When Brett Masterson first became acquainted with the creative professional next door, he hardly could have imagined that their neighborly friendship would turn into a steadfast creative collaboration. “She was looking for someone to design her new one-bedroom nest, after having traded in her two-bedroom apartment in the same co-op,” says the architect, who helms Brooklyn-based Masterson Architecture & Interiors. As a recently divorced mother of a seven-year-old girl, and as someone who had live

Gone are the days of mass-produced fabrics and cookie-cutter tableware. With shoppers becoming ever more discerning, and Instagram becoming an ever-expanding cabinet of curiosities, handmade, nature-inspired novelties—from pressed flower prints and flora-inspired artworks to handmade pottery and ceramics—have taken the spotlight like never before. Here are four homegrown brands that are rewriting the rulebook for handmade products with a nature-infused edge. For Charmaine Sah, her home garden p

"Each room reflects the personality of its occupant at this Ahmedabad villa," says Ashish, as we make our way upstairs. Only, the question that momentarily dominates my mind is: what, or whom, is the staircase inspired by? For with its kaleidoscope of wall hangings, sculptures, and 3D paintings, it could well be the home's tour de force. "It's really a reflection of each of their personalities, and draws a little from each member," says Nikhil. Also read: This Chennai home with modern amenities

If you were to drive through the foothills of the English Pennines, you’d spot traditional Cumbrian longhouses camouflaged into their surroundings. But there’s one among them that stands apart—at least on the inside. “Pretty much everything in the house was collected by the client, who has worked at NGOs in the Middle East and East Africa. In many ways, the project was built to contain all the things she had collected over the years. But the house itself is an emblem of her childhood, of the pl

Chittorgarh-based Umesh and Rashmi Jain had always harboured dreams of switching to a low-energy lifestyle. So when serendipity came knocking, they could hardly believe their luck. "With a background in construction, they had been keen on building an environmentally-friendly farmhouse with a minimum running cost. But they had decided to wait until they found someone completely dedicated and true to this method of building," says Shreya Srivastava, founder and principal architect of Studio Shunya

Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance’s latest is a set of three screens using the tin-glazed ceramic tilework tradition known as ‘Azulejo’. When French designer Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance moved to Lisbon, the first thing that struck him was the diversity of tiled panels that dominated the city. It wasn’t long before he was hooked, and he knew he had to learn more. He soon discovered that most were by modernist artists, rendered in collaboration with artisan tile maker Viúva Lamego. And that the art form was ac

The home is a modish time capsule of mid-century modern chairs, Victorian moulding and foliated surfaces that whisper of faraway lands. There are textures everywhere you look: pinstriped fluting defines the living room, fluted wainscoting skirts the dining area, and cement tiles and geometric mosaics enliven the walls all around. And yet, on closer look, it’s evident that the drama is in the details—sheeny metallic upholstery, two-toned cornices, marble countertops, and a pair of gooseneck wall

Situated amid Mumbai’s historic mangroves this apartment both reflects and resists its surroundings. The interior holds a mirror to the desert, with earthy shades, jute and linen textiles and oak and teak grains dominating the palette. ‘The home nods to the shifting nature of sand, suggesting a space that can evolve along with its inhabitants,’ says Nishita Kamdar, founder and principal architect of her eponymous studio, whose team was tasked with designing a minimalist home for a mother and dau

Airy, light and full of character, this waterfront Hamptons home holds a mirror to its natural surroundings. But as Sandra Weingort will tell you, bringing the home to life was nothing short of a (lockdown) miracle. “On March 26, 2020, when the owner contacted me, New York City, like much of the world, was under a pandemic lockdown,” recalls Sandra, admitting that she was terrified of the uncertainty associated with working remotely. “My first thought was that it would be irresponsible to take o

When a young Chicago-returned couple bumped into Sahiba Madan at a mutual family gathering, little did they know that the chance encounter would turn into a life-changing liaison. "They had spent much of their lives travelling due to their careers and had finally decided to settle down in Mumbai with their two lovely daughters. They wanted their house to resonate with a certain youth without being perceived as too casual, in a hat-tip, of course, to their diverse past," says the principal archit

