Featured – SPACES AND STORIES

How does one create a balance between designing for a personal space and one to be rented out? Ask Nidhi Tiwari of Spaces and Stories. “The clients Shikha and Gagan Gambhir were already in the business of renting out holiday homes in Goa. However, this was the first time they actually owned the bungalow and intended to use it themselves too,” she says.

Natural finishes and earthy colours abound in the living room. The customized furniture is from Asian Art, with cushions from Ikea and Sarita Handa. The Light Cube Photography / Pulkit Sehgal

In a private home, an interior designer has only the family to please. But when new guests are expected every few days as in a hotel, must they resort to generic decor to appeal to varying tastes? To be successful, a homestay cannot appear bland, but it can’t be too out of the box either. In this case, the owners wanted to visit a couple of times a month as well. “It was a challenge to turn out something chic, all within a budget,” says Tiwari.

Civil work on the bungalow, part of an enclave of a dozen villas, had already been completed when it was handed over to Tiwari. “The owners didn’t want a boho vibe just because the location was Goa, which is filled with holiday homes. They envisioned a space with an international, minimal vibe and a clean-lined aesthetic. A special request they had was that there should be ‘Pinterest-worthy’ corners in which the guests would want to take pictures of themselves to post on social media when they went back home,” says Tiwari. Another important part of the brief was that there should be no loose artefacts that could become casualties when the bungalow was rented out. Lastly, the living room seating had to be able to accommodate a mid-sized family.

While Gagan preferred a muted colour palette, his wife Shikha liked vibrant hues. Gagan didn’t want too much rattan either, which he finds overused in Goan homes. Fabrics had to be resistant to wear and tear. His request for a day bed was fulfilled quite serendipitously by Tiwari. “There was an awkwardly positioned column near the window in the living room, which was an eyesore. I’ve tried to make it look like it was intended to be part of the design by creating a bench around it,” she explains. Certainly, Gagan is delighted.

“To accommodate both homeowners’ tastes, I had to find a middle ground. The neutral backdrop is enlivened by accents in black, teal, powder blue, ochre and moss green. The artworks are Shikha’s creations,” explains Tiwari.

For Shikha, the personal touch also came from the branded rugs. “That’s something we didn’t have while growing up,” she says. “Nidhi has sourced rugs from Jaipur Rugs and Rugberry.” And of course, pictures of the family adorn the wall next to the dining table, interspersed with photographs of the outdoors taken by them. For the family, this Goa homestay feels like home when they visit. A hard-working space with character? This is it.

Tiwari has deftly performed the juggling act of balancing the brief of contrary requirements, to deliver a practical and personal ambience. The result is both a home and a homestay that is universally appealing yet exclusive. “The aesthetic is at once neutral, quirky, contemporary, child-proof, and lightly layered, with a relaxing nautical vibe,” she says. “When the place was ready, Gagan and I looked at each other and the same thought crossed our minds–that we didn’t want other people to stay here!” jokes Shikha.

Clients: Gagan Gambhir & Shikha Gambhir
Photographed by: The Light Cube Photography / Pulkit Sehgal

Words by Architectural Digest

Check in to this Goa homestay that makes guests feel like part of the family