COLOUR, CHARACTER, AND COLLECTIBLES

Designed by Aanai Design Studio, this Chennai apartment celebrates a lifetime of collecting, with thoughtful textures and heritage finishes

- WORDS VARUNI MOHAN PHOTOS PHOSART STUDIO

Some homes speak in hushed tones. This one hums with familiarity. Designed by Bengaluru-based Aanai Design Studio for a couple who've spent decades collecting antiques, artefacts, and memories, this 1,800 sq ft Chennai apartment was always meant to feel like an extension of who they are – not a blank canvas, but a lived-in layer. “The clients have been collecting furniture, brass idols, and art for over 30 years. This wasn't about curating a new way of living. It was about building a home around their things, their habits, their life,” says Gayathri Padmam H, founder and creative director of the studio.