By the time they arrived in Pune, Anuj and Kanika Jain had already lived across Rajasthan, Kolkata, Delhi and Mumbai, besides a few other cities on the Indian map. So it was only natural that by now, they felt a deep desire to put down roots. But when it came time to design the house they had chosen, they knew they needed to call in the professionals. After all, fitting their gloriously peripatetic past into four walls was no small feat. After scouring design websites and poking around on Instag

Natasha Jain and Priyank Sukhija know a thing or three about renovating houses. When the co-founder of Bent Chair and the MD and CEO of First Fiddle Restaurants found out they were expecting triplets, they knew they needed to make some changes for their growing tribe. "We were looking to not only make room for our children, but also baby-proof the house while maintaining our aesthetic sensibilities," says Sukhija. The natural next step, the couple decided, was to add a contemporary extension to

Charlie Rice is the sort of person you’d want for a neighbor. Not only because his bungalow is always brimming with joyful gatherings, freshly cut flowers, and the occasional swing band on the front porch, but also because—if you’re lucky—you might even clinch an invite to one of his famous five-course dinner parties. “A true-blue Renaissance man, he is a consummate host, entertainer, and bon vivant with impeccable personal style... Having a place to celebrate community and host dear friends was

A hundred years from now, de Gournay's wallpapers and fabrics could easily be auctioned off as antiques. The luxury British brand, known for its custom, hand-painted concepts has long been hailed as the "haute decor of wallpaper", but its marque of fine craftsmanship isn’t limited to walls alone.

Having met at five years old, the husband-and-wife team gives us the inside story on what makes them tick, their approach to design, and how they made the unlikely move from Michigan to Mumbai.

By the time she was four, Rochelle Santimano knew that she was destined for design. “I remember my mother would hand me a colouring book and a box of crayons. I’d spend hours poring over the ivory paper, precisely shading in each outline. And then through school and college, I was constantly toying with design in various capacities,” Rochelle recalls. And yet, when it came to choosing a career path, architecture wasn’t the obvious choice. “But once I saw how it blended art and science, I couldn't imagine myself doing anything else.”

When Karan and Supreet Singh decided to remodel their triplex apartment, they could hardly have imagined that the staircase would emerge as the shining star. "We wanted an aesthetic that was colourful, yet cosy. Considering we already had another home in the building, we had a fair idea about potential layouts and structures. Still, the staircase, rather serendipitously, took on a life of its own," says Karan, who, along with Supreet, roped in Pooja Bihani of Spaces and Design (whose team included Anjana Chatterjee and Samrat Roy) to give the property a characterful makeover.

Having each grown up in traditional Kerala bungalows, Ashraf and Shahnaz knew one thing for certain — that their new home should be far removed from the familiar vernacular style. "We imagined an aesthetic that would help us reconceive the signature Kerala palette and experience a different side of life. With our parents' homes just a stone's throw away, we wanted something we could call our own," says Ashraf. And so it followed that the couple reached out to Mohammed Afnan and Arun Shekar of Kozhikode-based architecture firm Humming Tree, known for their contemporary design approach, to give their new abode a voguish overhaul.

“The object of art is not to reproduce reality, but to create a reality of the same intensity,” Alberto Giacometti once said. There is something about Japanese artist Izumi Kato's oeuvre that perfectly exemplifies Giacometti's quote, leading the observer into a neverland full of humanoid creatures with alien features, who, even, and especially, with their distorted guises, exude a fantastical spirit that is equal parts terrestrial and celestial. The artist’s largest-ever single canvas at auctio

With a wheat-toned interior and Italian Rationalist hallmarks, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the Sorrento House is located somewhere along the Positano coastline. Instead, it sits quietly opposite Victoria’s Sorrento Sailing Club, matching it in style and spirit with its pale timber forms, open weave linen curtains, pebble-like colours and earthy textures—qualities you would have missed if you had visited even a few years earlier. When Fiona Lynch jumped on board for the much-needed remod

The home is a modish time capsule of mid-century modern chairs, Victorian moulding and foliated surfaces that whisper of faraway lands. There are textures everywhere you look: pinstriped fluting defines the living room, fluted wainscoting skirts the dining area, and cement tiles and geometric mosaics enliven the walls all around. And yet, on closer look, it’s evident that the drama is in the details—sheeny metallic upholstery, two-toned cornices, marble countertops, and a pair of gooseneck wall

