Page 63 - GoodHomes - India (December 2019)

REAL HOME

I

t would be all too easy to peg
Asim Merchant as the original
woodsman of the Indian design

scene, and rightly so! His wood-
centric furniture designs have won
several awards and remain etched
in our memory for their distinct
form, and contextual design. And this ongoing
affair, with this natural material, has found a
worthy canvas...his weekend home in Madh

Island — a quaint piece of land, cut off from
the hustle and bustle of Mumbai’s chaos. It is
here that one actually understands just how
exacting Asim’s love for wood is.
In this double storied home, wood is the
key highlight — from the flooring, the ceiling,
the furniture surfaces, the stairway, he has
mastered the narrative.

We find the designer cosied up with Snowy
(a beautiful Persian cat), on the sky blue sofa
that he custom built. “I love using wood in its
natural form, its just so beautiful and tactile!
Wood is a very important element in all my
designs as it brings in a very warm and rustic
feeling. I love wooden surfaces, staircases,

floorings etc. In this home I have left the
wood largely raw with just a coat of wax so that
the natural grains and structure of the wood
are exposed.”
Asim wanted the house to be colourful, so,
in keeping with that mandate, every accessory
and furnishings, literally everything, is
colourful. By dousing the surfaces in an ochre/

almost turmeric colour tone, Asim orchestrates
a narrative where every piece of wood shines,
making this quite the warm shell, but with a
vibrant personality. White is used wherever
possible, as a highlight (as seen on the curtains
and kitchen accessories), and also to allow the
amazing profusion of natural light here, to

bounce around the interiors.
For the designer, this house needed to feel
like a holiday home and inspire creativity. So
the main inspiration was a focus on colours,
warmth, open spaces and creativity. The result:
A fun, functional and tranquil home!

DECEMBER 2019 GOODHOMES 61