Built on Good Vibes

For her first London project, Aashni Kumar creates a calm, tactile home that pushes her style into new territory

- MALLIKA ADVANI

The formal living room balances modern comfort with organic ease, anchored by rounded Roche Bobois sofas, a Nisu Home coffee table, a Benuta rug, and Hestia lamp.

Stacked black and white statues from Muun Home rank among the homeowners' favourite pieces, while on the wall, a monochromatic stepwell photograph by Darshan Mehta - a gift from the client's relative - adds a personal touch Not every email deserves your attention at dawn, but for designer Aashni Kumar, one did. Sitting in her inbox was an opportunity to design a 4,500 sq ft semi-divided Victorian terrace in London her first commission outside India and the UAE. The email came from Hemal and Roushab, a young couple with little boys, who had discovered her through another client in Dubai. A phone call and cup of coffee later, and Aashni felt it instantly: this was the beginning of something special.

As Hemal puts it, “Vibes don't lie.” She and Roushab had both grown up surrounded by light and greenery in Singapore and Manchester respectively and felt an instant connection when they first walked into the house. “We knew it was going to be our oasis,” she says. And, an oasis it is. Tucked into the leafy neighbourhood of Hampstead, the home opens onto a garden at the back and unfolds across two spacious stories: a private ground floor dedicated to the family’s bedrooms, and a lower-ground floor designed for gathering, entertaining, and shared rituals.