Situated amid Mumbai’s historic mangroves this apartment both reflects and resists its surroundings. The interior holds a mirror to the desert, with earthy shades, jute and linen textiles and oak and teak grains dominating the palette. ‘The home nods to the shifting nature of sand, suggesting a space that can evolve along with its inhabitants,’ says Nishita Kamdar, founder and principal architect of her eponymous studio, whose team was tasked with designing a minimalist home for a mother and dau

Charlie Rice is the sort of person you’d want for a neighbor. Not only because his bungalow is always brimming with joyful gatherings, freshly cut flowers, and the occasional swing band on the front porch, but also because—if you’re lucky—you might even clinch an invite to one of his famous five-course dinner parties. “A true-blue Renaissance man, he is a consummate host, entertainer, and bon vivant with impeccable personal style... Having a place to celebrate community and host dear friends was

In Mumbai's upscale Hiranandani neighbourhood, this apartment is far removed from the hustle and bustle of the city. 'The client wanted a modern, minimalist aesthetic rooted in high function and low maintenance,' say Raj and Roshan Tatia, co-founders and principal designers of White Luxury Studio, who were brought on board by the homeowners to help give the property a facelift. With moon-inspired forms and artworks and pearlescent finishes, the home is characterised by cosmic references. 'The

Casa Cody has quite a history. Not only has it hosted legends like Charlie Chaplin, American opera singer Lawrence Tibbett and French-born novelist Anaïs Nin, but, as the oldest operating hotel in Palm Springs, its spirit has remained stupendously intact. Established by Harriet and Harold Bryant Cody (the former, a cousin of the famous William “Buffalo Bill” Cody) in the early 1900s, it became quite the hotspot amongst members of the arts community in its early years. Cut to today, and the hote

At 10 AM on a Sunday, the last thing you'd expect is for Armaan Malik to be crisping the edges of a frittata. And yet, that's exactly the sight that greets me as I step into his kitchen, a California-cool bolthole with a London-esque edge. "I love making breakfast and treating myself to a good spread," he says, drizzling butter on bruschettas. Dressed in a casual button-up and chinos, he looks like a laid-back version of his on-screen alter ego, who, as fans of The Voice (on which Armaan appears

Perhaps it was the pandemic-induced isolation, or their newly minted status as empty nesters, but when one Sydney couple acquired a penthouse overlooking Rushcutters Bay, they were mainly enthusiastic about one thing—dialling up the pizzazz and making up for lost time. And dial it up they did, thanks to Yasmine Saleh Ghoniem of YSG Studio, whom they tapped to give the home a Spanish tapas bar-inspired spin. With larger-than-life landings, glass walls, deep pile bespoke rugs and hypnotic stone s

Situated just off the thoroughfare in Tainan City, this home — named Eden Oasis — is well connected to arterial roads yet cocooned in luxurious nature. ‘The home is held in by a U-shaped glass enclosure, making nature a neighbour and offering the illusion of living in a forest as opposed to just off an urban highway,’ says Keng-Fu Lo, founder and managing director of Chain10 Architecture & Interior Design Institute, who was enlisted by the homeowner, a young professional, to give the villa a san

With a smorgasbord of picture-postcard backdrops and multipurpose zones, Sakshi Malik's Mumbai home in Worli looks like an Instagram handle come to life. "That's the way we designed it," says Nikita Dhoble, founder and principal designer of her eponymous design firm, who, along with Meghna Kakar of Behold Design, was tapped by Malik for a comprehensive redesign. "For social media content creators, good backgrounds are par for the course. So we created distinct zones where she could film various

Effusive and spunky, and famed for her disarmingly satirical Instagram reels, it's hard to imagine that Kusha Kapila could be scared of anything. "It's the dark," she declares. "That’s what terrifies me.” In the swell of morning light that fills her bedroom, I almost miss the sensor-triggered spotlights that flick on as she hops off the bed. “Those keep me excellent company when I decide I need a trip to the bathroom in the dead of the night.” Much like the lights, the rest of the house seems cu

If you were to fly over the heart of Berlin, more specifically over the borough of Mitte, you’d spy a 1930s apartment entirely enveloped by glass. From the sky, “you’d see a large glass cube with three rooms distributed like little boxes,” says interior designer Gisbert Pöppler, who was luckily on earth when he took up the task of renovating the property. For Gisbert, the project was a top-to-bottom job. “Only the glass shell remained,” he recalls. “Even the floor plan was completely revised.”

