Project Fact File:

Name of Project: The Heritage Edit
Name of Design Firm: A&K Design Studio
Location: Malabar Hill, Mumbai 
Typology: Residential (Apartment)
Area: 3,500 sq.ft
Date of Completion: May 2024
Principal Designers: Aarti Somani & Kruti Sheth
Photography Credits: Kuber Shah

Design Highlights:

● The wide central passageway is the design spine, acting as both axis and anchor. The elongated central corridor seamlessly connects the private and public spaces, allowing the home's original architecture to shine while enabling fluid movement.
● The palette of original terrazzo, wood, cane, and layered textiles bridges eras, offering a cohesive aesthetic that honours the heritage structure while embracing contemporary comfort.
● Instead of altering the structure, the designers introduced bespoke lighting that worked within existing limitations — turning challenges into sculptural statements that accentuate the home’s historical features.

Concept:

Bathed in the gentle glow of coastal light and framed by the lush canopy of gulmohar trees, this residence is a deft orchestration of memory and modernity. Once a charming old home with soaring ceilings, stained-glass windows, and original terrazzo floors, the design vision was to preserve its timeworn grace while weaving in contemporary clarity. The result is a layered narrative of neoclassical detailing and minimalistic sensibility, bound by thoughtful spatial planning and material harmony.

The spatial experience begins at the expansive entrance foyer, a room in itself, which spills into a wide passage that threads through the home like a ceremonial spine. This axial layout grounds the residence, offering glimpses into the surrounding spaces, each intentionally articulated. Tall, intricately carved wooden doors with vintage ventilators usher guests into rooms where proportion and placement have been meticulously calibrated to offer privacy, comfort, and conviviality. Light-coloured walls juxtaposed against darker terrazzo floors create a gentle tension, allowing the textures and curated elements within each room to stand out with quiet elegance.

Throughout, the design language is guided by the structure’s original character — delicate cornices, arched windows, and stained timber frames set the stage for contemporary interventions. Neo-classical flourishes such as mouldings and arches are subtly reinforced in the architecture, while the furniture embraces clean, modern lines, forming a dialogue between restraint and ornamentation. The interior palette is a textural symphony of wood, stone, linen, cane, and leather — materials chosen not just for their tactile appeal but for their ability to soften transitions and enhance warmth. Each element, from the flooring to the furnishings, tells a story of cohesion, balance, and respect for context.

The surrounding greenery plays a vital role in dictating the rhythm of the home. Large windows and multiple balconies, both enclosed and open, invite the outdoors in — framing views, ushering in breeze, and allowing light to cascade through the spaces. This seamless indoor-outdoor dialogue is especially palpable in areas like the den and the children’s rooms, where generous volumes and natural light create an atmosphere of calm and creativity. Each child’s space is tailored to their personality, while communal zones — the formal living and dining rooms, connected through graceful arched doorways — cater to shared experiences.

Storage, often an afterthought, is here elevated to an art form. Slatted cabinets, freestanding furniture, and custom shelving integrate storage with ease and elegance. In a particularly inspired move, the master bedroom’s balcony was converted into a walk-in wardrobe and dressing area — an inventive solution born from spatial necessity. Elsewhere, curated display units breathe life into the interiors, showcasing art, family photos, and mementoes that lend the home intimacy and narrative depth.

Constraints, particularly the inability to alter the ceiling or embed electrical work due to heritage regulations, were met with ingenuity. Custom lighting fixtures were created to suit existing provisions, becoming both functional elements and sculptural accents. These interventions are not merely practical; they exemplify how challenges, when embraced creatively, can become defining design gestures.

This project stands as a testament to the beauty of restraint, the poetry of preservation, and the art of thoughtful living. It is not merely a renovation but a revival — a home that honours its past while comfortably residing in the present.