Abstract House

By Marina Correa
Photography: Courtesy Anish Motwani Associates

.

Non-linearity of elements creatively juxtaposed, statement-making material usage and unconventional room dividers grab attention in this Mumbai-based bachelor pad.

Intrigued by a circular entrance lobby, you are led into a living room dominated by a gigantic pool table. “My clients are avid pool players and wanted it placed centrestage,” explains interior designer Anish Motwani of Anish Motwani Associates, who, emboldened by his clients’ different requirements, has challenged his own conventional design sensibilities with this project.

.

.

One look around and a wee bit of the unusual peeps at you: allowing a fluidity of space, a fish tank doubles up as a porous divider between the study and the living room; slide open the doors of the theatre room and the living area doubles up in area; while an open plan kitchen, rather a pantry, ties in beautifully with this concept.

.

.

In continuity with this unusual format, Anish uses a pastiche of design and styles to enliven his design vocabulary: religious iconography in the form of an Om symbol stamps its presence on the study room door; abstract patterns dot the wall, reminiscent of the late 1960s-early 1970s interiors, often seen in Bollywood flicks.

.

Almost as a natural progression, ingenuity is at play in niches for artifacts; by extending panels (window sill) or by adding random seats (bar stools); interesting juxtapositions of bright, warm colours contrasted against dark, cold shades add a dash of playfulness. Materials are common, simple yet thoughtfully applied; usage of Cudappa, back-painted glass, and computer-generated graffiti-styled wall art seem like a mishmash of elements but surprisingly interlock succinctly to make up this uncharacteristically offbeat yet stylized home.

.