Five years ago, Eva Papadaki chanced upon a rarity—four apartments, one on top of the other, in a 1970s former industrial warehouse—all available for sale. Immediately, the Athens-based designer spotted an opportunity: To turn the apartments into creative boltholes, to be used as photography studios, film locations, event spaces or creative offices—either as individual units, or together as a whole. Recognising that it would take a village, Eva swiftly roped in two other design talents—Andrew T

The aesthetic is muted, the decor minimalist, and within its restful confines, the homeowners far removed from the fanfare and footlights of showbiz. Inspired by the classic New York loft, this pad owned and shared by actor Alia Bhatt and her sister Shaheen is steeped in neutral hues and imbued with a charming old-world air. “Given that Alia travels a lot, hotels are a mainstay of her lifestyle. Thus, I envisaged a cosy home that would bring her back to her roots, yet be high on style and luxury. The house is designed for entertaining and spending time with family and friends,” says Richa Bahl, founder and chief interior designer of her eponymous design firm Richa Bahl Design Studio.

El Port de la Selva is one of those fishing towns that’s as swish as it is sleepy. With vineyards, golden coastlines, mountainscapes, and works of Salvador Dalí, the seaside settlement, nestled in the northernmost part of the Costa Brava, is nothing short of a Mediterranean postcard. But what’s most unusual about the town isn’t it’s picturesque setting, but the volcanic overhangs that fringe the town, appearing like lava lamps mid-motion. The only thing more striking than the outcrops, perhaps,

At the door of actors (and newlyweds) Aditya Seal and Anushka Ranjan Seal's new Mumbai duplex, the nameplate is conspicuous by its absence. What is not is the cheery (LED) baby seal that takes its place, animating the wall and nodding to its namesake owners. “It's fun to watch people guess," says Anushka. "Those who get it, get it. And it makes for a great conversation-starter." But the unlikely sea creature isn’t the only thing setting the entryway apart—because if the peach-toned front door (a

The corner of LA’s 11th and Broadway is a glittering pastiche of fashion boutiques, sports complexes and Deco architecture. So the fact that the Downtown LA Proper Hotel still manages to take pride of place here, is a bit of a minor miracle. Or not. After all, with design maven Kelly Wearstler at the helm, the 148-room destination hotel’s pizzazz hardly comes as a surprise. Still, the American designer has done justice to the building’s colourful legacy—from its state-of-the-art private club in

Benguerra Island in Mozambique harbours many rare gems: Virgin shorelines, freshwater lakes, savannah and forest, tropical flora and fauna, and spectacular dive sites, to name a few. So when you find them all in one place, as in the case of the Kisawa Sanctuary, you know you’ve hit scenic jackpot. The 300-hectare beachfront resort, designed and owned by Nina Flohr of NJF Designs, is scalloped into the island’s coastal forest, with 22 bungalows spread across 12 cove-side and oceanside residences

When Arctic Monkeys drummer Matt Helders purchased this 1950s house in Los Angeles, it was nothing like the home he had dreamed up in his head. The mid-century architectural hallmarks were charming. The natural light, not so much. And so, to help achieve his vision—and some extra sunlight—Matt roped in Los Angeles-based interior designer Corinne Mathern (who subcontracted the project to Landmark Building), known for her balanced, collected aesthetic. For a property that would swing between stud

Gently enveloped between the Sahyadri mountain range and undulating open land, lies this earth-rooted family abode. “The structure is reminiscent of the forts on the horizon, and revels in its ability to become one with the land,” says Puran Kumar, founder and principal architect of Studio PKA. “It was designed as a weekend retreat for a well-known film industry personality and his family, to serve as a reprieve from their bustling city life. In this vein, we ventured out in search of a tract of land that would not only capture the essence of the place but also inspire, delight and satiate their creative endeavours.”

