A bespoke modern sanctuary in Mumbai

Kavan Shah Design Studio employs a selection of fine materials to craft a gorgeous, modern and contemplative home.  

Curated by: Deepa Nair
Photographs: Kuber Shah; courtesy Kavan Shah Design Studio

The brief

A bare shell spanning 1,800 square feet with floor to ceiling glass facing the Arabian Sea and the Mumbai cityscape… forms the description of the site interior designer Kavan Shah first walked into before it was transformed into a stunning and peaceful sanctuary. The clients wanted their home to be a refuge from the maddening chaos of the city; and assigned the studio to create an environment that goes beyond surface treatments by inscribing contemplative experiences into the physical form.

The design intent

“The project presented a peculiar opportunity to reflect and re-conceive the notion of home as a cradle of belonging, in spite of it not being lived in on the daily. The theme finds its grounds in an antithesis of dialogues, minimalistically warm and luxuriously understated,” says Kavan. “Design to me, is always about a balance. It’s about the yin and the yang. It’s about the elevated being pulled down with something that feels a little more artisanal with the touch of a hand. The design is a culmination of an everlasting and uninhibited dialogue with the dwellers, and it is a leisurely journey into their reminiscences and aspirations,” he adds. This home is a reinterpretation of classical references with a modern sensibility. The final product is a near-ideal extension of the studio’s processes and values — a tailored place that offers its residents something special.

The design and material details

Inside the home’s light-filled entrance is the open and free-flowing living, dining, a guest bedroom, a master bedroom and a kitchen. The floor-to-ceiling windows framing the lush cityscape outside has fostered a strong connection to where they belong. One enters the living room (placed on the left) through a passage; while the dining is tucked into a pocket on the right just before the guest bedroom. Each space is designed with its own identity, including the entry, featuring marble inlay flooring and a custom circular table with a dramatic brass base. With an oversized mesh pendant light hanging above.

A glass partition defines the perimeter of the main dining area layered with a monochrome tropical theme wallpaper and an elongated black dining table with green fabric on its chair to strike a strong contrast. The guest bedroom features a light beige rough limestone texture and cane, with bathroom walls showcasing leaf imprints for texture. The master bedroom supports a monochrome palette with a large eye-catching metal pillow installed above the headrest.

Fact fie

Project: Modern Sanctuary
Clients: Nishit Gupta and Saloni Saraf
Location: Worli, Mumbai
Area: 1,800 sq ft
Principal designer: Kavan Shah
Design team: Disha Shah