Need help designing your dream home?
Book ConsultationLooking for expert guidance to design your
Leave your information and we will call you to book your preferred consultation slot
Brinda and Alfaz Miller’s colourful, art-filled apartment in Mumbai
This 2,100 sq ft haven provides a vibrant backdrop to the collection of paintings, sculptures, antiques and accessories that the couple have collected over the years
We are not sure about first impressions being the last ones but one thing we do know is that it sure can make a lasting impression. Which is pretty much how we still remember the beautiful, carefully curated entrance to artist Brinda, and her architect husband, Alfaz Miller’s apartment in Mumbai.
Unlike mass produced, impersonal nameplates, hand painted portraits of the couple, their two daughters, Aahana and Aashti, and their dog, Leonardo (who they lost last year) welcome you at the door. As you step inside, an entire wall of black and white vignettes give you the once over. “This is my family tree, and that is a picture of my father… and there is my mother,” offers Brinda, as she lovingly traces her fingers across the frames, intuitively straightening the errant ones.
The entrance to Brinda and Alfaz Miller’s house is distinct with a collection of their portraits, hand painted on frames.
A wall with black and white photographs of Brinda’s forefathers dominates the hallway.
A gallery wall with paintings from master artists leads you into the bedroom while at the far end a collection of masks makes for stunning wall decoration.
We cross the kitchen, a large, airy space, where you can hear the sputtering of oil, the aroma of food wafting through amid Mojo’s (their newest baby, a black labrador) delighted squeals. It is indeed the heart of the house, the happy centre. “This used to be my favourite space. But now that I don’t have a lot of free time, I do not cook too much. So, now my favourite space is my bathroom; not because I spend time there but because it is such an interesting space,” admits Brinda with a smile.
The living room is spacious with windows opening out to the Arabian Sea. The view is stunning, and the Millers are lucky to have it envelop all their rooms. Their home is a mix of her personal works, artworks collected over the years, antiques, flea market finds, and an assortment of accessories that they have picked up over their travels. A wall of different heads and masks marks the entry to their vivid, orange bedroom. A wall of paintings, which bear some of the most coveted signatures, beckons you in. On the right is an equally vibrant bathroom, also filled with art. “Our home is like my paintings – earthy, warm hues give it the right energy. You will find a lot of black, red, orange and earthy tones,” explains Brinda.
Aashti’s room is riot of colours too, but with a young, infectious energy. A denim fabric covered sink-in futon sits next to a bright pink cupboard. A discarded taximeter sits on the dresser while kitschy prints adorn the wall behind it. Sarees have been revitalised as curtains that add more colour to the space.
“For both, Alfaz and me, comfort is the most important element when it comes to our home. We do not follow any design rules. At the end of a long day, it needs to be space where we can put our feet up!” signs off Brinda.
Brinda and Alfaz Miller in their living room.
An antique finds the pride of place on a marble top table in the living room.
The side of a wooden cabinet is used to hang an assortment of accessories that they have collected over the years.
The entry to the master bedroom has a wall of masks collected from their travels around the world.
The master bedroom comes alive in a vibrant orange and plays host to some of Brinda’s most treasured art.
Aashti’s room is a riot of colours where a colourful wardrobe vies for attention next to a canvas of her own work and a large frame of a movie poster.
