Apartment on Malabar Hill in Mumbai, India by Case Design

This apartment by Case Design is the embodiment of tranquillity and calm. The two-bedroom home is located in Malabar Hill in South Mumbai and is afforded waterfront views from its ideal perched position. The crisp, concise design is born from the need to accommodate the client’s business guests and family as a weekend retreat. With this is mind, Case Design focussed on practicality and simplicity as drivers for the project.

This peaceful oasis may seem at odds with its lively and somewhat frenzied surrounds, but Case Design worked hard to ensure it remained contextually relevant. Materials were sourced locally and local carpenters, masons and artisans were engaged when possible. The team highlights that “the marble [they] used came from Udaipur and not Italy…and all the door frames are made from recycled Burma teak, reclaimed from old houses in Mumbai.” Inlaid terrazzo is made with Makrana tiles and unlike most terrazzo with its varied combination of shapes and textures; this flooring is made up of consistent rectangular tiles that appear linear and gridded. Absolutely stunning!

Texturally rich, the materials used in the apartment serve more than an aesthetic purpose. Door handles, light switches and shower-enclosure frames were custom made in brass. Brass is preferred over steel because of its tendency to patina rather than rust. Similarly, teak is used because of its high silica content which prevents it from warping, particularly important when located so close to the sea.

Case Design has launched a collection of furniture, lights and objects called Casegoods which feature throughout the apartment. Made mostly of natural materials, these include items such as their timber folding flat chair, large round cast table with teak marquetry top, and my personal favourite – the rolling round light, a small table lamp made of two interlocking spherical shapes of glass and brass.

Samuel Barclay founded Case Design in Mumbai in 2013 after working in Los Angeles and later under Bijoy Jain at Studio Mumbai. Barclay admits that working in India has its freedoms and believes that there is a more collaborative and conversational approach to building and design where “so much of it is facilitated through dialogue”.

In contrast with the chaos outside, this apartment is remarkably still and feels like a much needed exhalation, a sigh of relief. Not only is it impeccably furnished, it’s also a thoughtful study of restrained materials, refined textures and design clarity. I’m 100% sold!