Heritage Home Restoration and Soulful Design
Old buildings have a pulse. I listen to their stories and bring them back to life by blending traditional mitti walls and wooden beams with modern comfort.
This is the exterior of my studio, an 80-year-old building we rescued. The peach-colored facade, traditional wooden windows, and patterned 'jaali' screen were all lovingly restored. The bicycle with flowers is a nod to the simple, timeless beauty we wanted to cultivate here.
Watch the transformation of our studio, a space that was shut for 40 years. We didn't want to erase its history, so we worked with the original structure, restoring the mitti walls and old beams to create a space that feels authentic and full of soul.
My personal cabin within the restored studio. We left the original brick and stone walls exposed, pairing them with a bold zebra-print rug and a simple wooden desk. It’s a space where the building's raw history meets my own creative energy.
The pantry in our studio. We kept the exposed stone walls and paired them with a custom concrete countertop and beautiful handmade floor tiles. The space is rustic, functional, and full of the building's original character.
A hallway in my studio, where the play of light and shadow on the restored 'jaali' screen creates beautiful patterns on the floor. This is what I mean by a space having a conversation with its elements.
The outdoor patio of my studio, a quiet corner for a cup of coffee. We used a mix of materials, including patterned tiles and a simple built-in bench, to create a space that feels like a natural extension of the restored building.
A view into my cabin through a modern glass partition. This shows how we balanced the raw, historic elements of the studio with contemporary design choices to create a space that is both a home for our creativity and a testament to the building's past.
About this collection
Restoration is not just about keeping a facade intact; it is structural surgery. Whether we are column-jacketing an 80-year-old building or treating termite-ridden beams, my focus remains on integrity. We balance the raw history of mitti walls and reclaimed wood with the quiet necessity of modern plumbing and electricals, ensuring your home breathes without feeling like a museum.
When I approach a heritage home, I start by listening. Buildings speak in the language of cracks, dampness, and light. Restoring a space that has been standing for decades—or sometimes forgotten for forty years—requires more than design skills. It demands a partnership with structural engineers to assess column integrity, beam strengthening, and roof repairs before we even touch the surface.
My team and I treat these projects as a preservation of memory. We use traditional techniques like lime plaster and mitti washes to maintain the building's original breathability. We source antique tiles, reclaimed teak, and period-correct hardware to replace what cannot be saved, ensuring the new layers sit gently against the old bones.
In Mumbai, where space is precious and history is often demolished for the new, I believe there is beauty in patience. We hide modern air conditioning, sound-proof fenestration, and updated plumbing within these antique shells, protecting the aesthetic without sacrificing the convenience of current living. You get the warmth of history with the ease of today. Whether you have an old bungalow or an apartment with potential, we do not just renovate; we honour the legacy.
Richa Bahl
I do not follow design trends; I follow the building’s history. I am Richa, and I find beauty in the forgotten. My studio is my own restored 80-year-old home in Bandra, so I know exactly what it takes to love an old building back to life.
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