The breathtaking view of the Arabian Sea from the drawing-cum-dining space is to die for

It’s the ultimate luxury that everyone in Mumbai aspires to: a clear view of the Arabian Sea in all its moods. Fashion designer Dipika Agarwal and her husband Rahul can gaze out onto the sea from several rooms in their 16th- and 17th-floor penthouse in Bandra.

Dipika unwinds by spending time with her daughter (in the photograph), son and husband at home;

The sprawling two-storey apartment is spread over 8,000sqft and has lovely high ceilings that are accentuated by straight-line furniture and a carefully uncluttered look. All the rooms have sit-outs — some facing the sea which adds to the comfort factor of the residence.

Dipika and her husband moved to Mumbai in 1993, soon after their marriage and they instantly fell in love with the city. Rahul’s a stockbroker and looks after his family’s business interests both in Mumbai and Calcutta (he’s from a business family in Calcutta). In addition, he also restores old houses in Goa. Dipika’s a fashion designer whose creations retail from several boutiques in Mumbai. “Though we stayed in various places across Mumbai, we always dreamt about owning a peaceful haven,” says Dipika. The star attraction of the Agarwal home — one that very few multi-storey apartment dwellers can hope for — is the infinity pool on the 16th floor. From the pool you can gaze over the metropolis far below. Rattan chairs have been placed all around and oak tiles have been used for the deck area around the pool.

One of the walls in the living room flaunts colourful ceramic plates from Rosenthal

The overall colour palette of the apartment is subdued with largely greys, ivory, burgundy and brown. Chianti marble has been used as flooring in most rooms — the only exceptions being the couple and their kids’ bedrooms where oak tiles have been used. The lighting too has been carefully planned with an emphasis on ambient lighting. There are also remote-controlled curtains that are closed when the sunlight is too strong.

Oak tiles give the deck around the lap pool on the first level of the apartment a smart feel

The living-cum-dining room on the 16th floor is done up mostly in shades of brown and beige and has a large balcony overlooking the sea. This is the centrepiece of the apartment where the Agarwals do most of their entertaining. The furniture is straight-line and the most prominent pieces are the neutral-coloured sofas. The dining area consists of a teak glass-top eight-seater dining table. Next to it is the bar with cabinetry in oak-brown veneer.

The eye-catcher in Dipika’s son’s bedroom is a boat-shaped pull-out bed; (above) Dipika’s mother-in-law’s cherished Lladro collection sits pretty in the guestroom

Rahul’s favourite hangout area is the television room adjacent to the living room which is fitted with the latest in technology. This cosy space has comfy couches and a wall TV. “I love gadgets and therefore wanted a space where I could chill out,” says Rahul.

Cross the narrow corridor outside the living room to reach the couple’s bedroom. The sprawling space in the bedroom is emphasised by the low bed and bedside cabinets. Interestingly, the Agarwals have planned carefully to keep the house tidy and clutter-free. There are closed cabinets for everything from everyday items to files and books. The cabinetry is done in oak veneer with a polyurethane finish (it gives a protective and durable coat to the wood). Dipika doesn’t have a den of her own but one of her favourite spots in the house is the sink-in tub next to a big glass window overlooking the sea. “It’s very relaxing to gaze at the tranquil sea while you are in the tub,” she says. The bathroom leads to the carefully arranged spacious walk- in-closet. “I hate cluttered wardrobes and so everything from the eye-shadow to bronzers to safety pins has a definite place,” she says. Her father-in-law Kishore has a bedroom on the same floor as the couple.

From the tub in the master bathroom you can gaze out at the sea; (above) a Bose Krishnamachari painting adds a splash of colour to the corridor connecting the living space to the couple’s bedroom

In some ways the 17th floor is almost a self-contained unit and it even has a kitchen of its own. Dipika’s mother-in-law Rashmi and her two children Jay and Shaina stay on this floor. Here again there’s another large living-cum-dining room and the predominant colours are once again brown and other neutral shades. There are brown couches and these are accentuated by bright cushions. The most striking feature here is the large circular and extremely striking chandelier in the centre of the room.

In the dining area, the central piece is the six-seater wood and glass-top dining table. Rashmi’s puja room just outside the living room has a painting of Ashtalakshmi by artist Indraneil Kamat.

Rashmi’s bedroom too is decorated very simply with just a bed and a purple couch and a footstool next to it. Facing this room is Jai’s bedroom which has a most unusual piece of furniture — a pull-out bed in the shape of a boat. But there’s no clutter or mess here, and his clothes, books and shoes are neatly tucked inside closed cabinets. Shaina’s room is a typical girl’s den with leather-backed low-bed, writing table and chair, beanbag and shelves lined with photo albums. Here again, her shoes and clothes are arranged beautifully in closed cabinets. “Both the rooms are child friendly with no sharp edges,” adds Dipika. The walls are decorated with attractive stickers.

The walk-in-closet attached to the bathroom is one of Dipika’s favourite spaces in the apartment; (left) the crystal chandelier in the 17th-floor living room never fails to draw attention

There aren’t too many knick-knacks around the apartment but the couple has been snapping up lots of canvases by leading artists whenever they saw anything they liked. There are paintings by well-known Indian artists — everyone from Husain to Satish Gujral, Bose Krishnamachari, Prakash Karmakar and Samir Mondal. There are also works by Sri Lankan artist Senaka Senanayake and sculptural pieces by Akhil Chandra Das dominate the corners of several rooms. Dipika’s mother-in-law has a weak spot for porcelain pieces by Lladro and several are on display in the guest bedroom. The living room walls on the second level have Rosenthal ceramic plates.

The most striking feature of the house is the feeling of space. Dipika herself describes the view of the Arabian Sea from the balcony on two levels as ‘jaw- dropping’. She says: “The uninterrupted sea view from the balcony de-stresses you completely.”

Photographs by Gajanan Dudhalkar