OBJECTS OF OBSESSION

Art collector Jaiveer Johal’s Chennai apartment, brought to life by his friend and designer Samir Wadekar, weaves together deep hues, rare antiques and eclectic treasures into a space full of narrative and charm

- TEXT BY VAISHNAVI NAYEL TALAWADEKAR PHOTOGRAPHY BY TALIB CHITALWALA

When he isn’t busy styling or decorating spaces, Samir Wadekar likes to disappear into antiques stores — on the lookout for curious objects, not conversation. “I go for the things, not the people,” he jokes. But once every six years, fate throws in a bonus. “We first met by chance at an antiques store in Mumbai nearly six years ago, and instantly bonded over our mutual love for the past,” says Samir of his encounter with the Chennai-based entrepreneur and art collector Jaiveer Johal. As it turned out, the pair had a lot in common, sharing a penchant for vintage, Wedgwood, Indian art, and the 1979 British series Antiques Roadshow, preferably on repeat.

That first meeting led to a close friendship and later, a creative partnership. “Over the years, I had the joy of helping Jaiveer curate and decorate his apartments,” says Samir. So when it came time to redesign this one, a spare three-bedroom apartment in the same building as Jaiveer's primary residence, he jumped at the chance. "The process was fluid, full of spontaneous shifts and sparks of inspiration,” he says. With no fixed brief or deadline, creativity had room to breathe, and so did the home, which was thoughtfully reimagined into a mignon one-bedroom jewel box with a home gym, reading room, two bathrooms and a powder room, tailored for evening soirées and intimate weekend brunches.