Studio Apartment Tour: Kavita Shanbhag

How have you been my favorite people? 
I am back to blogging after a short hiatus. I was in need of a digital detox vacation with my family and my dear parents. And the best thing is, I planned it and executed it. It was quite satisfying and rejuvenating vacation. Now I have the home tours lined up for this month. And today on 3D you will get to learn how you can make use of every inch of space in a tiny apartment. Today's guest is joining us from Mumbai, a city where you can't imagine owning a dwelling with different rooms for everything. Kavita owns a studio apartment in Mumbai and sharing how she turned the house into a home.

Kavita is a special educator trained to teach children with special needs. She is an activist in the Rehabilitation field, founder & managing trustee of ChildRaise Trust empowering children & adults with special needs. She is a creative head of  www.childraise.com, writer on disability related issues.

I would like to share that Kavita has provided a toll-free disability helpline number1800-22-1203 so that you can share it with people who need any such assistance or guidance. 
Now let's take a look at her well organized and beautifully decorated studio apartment in Mumbai.

Describe your home in just a few words:

Kavita: My Home is my Haven & Heaven!

Whether your house is an apartment or a villa, its area and no. of rooms:

Kavita: We have three apartments in the same society in Matunga, Mumbai. Till my son got married 

we used to stay in 1 BHK flat. Handing over the bigger flat to the young couple, we, the senior 

couple moved to a cozy 225 square feet studio apartment in the adjacent reconstructed building. 

Tell us about yourself, your family and location:

Kavita: Hi!! Kavita Shanbhag here. Our close family consists of me, my husband Devrai (who started Lily Caterers, handed over his flourishing business to his team to manage & now a passionate traveller). His blog Devooswanderings is a place where he shares his travel experiences. My daughter is a veterinary doctor. she is married & resides in downtown Toronto with her engineer husband. My son is a market analyst, recently got married to a Sales Tax officer. 

For all three of us (me, my daughter & DIL), our careers being not from art field, doing handicraft, decorating, reading about art, designing & decorating gives us the creative happiness. We are a close-knit family, live and enjoy life with our extended family & a fantastic bunch of pretty interesting friends. 

We are fortunate to live in a very central place like Matunga Road (Western Line) in Mumbai. 

You will love it for the sheer fact that it is just 225 square feet at Matunga Road (west), Mumbai . And how we have made the most of every square foot. 

Previously, after returning from US my daughter, Preeti,  who is a veterinary doctor stayed in this cosy flat till her marriage and moving to Toronto. She designed the whole place. The first few snaps are when only she was staying there & used to run a home bakery unit as a hobby & passion.

Images that you see below are when Kavita with her husband moved into this tiny apartment and decorated it . 

What’s your decorating style:

Kavita: I don’t think mine can be named as any style by any standards. But I think I try to do maximum with minimum!

Where do you get the inspiration from:

Kavita: My inspiration in life has been my Mother. I admire her for her enthusiasm to do DIY greeting cards, writing small poems etc., giving personal touches to her home at the young age of 91. Since childhood, I have been watching her putting in her best efforts making four walls into a Home! I also like to browse design blogs like yours, design/ interior magazines, websites, sharing ideas with like-minded friends, love to visit people & see how they keep/decorate their homes, decor shops.

Which is your favorite spot in your home and why:

Kavita: My Mini Grill Garden! Love to have hot chai sitting on the granite bench & read a book with our pet cats Figo & Mia near me. It is just so calming!

When we moved in the studio apartment it was similar to like answering questions like “if you are stranded on an island what are the few things you would like to have”. So it was just the necessities & few aesthetic cute tiny little things around them. Exception- my husband’s dream recliner was on sale & he had to have it despite it being so huge. I didn’t want to oppose because that is the only furniture/décor thing he has ever wanted in the house besides of course his cookware. Secondly, it also serves as an extra couch/bed when fully opened. I think he will be flattered if that is called a statement piece.  Otherwise, mostly plants in different pots, shells, photographs, candle stands, fridge magnets from our various travels, the fabric blinds add the colour to my home.

What are your hobbies:

Kavita: Music, drama, watching movies, writing, any art form and yes travelling with my hubby.

Please give your valuable advice to décor enthusiast 3D readers:

Kavita: Go on arranging & rearranging till your eyes & heart tell you, “Yes...this is it!”

I hope you enjoyed this tour and got to learned some tips & tricks to decorate small spaces when you don't have the luxury to toss everything into a spare room. Thanks Kavita for sharing images of your beautiful home with us. We wish you love, luck & sunshine!!
For more such lovely home tours click here. 

What coming up next!! Stay tuned, it's a post on "Buddha Decor Ideas". Have a lovely weekend ahead!