Houzz Tours
Mumbai Houzz: This Compact 2-BHK Flat Is a Lesson in Mix & Match
A cosy apartment combines modern, floral, rustic and vintage elements to form a colourful sanctum
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their young son
Location: Mumbai
Year built: 2017
Size: 100 square metres carpet area (1076 square feet); 2 bedrooms, each with an attached balcony; 2 bathrooms.
Architectural and interior designer: Rahul Mistri, founder and principal architect, Open Atelier Mumbai
Awards: International A’Design Awards 2018, Italy
Photos by Prashant Bhat Photography
Desiring to escape the chaos of city life, the clients wanted their home to be a calm retreat. Rahul Mistri, founder and principal architect, Open Atelier Mumbai, says, “The clients wanted delicately treated and thoughtful spaces. Unique decorative details had to be explored to enable the apartment to burst with character. The entire design scheme has been influenced by flowers and their colours in sync with the overall eclectic décor.”
Who lives here: A couple and their young son
Location: Mumbai
Year built: 2017
Size: 100 square metres carpet area (1076 square feet); 2 bedrooms, each with an attached balcony; 2 bathrooms.
Architectural and interior designer: Rahul Mistri, founder and principal architect, Open Atelier Mumbai
Awards: International A’Design Awards 2018, Italy
Photos by Prashant Bhat Photography
Desiring to escape the chaos of city life, the clients wanted their home to be a calm retreat. Rahul Mistri, founder and principal architect, Open Atelier Mumbai, says, “The clients wanted delicately treated and thoughtful spaces. Unique decorative details had to be explored to enable the apartment to burst with character. The entire design scheme has been influenced by flowers and their colours in sync with the overall eclectic décor.”
One can see how the floral theme has been incorporated into the decor right from the entrance. “A carefully chosen square ornamental door handle with a floral design in wood makes a statement right as you walk in,” Mistri says. The entryway features a rustic brick wall that extends into the home, becoming the focal point. A large wood-framed mirror with floral embellishments opens up the corridor that leads to semi-open-plan kitchen and the living room beyond it. The grey-and-white floral-patterned cement flooring adds visual interest to the home.

The brick-walled entrance leads into the living room, where a hand-painted mural brings the space to life. “The vibrant colours of the artwork are manifested in the interiors and get reflected in the decor through layered textures and other playful art,” Mistri says. Merging modern and vintage elements, the living room displays a varied material palette. One side features a ribbed wood wall with a modern grey sofa. The other side features French-inspired armchairs, with floral-patterned upholstery and distressed paint framework, placed in front of a white wall with picture-frame mouldings and subtle floral embellishments.
Wall mural by artist Rutuja Padwal
Wall mural by artist Rutuja Padwal
“The living room does not have a provision for an entertainment unit as the space was intended to be calm and peaceful,” Mistri says. Tall wood-framed folding windows lead to an adjoining balcony where a vertical garden covers an entire wall. Simple wrought-iron and wood outdoor furniture keeps this space comfortable.
Coming back to the semi-open-plan kitchen, a dining area has been fashioned from the white kitchen island that cleverly separates the kitchen from the living room. “Different forms of the black pendant lights with exposed filament bulbs are combined above the counter to illuminate this space, with statement chairs in black metal,” Mistri says. Glossy cabinets in dusty blue add an element of colour. The patterned floor tiles have also been used in the backsplash above the white kitchen counter that is finished in solid quartz.
Kitchen fixtures: chimney and oven by Siemens, hardware by Hettich
Kitchen fixtures: chimney and oven by Siemens, hardware by Hettich
Leading to the bedrooms on the other end of the living room is a corridor that houses a floor-to-ceiling wall unit filled with books and curios. “Crafted in mild steel, the frame weighs about 800 kilograms. This warm yellow-orange structure raises the ceiling visually and becomes a star element,” Mistri says. The bedroom doors are clad in veneer and finished in matte-polished melamine.
“The bluish-purple wall colour of the master bedroom is inspired from the Krishna kamal flower, with contrasting yellow-toned, wood veneer,” Mistri says. The parquet flooring features dark wood panels laid in a herringbone pattern, while the window wall is clad with the same wood veneer that wraps around the room and the door, ending in the sleek angular table. Recessed lights in the ceiling, under the pelmet and behind the headboard illuminate the room. Softening the look are an upholstered bed and study chair in charcoal grey.
The bathroom displays an interesting layout, with the space extending into a walk-in closet on one end, separated by a glass door. Creating visual continuity, both areas feature the same herringbone-patterned parquet flooring as the bedroom. Textured stone wall tiles and wooden cabinetry lend the bathroom a neutral palette with a warm finish.
Bathroom fixtures by Grohe, Kohler and TOTO.
Bathroom fixtures by Grohe, Kohler and TOTO.
“The young son’s bedroom has been designed to be a flexible space,” Mistri says. The entire length of one wall holds a structure that houses a pull-down bed, wardrobes, storage and a reading nook. When the bed is tucked away during the day, the room opens out with ample floor space for playtime. The engineered wood Kaya Kuku flooring planks by Square Foot, as well as the ceiling panels, are laid in a brick or offset pattern. Recessed lights dot the ceiling and alcoves in the wall unit as well as hidden in the pelmet. “We chose a powerful grey and yellow combination for this room with the printed curtains adding visual interest,” Mistri concludes.
Read more:
Mumbai Houzz: A Tiny Studio Apartment Makes the Most of Its Space
Mumbai Houzz: A 900 Sq Ft Colaba Home Gets a Retro Makeover
Tell us:
What did you like most about this home? Tell us in Comments below.
Read more:
Mumbai Houzz: A Tiny Studio Apartment Makes the Most of Its Space
Mumbai Houzz: A 900 Sq Ft Colaba Home Gets a Retro Makeover
Tell us:
What did you like most about this home? Tell us in Comments below.