A maximalist Mumbai home that tells a story of ART.
Project Name : i, &, our Fable
Project Location : Mumbai, India
Architect/Interior Designer : DesignHex
Principal Architect/Designer : Shimona Bhansali
Photographer: Kuber Shah
Amid the constant hum of Juhu’s streets in Mumbai, where stillness often feels elusive, i, &, our fable emerges as a home that chooses expression over restraint. Designed by Shimona Bhansali of DesignHex, this apartment speaks not in the quiet language of minimalism but in a rich, layered dialect of colour, pattern, texture, and memory. True to its evocative name, the home unfolds like a personal epic, where every surface, object, and detail contributes to a larger narrative.
This is maximalism with intention. Bold and unapologetic, yet deeply thoughtful, the home reflects the inner worlds of the four member family who live here, a couple and their two daughters. For them, the house is not merely a place of shelter, but a canvas of self expression. The wife, an artist herself, brought an instinctive understanding of visual rhythm and emotional layering to the process. Shimona responded by shaping these impulses into a cohesive design language that feels less like decoration and more like storytelling through space.
The conceptual reference to Marc Chagall’s I and the Village runs deeper than visual inspiration. Like Chagall’s dreamlike compositions, the home is built on memory, symbolism, and imagination. Moving through it is a fluid, non linear experience. One wanders, pauses, revisits, and discovers. The spaces invite curiosity, revealing new details with every encounter, never offering themselves all at once.
The narrative begins at the threshold. A hand carved wooden door, heavy and tactile, studded with figurines from the client’s own collection, serves as both entry and artifact. It sets the tone immediately, announcing the home as a place of stories rather than statements. Beyond it, the living room opens up to generous daylight streaming through floor to ceiling windows. A brocade inspired sofa composed of multiple fabrics anchors the space, while a hand painted mural of mountains stretches behind it like a distant, half remembered dream. A traditional swing, a plush rug, and an extended balcony soften the exuberance, allowing light and air to temper the richness.
The dining area reads like an installation. A pink marble tabletop rests on cast iron legs, delicately inlaid with brass constellations. Beneath it, a micro concrete floor comes alive with whimsical detailing. Even the kitchen refuses to be purely utilitarian. Moulded shutters, a narrative backsplash, stained glass doors, and patterned flooring transform everyday rituals into moments of quiet theatre.
As one moves deeper into the home, the fantasy intensifies. The AV and art room becomes a world unto itself, imagined as a lush retreat. Jungle murals wrap the walls, a vintage canopy bed draped in fabric anchors the room, and a chandelier shaped like palm fronds casts a soft, dreamlike glow. It is a space designed for escape, imagination, and pause.
The master suite balances grandeur with intimacy. Layered prints coexist with a hand drawn family portrait set against a woodland backdrop. Bedside light fixtures sculpted by the client herself add a deeply personal touch. A red walk in closet introduces drama, while the city facing bath, complete with stone steps leading into a jacuzzi, blurs the boundary between performance and privacy.
The guest room leans into playful theatrics with circus inspired motifs, while the children’s bedroom unfolds like a living storybook. Baby blue walls, Murphy beds, hand painted details, striped ceilings, and whimsical accents reference both the charm of the English countryside and the richness of Indian storytelling traditions. It is a space that encourages imagination while remaining rooted in warmth and comfort.
Throughout the apartment, every corner feels deliberate. What may initially seem overwhelming gradually reveals itself as carefully composed, much like a Sabyasachi ensemble or a Chagall painting. Ornate, layered, and emotionally resonant. This is not maximalism for spectacle alone. It is design as narrative, where objects hold memories, textures reflect decisions, and spaces become chapters.
i, &, our fable is not a template to be replicated. It is a singular home shaped by a singular family. Rich in emotion, vivid in expression, and deeply personal, it invites those who enter not just to observe, but to feel, remember, and perhaps find fragments of their own story within its walls.
Project Name : i, &, our Fable
Project Location : Mumbai, India
Architect/Interior Designer : DesignHex
Principal Architect/Designer : Shimona Bhansali
Photographer: Kuber Shah
