孟买高档公寓室内设计丨Rohit Bhoite

Motifs, memorabilia, and hints of colour breathe new life into this upscale Mumbai apartment

Interior designer Rohit Bhoite’s eclectic approach brings back art deco sophistication in a big way

Shristi Singh

Binisha Mehta

Casa Novo

Almost everything in this vibrant dwelling was designed from scratch

“A client with fine taste and an active social life needed a house designed to match the same,” says designer Rohit Bhoite who took over an old family home in Mumbai's western borough, and flipped it into a strikingly stylish apartment for its newlywed inhabitants. With great expectations and even greater social calendars, the husband-wife duo—a businessman and a casting director—found a little bit of themselves reflected in the 4,500-square-feet of pure “symmetry, pattern, and style.” Safe to say, the project largely succeeded in what it set out to achieve.

Celebrating the Old and the New

“Since this project was about striking a balance between old and new, nothing ready-made would fit in. So we ended up customising most of the furniture and a few lights,” says Bhoite. Right off the bat, he was tasked with revamping armchairs that belonged to the client's grandfather. Once re-carved, repainted and reupholstered, they became absolute statement pieces symbolic of its designer's makeover philosophy. “The first idea that popped in my head that did justice to both, the vintage furniture and the modern taste of the clients, was ‘eclectic',” he adds, remarking on the use of urban cement textured walls, brass detailing, and chic fabrics.

The materials and forms, reminiscent of art deco sophistication, can be spotted throughout what was originally two separate houses, later combined to accommodate three bedrooms, a home office, and a walk-in wardrobe. There was also a need for a captivating common area that would set the tone for the rest of the home, large enough to comfortably hold the occasional soiree or two. “Keeping in mind the client's lifestyle, we made a grand living space to entertain a large number of guests,” avers Bhoite.

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Colour Me Impressed

“The main canvas of each room is very neutral, either grey or white, which is then offset by all the detailing and edging done in black to make it bold and elegant,” notes Bhoite. The monochrome patterning is only ever disturbed by a delightful burst of soft and solid colours alike. One moves from the more saturated (and thus, instantly arresting) blues and yellows in the living room, to a peculiar albeit exciting pairing of white and blue for the kitchen, which, according to Bhoite “is highly unconventional...however, we ensured that it mixed into the set up well.”

The colours, however, grow less stark as one moves towards the study that sports a sofa with blush pink fabrics, or the bedrooms showcasing coral and pastel effects. “There is a similar design language in the same house with a slight difference with the help of fabrics, textures, and materials,” all sourced from uncommon vendors and all synonymous with the Urban Chic experience.

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Patterns and Motifs

At first, and every glance after, it can be said that one of the more distinct recurring themes, is recurrence itself. Repetition—in and of form—is quite literally the key to realising Bhoite's art deco ambitions. With “geometry being the focal point of this project...clear design frames, clean linework and definitive shapes” take over the spaces they inhabit, as evident by the seamlessly well-conceived checkerboard backsplash, striped wall decor, and the art and carpeting.

Not one to shy away from drama (especially with a casting director for a client), Bhoite added subtle decor elements that spoke volumes. A singular clapperboard is perched atop a desk, black and white photographs line the wall above, while a lighting fixture that looks like it was picked up right off of a movie set shines down from the corner. One way or another, each motif lends a sense of cinema to the otherwise muted atmosphere of the home office.

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