Wood warms the walls of Cavalli's studio, enveloping the observer in silent strands of contemplation. Glimmers of greenery peep through a diminutive opening behind the antique desk, created with the modules of the wooden bookcase. An area reserved for music takes pride of place, presenting a Larix piano bar and a Riverside sofa and ottoman in milk white leather. “The desk is one of my favourite pieces in the new house, and one of the very few items not created by Visionnaire. I found it in an ol

Casa Cody has quite a history. Not only has it hosted legends like Charlie Chaplin, American opera singer Lawrence Tibbett and French-born novelist Anaïs Nin, but, as the oldest operating hotel in Palm Springs, its spirit has remained stupendously intact. Established by Harriet and Harold Bryant Cody (the former, a cousin of the famous William “Buffalo Bill” Cody) in the early 1900s, it became quite the hotspot amongst members of the arts community in its early years. Cut to today, and the hote

Situated just off the thoroughfare in Tainan City, this home — named Eden Oasis — is well connected to arterial roads yet cocooned in luxurious nature. ‘The home is held in by a U-shaped glass enclosure, making nature a neighbour and offering the illusion of living in a forest as opposed to just off an urban highway,’ says Keng-Fu Lo, founder and managing director of Chain10 Architecture & Interior Design Institute, who was enlisted by the homeowner, a young professional, to give the villa a san

We explore developments in the smart home industry that will fundamentally shape a new era of residential design. If you've experienced the joy of a bag of Cheetos®, it's likely you're familiar with the telltale orange dust it leaves behind on your fingers, rendering you temporarily handless until you take a trip to the sink. But what if the dust never left? What would it take to live a productive life hands-free? The answer, evidently, lies in a marketing experiment by parent company PepsiCo i

Like most old Goan homes, Casa Gracia has architectural features that nod to its colonial heritage. Its 2-feet-thick walls, built in laterite stone and mud and finished in lime plaster, are an unmistakable emblem of pre-independence Goa; as are the pitched roof profile and colonial-style red oxide flooring. So naturally for Santimano, retaining them was non-negotiable. "Lime plaster is a material that allows the home's mud-stone walls to breathe. And its imperfect finish only adds to the wabi-sa

The Convent Saint-François, located on the French island of Corsica, looks like a modern-day, Mediterranean version of The Sound of Music—with everything besides Maria and the von Trapp pack in attendance. Old it might be, but there’s absolutely nothing old-fashioned about this 1,000-square-metre castle-turned-convent that dates back to 1480. So much so, that a copper honeycomb veil sits over the structure like a second skin, channelling a fantastically outré flair. “It had lain partially ruine

In the backwoods of Hyderabad, on a downland of rolling grass, rests an A-frame farmhouse that appears to have risen from the depths of the earth. And yet, it's far from down-to-earth. Its contemporary arrowhead roof and triangular proportions could easily have you mistaking it for a tee-pee-style cabin in the Californian outback. “The most striking feature of this house is the roof,” says Simeen Quraishi, one-half of Hyderabad-based design studio Moriq, adding, "It is composed of two triangular

When architect Jude D’Souza – founder and principal architect of JDAP Design – and his wife graduated from being long-time renters to proud homeowners, they knew their new apartment had to be tailored to canine needs as much as human ones.

With a decidedly earthy palette, plentiful greenery and free-flowing spaces, this home in Bangalore, India, designed by Greyscale Design Studio, embraces modern design while paying homage to its natural surroundings. “The couple wanted their home to be inclusive, with each space capable of being a gathering point. They were keen for the home to be open to greenery and that each material [should] have a unique significance,” says Ninu Ahluwalia, one of the principal architects who worked on this project.

In the heart of Trivandrum, the capital of the southern Indian state of Kerala, there is a small site that breathes fresh air. “It was being suffocated by other residential projects from all four sides,” says Vinu Daniel, whose firm, Wallmakers, inverted the home’s layout to funnel the interior flow into a central courtyard. Airy and luminous it may be, but those aren’t the only hallmarks that separate this curious home from its cookie-cutter surroundings. Its Rat Trap bond masonry and upcycled

A central double courtyard with a crescent-shaped pool acts as an arterial gateway to the various sections of the home, and presents a dramatic interplay of sunlight and shadows. “The house is divided in half by the pool; with the living room, kitchen and guest spaces on one side, and the bedrooms on the other,” says Kulkarni. Semi-open, louvred walkways fill the courtyard, subtly parlaying into the common and private spaces. “The layout of the home is inward-looking, since it was built on a tig