort, functionality and an international vibe are what she desired in her new house’s design. When interior designer Priyanka P. Mehra of PS Design came on board, she persuaded Bedi to bring in traditional Indian elements as well, “as the home needed to match local sensibilities too. Hence, we created a neo-classical interior with influences from both cultures,” Mehra says.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Monica Bedi, her mother and three pets
Location: Mumbai
Year built: 2016
Size: 92 square metres (1000 square feet); 2 bedrooms; 3 bathrooms
Architectural designer: Priyanka P. Mehra of PS Design
Photos by Sebastian Zachariah
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Monica Bedi, her mother and three pets
Location: Mumbai
Year built: 2016
Size: 92 square metres (1000 square feet); 2 bedrooms; 3 bathrooms
Architectural designer: Priyanka P. Mehra of PS Design
Photos by Sebastian Zachariah
“The shell of the home is white and beige and we have used wood-finished floor tiles in most areas to bring in a European look,” Mehra says. Bright colours are introduced through accessories, wallpapers and rugs. “The living room is a playful combination of colours,” Mehra says. The walls are mostly painted, except the feature one, which is finished in wallpaper.
Tiles: Cerdisa; Lights from Viya Home and Anemos
Tiles: Cerdisa; Lights from Viya Home and Anemos
“The furniture in the living room is kept to a minimum. We have also done this intentionally because Monica’s mother walks with the help of a walker and needs enough space to move around. A balcony overlooks the living room, ensuring that the interiors are well-lit throughout the day,” Mehra says.
One wall of the living room has a TV mounted on it and has been given different treatment. “This was a challenging exercise as the idea was to create a backdrop which would hold the television, spark intrigue in terms of texture and not clash with the feature wall next to it. So, we took wooden, printed blocks of various shapes and sizes, made a collage out of those and then painted them white,” Mehra says.
The far end of the living room has a study-cum-home-office on one side and a dining area on the other. “The biggest challenge of designing smaller apartments is the shortage of storage space. We needed to address this issue and make sure the apartment looked and felt spacious and breezy. The wall unit behind Monica’s study was designed as a storage space to hold her files, crockery, portraits and awards,” Mehra says.
In the dining area, a small table leaves enough walking space around it. “We created a hidden compartment below the dining sofa to keep other essentials,” Mehra says.
Light: Flame of the Forest from Viya Home
Light: Flame of the Forest from Viya Home
“The kitchen behind the dining area is sleek and functional. The cabinets are finished in white polyurethane (PU), while the splashback is a vibrant blue,” Mehra says.
Splashback paint: Asian Paints
Splashback paint: Asian Paints
A red-and-gold powder room is situated opposite to the dining area. “It features a customised sandstone basin, red mosaic wall cladding and gold wallpaper that reaches till the ceiling. A vintage light from chor bazaar is hung in one corner,” Mehra says.
Tiles: Bisazza; mirror: Apartment 9; wallpaper: Elementto Wallcoverings
Tiles: Bisazza; mirror: Apartment 9; wallpaper: Elementto Wallcoverings
Adjacent to the quaint powder room is Monica’s room. “The master bedroom is done up in shades of pink, where the wallpaper takes centre stage. Pink accents can be seen on the headboard as well as on other accessories. The base of the entire room is white, in terms of the bed linen, cabinets and flooring,” Mehra says.
The colour scheme of Monica’s bedroom continues into the master bathroom too, with pink-and-gold mosaic. “The area features white cabinets and has a basin customised in Corian,” says Mehra.
Next to the master bedroom is Monica’s mother’s room. Finished in subtle shades of yellow and white, the room has a textured wall behind the bed and a closet finished in white duco.
“I always feel that the client’s personality must reflect in their home. This house was transformed into a comfortable space with lots of understated glamour – it’s an extension of how Monica really is,” Mehra concludes.
Headboard fabric: Sarita Handa; limited edition paintings: Datta Bansode; wall paint: Asian Paints
Also read:
Houzz Tour: This Actor’s Getaway is Anything But Conventional
Houzz Tour: Actor Irrfan Khan’s Mumbai Home Has an Eclectic Sizzle
Tell us:
What did you like most about this apartment? Tell us in Comments below.
“I always feel that the client’s personality must reflect in their home. This house was transformed into a comfortable space with lots of understated glamour – it’s an extension of how Monica really is,” Mehra concludes.
Headboard fabric: Sarita Handa; limited edition paintings: Datta Bansode; wall paint: Asian Paints
Also read:
Houzz Tour: This Actor’s Getaway is Anything But Conventional
Houzz Tour: Actor Irrfan Khan’s Mumbai Home Has an Eclectic Sizzle
Tell us:
What did you like most about this apartment? Tell us in Comments below.
As one enters the living area, the large feature wall behind the sofa immediately catches the eye. It showcases quirky framed accessories like an oversized vintage Indian key, pop art illustrations and a cow wall mural, among others – all this is presented against a beige, textured background. “The wall is the life of the house. Some pieces were Monica’s own and some others we brought together from India and abroad. Since the space was limited and I had only this wall to experiment with, we kept it central to the design of the home. Also, keeping in tune with the theme, are specially sourced curios on the centre and side tables and a distressed wooden unit on the right that unfolds as a bar,” Mehra says.
Limited edition prints: Sameer Kulavoor and Sarita Handa; bar unit: Viya Home; some accessories: CellarDoor, Sidewalks of the World, Apartment 9 and Chor Bazaar, the flea market in Mumbai