Mumbai Houzz: A Modern, Crisp Flat in a Heritage Building

Gleaming custom finishes, whimsical artworks and space-boosting ideas rule in this home designed by Essajees Atelier

Aditi Sharma Maheshwari3 January 2019

Blogger, dog mom

A newly married couple wanted to move into this home located in an old heritage building in Mumbai. Their dream was to reside inside a classic contemporary space – one that highlighted the Art Deco vibe of the building, yet looked modern. For their first home together, they sought the help of designer Sarah Sham of Essajees Atelier. “This project is very close to my heart because it was the first time I was dealing with a completely bare shell site. The home used to be an office that was in a very shabby condition. When I walked into the site there were no walls, no plumbing, no ceiling electricals – literally nothing. We got a chance to create this entire space from scratch and even plan out what room we wanted to be what size,” Sham says.

Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A newly married couple
Location: Mumbai
Year built: 2017
Size: 125 square metres (1349 square feet); 2 bedrooms; 3 bathrooms
Interior designer: Sarah Sham of Essajees Atelier

Photos by Kunal Bhatia

Essajees Atelier

The entrance door of this top floor home is painted in Duco grey, “accentuated with classic contemporary details like brass lettering and moulding. We also custom-designed the handle in brass and crystal,” Sham says.

Essajees Atelier

The entrance passage is a serene neutral space accentuated with glittering elements – a wall-to-wall mirror and antique pieces. “We had leftover marble from when we had laid out the living room, so we added a brass patti design on it and made the flooring. We then did a mirror panelling to make the passage look larger and curved the ceiling in an arch to add drama. All the doors of the home are finished in Duco to add a classic contemporary vibe,” says Sham. The console table was brought in from the client’s previous home.

Here’s how to maximise tiny passageways

Essajees Atelier

The pristine white shell of this living room is punctuated by pastel hues. Artworks and ornate lighting dot the area. “We accentuated the living room by picking up from the pink veins in the marble floor. So, we custom-dyed cotton velvet fabric for the sofas, to match the flooring. The wall art was sourced from Black Crow Studios,” Sham says. The chandeliers were a gift from the client’s mother, brought in from her old ancestral home.

Accessories: Jonathan Adler; carpet: The Weaver; paint: Asian Paints; wall art: Black Crow Studios

Essajees Atelier

The dining room is a slim, compact space, furnished with powder blue chairs and a large console. “We added the same mirror panelling as in the passageway here, to give the illusion of a larger space,” Sham says.

Dining table and chairs: Palace Collection by Adil Ahmed; artworks: Etsy

Essajees Atelier

This kitchen’s checkerboard flooring complements the brown and black kitchen. “This is a Ballerina kitchen from Germany. The countertop is in black Corian that extends onto the backsplash seamlessly,” says Sham.

Kitchen: Ballerina Kitchen from Grandeur Interiors; appliances: Siemens

Essajees Atelier

Next to the living room is the powder room – a dynamic space that sports 3D-style tiles from Bharat Flooring & Tiles, and granite flooring. “I love the use of black-and-white tiles. which is a complete break from the rest of the house. We also custom-made a neon sign which the clients had seen in Berlin – a signage of a male and female holding hands. We made the sink in Corian,” Sham says.

Flooring: Bharat Floorings & Tiles

See these powder rooms from contemporary Indian homes

Essajees Atelier

The master bedroom is awash in soothing tones of white and blue. The long vertical stripes on the wall give the illusion of more height. “For the bedding, we specially got the clients’ initials monogrammed on the Indian cotton sheets. We also laid out a herringbone wooden flooring here, to give the room a unique character,” says Sham.

Wallpaper: Ralph Lauren from Cottons and Satins; bedding: Blueberry Home; flooring: Squarefoot; artworks: Etsy

Essajees Atelier

Next to the bed is a walk-in closet, custom-made with Duco finish and moulding. Against the white storage, the brass details stand out.

Consider these custom details for your walk-in closets

Essajees Atelier

The serene master bathroom follows the tones of the rest of the house. The statuario marble flooring and walls get a dose of contrast thanks to the green frosted glass shower doors. “We specially designed his and her vanity counters and also created a built-in space for the washing machine,” says Sham.

Sanitaryware: Aquant

Read more:
Mumbai Houzz Before & After: Warm Tones, Clean Lines Transform a Flat

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