Mumbai’s Mody Design Studio celebrates its Indian roots

A New Beginning

With a degree in hand and some work experience under his belt, Mody decided to open his own firm, Mody Design Studio, in a historic part of south Mumbai. Located in Kala Ghoda, which is known as the art precinct of the city thanks to the heritage buildings, art galleries and cosy cafes in the neighbourhood, the firm opened its doors to the public in September 2020. “Unfortunately, COVID hit just as I was doing the interiors of my design studio in 2020. But fortunately, that gave me a chance to keep my workers on site for the whole period and complete the job way before time,” he recalls.

Firsts are always special, and for Mody, the story of getting his first client was a lucky chance encounter that happened in his absence. “My first project was a phone call from an unknown number. The client was in Kala Ghoda and saw the windows of my studio that piqued his interest. He asked around, found one of my staff members and got them to show him the space. Floored by the design, he took my business card, rang me up and told me that he is commissioning me to do the interiors of his apartment, knowing fully well that it would be my very first project,” shares Mody. Since then, he has worked on a number of projects ranging from bachelor pads, office spaces, holiday homes, and more. 

Design Inspiration

Studying in Florence gave Mody a deep understanding of how history influenced the design story of Italy, and left a deep impact on him too. “Even modern-day design in Italy draws its inspiration from some historic or cultural event, and I believe India as a design centre needs to do the same. So, when hunting for an office space, it was of utmost importance to me that I find something in a historic part of Mumbai,” he adds.

The hunt ended in Kala Ghoda where Mody found an 850-square-foot studio in a heritage building. “Being structurally weak, the building was demolished and rebuilt keeping its heritage structure intact. When I moved in, the other office spaces in the building were not occupied. Fortunately, we ended up being in what's now the heart of design in Mumbai,” shares the designer. Taking inspiration from Indian history, art and handicrafts, Mody’s studio is the definition of chic-Indian and contemporary style that is rooted yet modern. 

Old Meets New

Doing up a heritage structure poses a number of restrictions but that didn’t stop Mody from making thoughtful renovations that preserved its old-world charm yet brought in a fresh perspective. Natural light filters in through the numerous arched windows, lending an airy vibe in the entire studio. Explains Mody, “We made a number of changes to enhance the studio’s look. Earlier, the windows had aluminium frames that we changed to teakwood. Similarly, the entrance also had an aluminium and glass partition which we tore down and made a wood partition with cane embedded in glass to showcase one of the most ancient handicraft industries in India.”

The walls which had plaster on them were torn down to expose the original brick structure while the original wooden beams that were replaced during the renovation were also cladded back in wood. For the flooring, Mody designed a pattern taking inspiration from patan patola, a textile from Gujarat, that was then executed by Bharat Floorings & Tiles. “After a lot of back and forth on patterns and colours, we found a match that complemented the rest of the interiors,” he says.

Apart from the custom-made furniture, the use of teakwood is prevalent in the ceiling too. “We decided to use wooden rafters in the ceiling to keep the feel of the original heritage building. We used teak as it is local to India, and polished it with a water-based dead matte polish from ICA. This gives it a minimal and modern feel while also accentuating the grains in the wood,” shares Mody.