“A space where contemporary Indian art and global design classics feel right at home.”

The stormy greys of the Arabian Sea crash into the mercurial blues of the Mumbai sky. This dramatic view is framed in nearly every window of the 44th-floor apartment. The sea has remained a happy constant in the life of Neelima Bajaj and Aditya Swamy. Pavitra Rajaram designed the first home they moved into as newlyweds, which also overlooked the bay. Fifteen years later, they approached Pavitra and PRD once again to create a space that would grow and evolve with their young family. The couple’s home reflects their love for contemporary design, art and technology, and, at every corner, the sea.

Hand-dyed ombre sheer curtains waft the colours of the sea into the living room, where custom furniture from Pinakin Patel Studio sets a cool, contemporary tone. Natural textures and colours abound with hand-knotted carpets from Jaipur Rugs, silk ajrakh cushions and Sanganeri hand-printed, vegetable-dyed cushions.

For Pavitra, the apartment was an irresistible design challenge. Equipped with the latest in home automation systems, the space required a tech-forward visual perspective. Neelima and Aditya wanted a home with clean, modern lines that still exuded warmth and character. For the project, PRD also advised the couple on contemporary art and built an exciting collection of South Asian paintings, sculpture, installations and digital art for them.

In the powder bathroom, a custom-made brass mirror underlines the warmth and richness of the Kanha wallpaper from Anne French.

A Manjunath Kamath painting commands the dining room, its lines echoed in the contours of the art deco mirror custom-designed by PRD. Over the poured concrete table-top, hand-carved marble lights by Rooshad Shroff takes centre stage. On the console, Vikram Goyal table lamps with raw silk lampshades cast a soft glow.

Obsidian black Italian marble floors and stark white walls create a striking contrast for such statement pieces as the Pollen table and Profile sofa from Roche Bobois. Apart from the global design classics, the home also features one-of-a-kind pieces of Indian craftsmanship, like the cement-top dining table over which Rooshad Shroff’s carved marble lights create a dramatic modern silhouette. The finest of contemporary Indian design is showcased in the furniture and accessories. Custom pieces by Pinakin Design Studio were mixed in with chairs from Phantom Hands and accessorised with hand-crafted finds from Atelier Ashiesh Shah and Sanjay Garg of Raw Mango. In the family room, a somber palette is raised to the sublime with Aneeth Arora’s tile design for FCML, inspired by the telia rumal textile tradition from Andhra Pradesh.

In the family room, tiles created by Aneeth Arora for FCML India lay out the timeless ikat pattern of the telia rumal in a wonderfully contemporary grey-and-white scheme. Organic textures flow in with the leather chair from Roche Bobois Paris, jute rug from Jaipur rugs and undyed natural linen cushion covers from Saphed. A striking storm of colours descends through the work of Sri Lankan artist Kingsley Gunatillake

The bedroom is imagined in natural shades like coffee, sienna and tobacco, layered through handblocked fabric from Iqrup + Ritz, woven silk curtains from Heartland collection by Sabyasachi from Nilaya produced by PRD and a woodcut print by artist Soghra Khurasani.

To help Neelima and Aditya create an art collection that would speak to their eclectic, wide-ranging perspective, Pavitra selected works by South Asian artists from the diaspora. These include digital art by Indian-American visual artist Yamini Nayar, painted photographs by the French-Sri Lankan artist Vasantha Loganathan and a ceramic installation by Bangladeshi-British artist Lubna Chowdhary. There are contemplative abstracts like those by Sohan Qadri and Samir Aich, as well as the more profuse brilliance of artists like Manjunath Kamath and Sri Lankan-born Kingsley Gunatillake. These are grounded with the more elemental visions of Soghra Khorasani’s woodcut prints and Gond artist Rajendra Shyam’s breathtaking tiger painting.

The guest bedroom is layered with cosy neutrals, from the sensuous fabric of the handwoven Bhujodi blanket by master craftsman Shyamji Vankar to the delicate detailing on the cushions from brands like Nicobar, Nomad97 India and Saphed. The glint of the brass table lamps from Iqrup & Ritz match those in the glowing eyes of the Gond tigers by artist Rajendra Kumar.

The son's bedroom is filled with the colours and forms of his own vivid imagination: the carpet by Jaipur Rugs and sheer curtains are customised from original artworks by Aarav. The cheery safari theme continues through the cushions from Toile Indienne and Nomad97 India.

What makes a home are those little personalised touches that carry the imprint of the people living in it. For this project, PRD was able to bring a very high level of customisation into everything from the fabrics to the décor. The sheer linen curtains in the living room were dip-dyed by hand in indigo to match the colours of the sky and sea outside. For the couple’s young son bedroom, the carpet by Jaipur Rugs and sheer curtains were customised with his colourful original artworks.

In the master bedroom, a Pinakin Patel Studio bed with a charcoal headboard provides a handsome backdrop to an intricately embroidered Suzani throw and geometric printed cushions.

Custom-made outdoor furniture in seasoned burma teak surrounds the marble bar in the balcony both of which were custom made for the project.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY

Talib Chitalwala

“A space where contemporary Indian art and global design classics feel right at home.”

Serai