Houzz Tour: Indian Stylist’s Mumbai Home Is an Eclectic Cat Haven
Sapna Bhavnani, celebrity hairdresser and reality-TV star, creates a sunny, music-filled place for herself and her pets
Mumbai hairstylist Sapna Bhavnani is a feminist and social activist who is famous for her documentary films, her participation in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and her appearance on the sixth season of Bigg Boss, India’s answer to Big Brother. Over the years, her deft hands also have transformed the looks of some of India’s most beloved celebrities. Design and creativity are central to what she does, which is why her home is a piece of her heart, curated and personalized over the past seven years.
Bhavnani’s one-bedroom home is nestled in an old building in Mumbai’s bustling and trendy Bandra neighborhood. Minimalist furniture, azure and patterned walls, and little accessories help create a lively but relaxed atmosphere in the living room.
“I bought this house seven years ago. I always wanted to live in an old building. I think new constructions look like breadboxes, void of any design and charm. Also, the outgoing expenses and energy consumption of new constructions are overwhelming. I was really glad to come across this house because it had a cozy old-world feel to it and looked like it could be in one of the films by Sai Paranjpye, my favorite director,” Bhavnani says.
“I bought this house seven years ago. I always wanted to live in an old building. I think new constructions look like breadboxes, void of any design and charm. Also, the outgoing expenses and energy consumption of new constructions are overwhelming. I was really glad to come across this house because it had a cozy old-world feel to it and looked like it could be in one of the films by Sai Paranjpye, my favorite director,” Bhavnani says.
“I am a big fan of making things rather than buying,” she says. “The original windows here were very small, so I had to reinstall larger windows and open up the home. Plus, this entire home has been designed for cats, so I’ve ensured there’s plenty of sun streaming inside at all times because cats love to lounge in the sun.”
The custom desk next to the window is where Bhavnani currently spends most of her time. “I’m in the middle of editing a documentary, and that ends up taking most of my day,” she says.
The custom desk next to the window is where Bhavnani currently spends most of her time. “I’m in the middle of editing a documentary, and that ends up taking most of my day,” she says.
An online purchase, the bookshelf next to the desk holds favorite reading materials and quirky accessories. Cat figurines or prints can be spotted in every corner of her home.
Browse bookcases
Browse bookcases
Music’s in the Air
On the custom coffee table is a tiny kalimba. Bhavnani plays the wooden instrument to entertain herself and her cats by picking the staggered metal tines with her thumbs.
On the custom coffee table is a tiny kalimba. Bhavnani plays the wooden instrument to entertain herself and her cats by picking the staggered metal tines with her thumbs.
“Music is close to my heart,” Bhavnani says. She does her riyaz (music practice) every morning with her tanpura, the long-necked string instrument in this picture.
She brought the dainty bird-print wallpaper from Ireland, and the lamp was custom-designed. “My home’s design is organic. Currently, I am trying to declutter the space and keep it to a minimum basic. I’ve only retained things that mean the most to me,” Bhavnani says.
“I got the entire home refloored by Bharat Floorings and Tiles. However, I didn’t let them put too many coats of paint on the tiles [during the manufacturing process] because they usually use seven or eight coats to make the tiles look absolutely new. I asked them to do only three, so it looked old and perfect for the home,” she says.
She brought the dainty bird-print wallpaper from Ireland, and the lamp was custom-designed. “My home’s design is organic. Currently, I am trying to declutter the space and keep it to a minimum basic. I’ve only retained things that mean the most to me,” Bhavnani says.
“I got the entire home refloored by Bharat Floorings and Tiles. However, I didn’t let them put too many coats of paint on the tiles [during the manufacturing process] because they usually use seven or eight coats to make the tiles look absolutely new. I asked them to do only three, so it looked old and perfect for the home,” she says.
Bhavnani also rearranged the original plan of the home, tearing down walls — like the one dividing the living room from the kitchen — to create spaces that are more open.
This custom island serves as a dining spot and a subtle divider between the rooms.
This custom island serves as a dining spot and a subtle divider between the rooms.
Next to the kitchen is a unique leaning bookshelf, and next to it stands a mannequin. “I have six such mannequins in my healing center in Kamshet, and all of them are named Alice,” Bhavnani says.
The lamps above the kitchen island are custom-made. The metal kitchen cabinets, purchased at the Jogeshwari market in Mumbai, add to the vintage appeal of the space.
A hallway leads to the bathroom, which was enlarged in the renovation, and the bedroom. Bhavnani used pink on the cabinets to brighten up the otherwise gray space.
“I am a big fan of corridors that lead you somewhere. It’s a link between my private space and the outside,” Bhavnani says.
She got these artworks during her trip to China.
She got these artworks during her trip to China.
“I love birds because I’m a cat, and cats like to look at birds,” Bhavnani says. “That’s why my home has plenty of sunbathing, nature-viewing spots too.”
The wooden console is her own design, and the cabinet on the right came from a flea market. She bought the wallpaper in Ireland.
Find bird-print wallpaper
The wooden console is her own design, and the cabinet on the right came from a flea market. She bought the wallpaper in Ireland.
Find bird-print wallpaper
A Change of Heart
Bhavnani’s bedroom sports a lot of pink, a color she was never a fan of. “The paint in my home keeps changing. Till some time back, the walls were black. I never liked pink my whole life, but then I met a friend who completely changed my perspective on salmon color and made me appreciate it. Now my hair, too, is pink!” she says.
Bhavnani’s bedroom sports a lot of pink, a color she was never a fan of. “The paint in my home keeps changing. Till some time back, the walls were black. I never liked pink my whole life, but then I met a friend who completely changed my perspective on salmon color and made me appreciate it. Now my hair, too, is pink!” she says.
The custom four-poster bed hides many bags, boxes and treasures underneath. “I love high beds because it allows you to create a whole world underneath it. This bed is perfect for my cats too, so they can hide under it from humans. I am going to create a writing area under this soon, with an old munshi desk,” says Bhavnani, referring to a low writing desk designed for sitting on the floor.
Next to the bed, a slender corner became a dressing area, with a custom mirror and a light. “My home is a forever work in progress,” with new colors and fewer (or maybe more) accessories every month, Bhavnani says. “It changes as per my mood.”
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More home tours: Apartments | Small Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | All
House at a Glance
Who lives here: Celebrity hairstylist Sapna Bhavnani, pictured, of Mad o Wot and her three cats, Future, Logic and Frida
Location: Mumbai, India
Size: 549 square feet (51 square meters); one bedroom, one bathroom