Get The Look: Here's How You Can Replicate Singer Nikhil D'Souza's Dreamy Versova House

Nikhil D’Souza, Mumbai-based singer and songwriter has a beautiful space in Versova which he moved in to in December 2016. A space straight out of a Pinterest board – it’s chic, contemporary with an earthy feel and an envious location. We stopped by the apartment on a fine humid noon to chat.

Through the conversation we understood the space sensibility and met the architect/designer, Nivedita Shinde, the brainchild behind the house and founder of Udaan studio. We got back with DIY options, and a walk through Nikhil’s gorgeous space.

Nikhil’s house in Versova is a two-bedroom apartment set amidst peace and greenery. It’s airy, spacious and a cosy house overlooking the lushness in Versova. Nikhil breaks it down simply: he prefers his space to be rustic, rough around the edges and with lots of wooden decor. The house has been done up in white and this balances out most of the décor items around.

The living room space has been divided into two sections, one is the bar and dining area, and the other is for lounging around.

Solid wooden Rajasthani pickle jars sourced from Jogeshwari Market have been used as vases. Check out Saba Curios {call Raziullah Khan at 9324908279} for these. The pickle jars cost between INR 400 to INR 500 per piece.

Also check out Iqbal Ahmed Khan {088986 94224} for vintage furniture in Jogeshwari market. Most of the flowers have been picked from the Dadar flower market {read our guide here}. The dried flowers, Limonium, were picked up from Mehak Flower Shop in Bandra. These flowers, though bought fresh, dry up to be fantastic décor pieces.

Finally, old wood has been recycled to serve as a TV stand – rough around the edges, chipped off with its worn-out colour still on it. These have been picked up from Abdul Haq in Ghas Compound, Jogeshwari.

A medium-sized trunk has been placed in the living room. The trunk was picked up from Aaram Bagh {or check out this place for cheap trunks} and was re-painted in bold stripes.

The beautiful lamps hung all around the rooms have been personally made by Nivedita from scratch using sheer fabric, metal, cane and wood.

However, what really caught our attention were the white, sheer curtains hung around the house. The ones in the living room feature Nivedita’s sketches of Victoria Terminus – a great idea on how to play with banal curtains.

Nikhil is a fan of the old-school style of dining. Therefore, we found a tiny dining table alongside the bar with four completely different chairs. Each chair is designed differently and is painted in white as it quirks up the otherwise subtle and sophisticated ambience.

The second-hand furniture is sourced from Jogeshwari market {go haggle now}, and renovated at Udaan Studio.

Nikhil likes to have his friends over for drinks, so the bar encapsulates that trait. It’s a simple bar deck {sourced from Jogeshwari and renovated at Udaan studio}. The metal holders for the bottles have been created at Udaan studio adding a tad bit of panache to the corner. It not only minimises the space usage but also does not overshadow the space.

The bedroom has been done up in the cosiest way possible. A four-poster bed from Calcutta {approx. INR 30,000} has been adorned with a bed canopy of wood and silk from Udaan studio. The side table and lamps are made with the same pickle jars that dot the living room.

#LBBTip: As an intentional move, the laundry space has been made in the spare bedroom. This skips over-crowding the bathroom or the kitchen, and maximizes house space.

An entire wall has been decked up with empty frames. The frames have been made at the metal workshop at the Udaan Studio with mild steel. Kept empty on purpose, Nikhil tells us he plans to add something to it every year, “one important element will be added every year, for the next 12 years”.

A tiny café-esque corner in the kitchen has been set up for chats over quick bites. Upcycled lamps made from tin scoops have been used alongside a wooden-shelf for the stuff Nikhil picks up on his travels.

Right outside the kitchen in big cursive lettering stands lyrics from Nikhil’s favourite artist, Jeff Buckley. This is his personal touch to his home, an ode to music and more.

If you’re looking for inspiration to redo your house, we hope this guide comes in handy. However, if you’re looking for someone to consult you in setting up the space and create a similar vision for you, get in touch with Nivedita on 9930671489.

Find Udaan Studio here, or you can email her for consultations at nivedita@udaanstudio.in.

-Have a blue-print ready in terms of spacing and aesthetics of the house.

-Walk around Jogeshwari Market {known for its extensive secondhand furniture}. You never know when you get lucky. Make sure to check the viability of the wood {check for termites}, re-paint it to make it more appealing and always, ALWAYS haggle your best.

-If you have discarded items in the house, don’t throw them away.