How a dark, dated rental became a brighter, happier home through thoughtful layers of colour, pattern, and detail
Type: The Identity Affair (Interior Makeover) | Location: Mumbai | Size: Living Dining of a 2BHK
Scope of the Project
A focused makeover of the living and dining areas, designed to make the rental feel more positive, expansive, and joyful without unnecessarily changing the rest of the home. Through moulding, panelling, layered colour, considered lighting, and a mix of new and refurbished pieces, we transformed the spaces while working with what was already there.
The Client Brief
The brief was simple: the home needed to feel happier, lighter, and more expansive. Rather than renovating the entire house, we focused on the spaces that would make the biggest difference to everyday life. Soft pinks, sage greens, floral motifs, and prints brought in the colour and personality the home was missing, while practical additions created more seating, storage, and a stronger sense of connection between the living and dining areas.
Description Notes
The living room was given a softer, more layered identity through buti wallpaper, bone inlay furniture, printed armchairs, and small poufs that introduced both colour and additional seating. Moulding and panelling added architectural character, while a new double door concealed the passage leading towards the bedrooms, allowing the living spaces to feel more considered and visually complete.
Lighting became another opportunity to make a small intervention with a big impact. Wanting the warmth of cove lighting without adding a false ceiling, we introduced a cornice and concealed the strip light within it. In the dining area, the existing mandir was refurbished and paired with a large hutch-style crockery unit and vintage-style wooden dining table, creating a more welcoming setting for everyday meals and gatherings.
Floral motifs, artwork, printed fabrics, and layers of soft colour brought the two spaces together, gradually shifting the atmosphere from dark and dull to bright, calm, and joyful. The result is a home that feels more expansive without having been extensively renovated — proof that thoughtful styling and a few well-chosen interventions can completely change how a space feels.
