DIVYA THAKUR WELCOMES US INTO HER HOME THAT IS NOT ONLY A LOVE LETTER TO OLD COLABA BUT ALSO A PLAYGROUND FOR A DISCERNING DESIGNER HONING HER CRAFT.

You could say this home is a contemplation and actualization of fine living.

- DIVYA THAKUR

As a designer in my 30s, when I was looking to acquire a (serious) home— I owned a studio in Bandra before this— I came to see this Colaba apartment that belonged to former model Sherie MeherHomji’s family. It was love at first sight, despite its state of neglect and devastation.

Inundated by the sheer volume of space, I called Bijoy Jain about where to begin; his advice to me was to proceed organically and let the existing construct of the house dictate where to put what. If I gave the restoration its heart, my father Col. Umesh Chandra Thakur—a civil engineer and chief of projects with hotels like The Leela and The Oberoi—gave it its head. Dealing with a 100-year-old house comes with its own challenges, as homes then were built with rural intelligence and they cannot be blindly taken apart or altered. The early advice from both holds ground till today, as the home moves from being one of the coolest bachelorette pads to a joyous family home.

The home consists of three spacious bedrooms, living and dining rooms, an open kitchen, and a family lounge leading to a terrace garden with breathtaking views of the Taj. The entrance foyer provides separate accesses to the house, design studio, and staff areas.

This home is where my understanding of interior architecture versus interior design began and continues to grow. This city home acquires character, volume, and drama because of its 100-year-old high wooden ceiling and 12-inch-thick walls. And each room uses these to full effect.