“Located in a quiet lane disconnected from the city, the space has the feel of Goa, with its view of swaying coconut palms,” says Shabnam. “The brief included a free spirited space which stayed close to core materials. The emphasis had to be on ecology and nature, exhibiting a strong connect with the outdoors,” says Shabnam.
Deciding to use a neutral palette to enable the artist’s own collection and works to add the pops of colour, Shabnam has fallen back on stone flooring, brick and wood laid in a herringbone pattern together with white walls as the staples of her design, in addition to solid wood doors.
In the corridor which leads to the apartment from the lift, the grey tone of the concrete flooring climbs onto the walls, rendered in textured siporex which invites tactile exploration even as it adds visual interest.
Within, the lower floor is used for meetings, while the upper one is a work space. The studio is replete with a bath, wardrobe, kitchen and a post-box red couch which doubles as a bed for a guest. The washbasin has been carved from a single stone.The study has a brick floor with an arresting canvas by Julius Macwan depicting a female torso in a red bikini. “Some of the furniture has been picked up by the client on her travels, reflecting her taste,” says Shabnam.
Shabnam has created a chic, welcoming space which overlooks the carefully cultivated greenery on the terrace outside; this space is also used for entertaining. Comfortable and easy going, the studio encourages one to put up one’s feet and relax, unhindered by any trace of stiff formality. Blurring the boundaries between work and recreation, the spaces move effortlessly between enabling creativity and encouraging unwinding in a tranquil space.
