APARTMENT-2102

Malabar Hill, Mumbai, 2022
Residential

With amorphous mirrors, charred wood tables and unending vistas of the sea, Outhouse Jewellery co-founder Kaabia Grewal's home, designed by Studio Hasta, holds surprises around every corner.

With two babies and several businesses, Kaabia Grewal and Rushang Shah have a thing for living life in the fast lane. (She is one half of fashion jewellery brand Outhouse Jewellery. He is a serial entrepreneur with a background in finance.) But when you enter their home at South Mumbai’s Malabar Hill, there’s nothing that alludes to the frenzy and chaos of what one might assume would come with round-the-clock adventures.

The zen-like vibe, of course, is no coincidence. After all, with Nishil Shah of Studio Hasta at the helm, the interior design was bound to take on a slow, breathe-easy spirit. "Our frequencies and aesthetic visions aligned from day one," says Shah. “Rushang is pragmatic. Kaabia is creative. Together, they're the perfect blend of left brain and right brain, so it was a collaborative effort that was lent input by everyone in equal measure.”

Situated on the top floor of a highrise, with a view of the Arabian Sea on three sides, this Mumbai home is far removed from the humdrum of the city. "The calming sea waters and natural daylight were the two main elements that governed the interior aesthetic and planning of the floor plate," says Shah, adding that the design scheme was conceived to be timeless, soothing and full of coastal-chic charm.

In an effort to give the furniture and accessories pride of place, Shah pared the shell back to a bare minimum. The original builder-grade marble flooring was retained. The walls, meanwhile, were differentiated between spaces with variously textured lime treatments: the living room, bar and dining room gained stucco finishes, the guest bedroom was refreshed in charcoal, and the primary bedroom was given a Cycladic whitewash à la Mykonos. Besides wall treatments, Shah used complementary wood grains—namely, ash, smoked oak and cane—to enliven the interior.

True to Shah's considered signature, the transitions between spaces are fluid, evoking a calmness that marries into its seaside surroundings. "Each space is dotted with elements of curiosity, to encourage observers to pause and reflect," he notes. His words ring true in the experiences that surprise you at every turn. A loveseat with fabric made at the hands of Kutch artisans invites you to bask in the warm morning light. Above it, sits a peculiarly shaped folding mirror. A little way away, a pair of black arches leads to a charred wood dining table.

For Grewal and Shah, the home is a perfect reflection of their lives in this season: full of peek-a-boo moments sparked time and time again.