feels like home

Shonali Mahajan artfully turns her three-bedroom rental into a warm, cosy nest

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It is always quite special, designing your first home, together. When Shonali moved into her home with husband, Rustom Cooper, it was the start of many beginnings. Today, mother to Lyla, her 20-month-old daugther and her ten year old practice, Shonali reminisces about her journey with a smile. After all, this was the home where her daugther took her first steps.

The fact that it was a rental didn't deter Shonali. "The biggest challenge was we couldn't make permanent alterations. Plus it is a heavy investment. We had to make sure that we made it work without changing anything structurally," she says.

Designing their 2,300 sq ft home was a collaborative journey for the couple, both professionals who needed their individual remote work set-ups that would allow them to spend more time with their toddler. "We wanted a space where we could work together and also independently. So, having our desks in separate rooms was important."