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Interior

04-10-2025

Set within Emerald Isle in Powai, Mumbai, Mridū is a 1000 sq ft home that unfolds as a sanctuary above the bustle of the city. The clients, a young couple, wanted a space that felt earthy, homely, and expansive despite its compact footprint. They sought a residence where every inch was thoughtfully designed and where function merged seamlessly with aesthetics. The brief was as much about comfort and intimacy as it was about crafting bold gestures — a home that could be warm for everyday living yet striking when hosting.

The clients approached them with two key asks. First, that the home should feel spacious yet personal, with storage concealed intelligently so the design remained airy. Second, that there should be a bar unit that served as both a functional corner and a conversation starter. They also requested distinct personalities for each bedroom: the son’s space was to embrace a blue palette, while the master bedroom needed to feel calm yet dramatic, with a walk-in wardrobe and subtle elements of nature indoors.

The design philosophy evolved into what they describe as fluid minimalism — a spatial language where walls dissolve into ceilings, corners are softened into curves, and light is choreographed through coves and recesses. The name Mridū (Sanskrit for “gentle” or “tender”) became the guiding ethos: strength expressed not through heaviness, but through grace.

The palette was deliberately restrained in mushroom and taupe shades, a choice that allows materials, textures, and geometry to take precedence. This quiet base accentuates the drama of sculpted coves, CNC-cut veneers, and brass inlays, without letting the home feel overdesigned. The aim was to craft a space that feels timeless, where movement is seamless, and stillness is sculpted.

Mumbai,Maharashtra,India

Architects	:	The Artful Habitat
Area	:	1000 sq. ft.
Year of Completion	:	2025
Website	:	https://www.instagram.com/theartfulhabitat/

Living room of Mridū by The Artful Habitat

The nucleus of the home is finished in matte PU veneer, MDF flutes, texture paint, and CNC-cut veneer highlights. A sculptural bar unit defines this space, crafted with brass inlays and supported on interlocked teak spheres, making it both ergonomic and dramatic. Fluted glass with MS profiles adds a layer of refinement. All furniture was custom-designed to fit proportions precisely, ensuring cohesion.

Dining of Mridū by The Artful Habitat

Bar unit of Mridū by The Artful Habitat

The bar unit is a sculptural centerpiece that embodies the project’s ethos of functional artistry. The kitchen corridor — once a constraint — now acts as a passage of discovery.

Bar unit of Mridū by The Artful Habitat

Corridor of Mridū by The Artful Habitat

The project entailed merging two adjacent flats into one unified home. Structural constraints meant the kitchen could not be relocated, as it was locked by slab conditions and developer rules. Instead of treating it as a limitation, they embraced it as a design opportunity. The kitchen was reimagined as a central corridor that doubles as a highlight passage — layered with patterned tiles, cove lighting along the platform edges, and sliding shutters at either end. These shutters can be closed off for privacy or left open to connect spaces, making the corridor both functional and aesthetic.

The low ceiling height presented another challenge, but it became the inspiration for the home’s signature vocabulary. Scooped recesses, sculpted coves, and curved transitions conceal services, integrate lighting, and create a sense of height while reinforcing the fluid design language.

Kitchen of Mridū by The Artful Habitat

Finished in laminates and fluted glass, the kitchen is anchored by custom-patterned tiles developed as a highlight spine. Cove lighting at the base and platform edges provides ambient glow and acts as a guiding pathway. Sliding shutters at both ends make it adaptable, turning a service zone into a design highlight.

Master Bedroom of Mridū by The Artful Habitat

The master bedroom cove, washing light over bespoke art and bonsai accents, is another signature moment. Even utility-driven areas like the TV wall cavity (which conceals a DB board) and the guest bedroom bedback are elevated into design highlights.

Master Bedroom of Mridū by The Artful Habitat

Walls finished in matte PU veneer are paired with an adjacent textured paint wall featuring grooves and curves. Herringbone wooden tile flooring marks the wardrobe, distinguishing it from the sleeping area. Wardrobe shutters combine PU finishes with frosted glass and MS hollow profiles, creating both privacy and pattern. A statement mirror and rug act as highlights, while coves wash soft light over 3D artworks and bonsai plants, evoking the feeling of a forest glade indoors.

Master Bedroom of Mridū by The Artful Habitat

Walk in wardrobe of Mridū by The Artful Habitat

Son's Bedroom of Mridū by The Artful Habitat

A dynamic mix of birch veneer, denim fabric, core laminates, and MDF flutes. The bed and study were custom-designed to maximize functionality while retaining openness. A denim-blue palette accented with yellow fiddled veneer creates vibrancy with timeless elegance.