The beauty of a home lies in the stories that echo through its walls. It’s the memories and personalities of each family member reflected in the objects around the house that make it unique. When designing Apartment 20—nestled within a plantation of trees in the north-eastern suburb of Mumbai—principal architects Shilpa Jain Balvally and Sameer Balvally of Studio Osmosis were inspired by their clients’ love for music and celebration. “The couple and their two daughters enjoyed playing instruments and jamming together. Their religious faith and celebration of culture was also very important to them and had to be accommodated in the house,” describe the duo, adding, “They were inspired by Andrea Bocelli’s home, which they caught a glimpse of in Ed Sheeran’s video for Perfect Symphony.”
The three-bedroom compact duplex is spread across 1,800-square-feet, with the lower floor housing the living and dining rooms, kitchen and multipurpose room. Above, the family retreats to the master and daughters’ bedrooms.
Entrance
Taking cues from Bocelli’s home, the entrance reveals a cool pastel palette with accents of millennial pink, rose gold and sage. A utilitarian vestibule—with a cabinet for storage and a geometric-lined bench designed in-house by the team—connects the main door to the rest of the home. Mirror panels have been been fixed on adjacent walls of the corridor along with reflective brass on the sides of the cabinet to add depth and open up the narrow passageway.
