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Vaishnavi Nayel Talawadekar is an internationally published architecture, design and art journalist.

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Vaishnavi works out of a sunny studio called Mangomonk where she writes for publications big and small.

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Latest Articles

Architectural Digest •

The Designers Behind This Former Georgia O’Keeffe Hangout Only Added Details That Felt Original

All products featured on Architectural Digest are independently selected by our editors. However, we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links.As the AD PRO Directory designers quickly realized, the real challenge was exercising tactful restraint. “We’re usually brought in to add architectural details that make a house feel special. This time, the house was the special part. It was more about holding back so the architecture could shine,” notes...
The Local Project •

In focus: Halliday + Baillie - The Local Project

Architectural hardware often goes unnoticed – concealed as hinges behind doors, channels under drawers and brackets beneath stairs. Since its inception in 1995, New Zealand company Halliday + Baillie has sought to rewrite this narrative, elevating joinery staples with superior design, materials and finishes.
For more than 30 years, Halliday + Baillie has supplied clients with quality hardware for both commercial and residential spaces. “We’re an architectural fittings company, predominantly door...
The Local Project •

Measured’s Furniture Inspires a Well-Lived Life - The Local Project

A life well lived – this is the aspiration of Measured, an Australian furniture company known for its thoughtfully crafted, enduring design.
Founded by designers Ceci Thompson and Aydin Keyvanloo, Melbourne-based studio Measured reimagines the idea of intentional living with pieces where well-balanced elemental forms and a considered design approach lend a sense of harmony to their surroundings. Whether on a patio, in an office or a hospitality setting, Measured’s furniture strives to contribute...
Elle Decor •

[Print] Anchored by Air: Goa Bungalow by We Design Studio

Two years ago, architects Saahil Parikh and Nupur Shah set foot on a plot of land in the Goan village of Agarvado — and were instantly captivated. “The land was completely untouched,” recalls Saahil. But it was equally wild. “Our first site visit took place during the monsoon, and the terrain was remarkably marshy. I remember struggling to walk across it. By the time we were done, our feet and shoes were caked in thick mud right up to our ankles. Cleaning up took some effort,” adds the co-founder of the Mumbai-based We Design Studio, who went on to clear not just his footwear, but, in time, the spectacular surrounding quagmire as well. Tucked away on a storybook estate spanning ten acres, the site lay cradled between the Chapora River and an expanse of mangroves, its surface dotted with three man-made salt pans. Completing the setting with a villa just as idyllic, then, was a challenge that called for sensitivity over spectacle.
Architectural Digest •

This Coonoor bungalow, aged 80 years, is a colonial revival in the Nilgiris

Maintaining a historic home, like this Coonoor bungalow, is a privilege few receive, but reviving one from the ashes of its past is a privilege even fewer desire. Ajith and Shashi Jhabakh, however, were undeterred. When the Coimbatore-based couple approached architect Sowmya Kumar of OWM Architecture, they weren’t seeking an easy restoration—they wanted to breathe new life into a house that had weathered time, loss, and neglect.Built in the 1940s during the British Raj and passed down through ge...
Architectural Digest •

[Print] Porus Vimadalal & Prayag Menon's Labour of Love for Nama Home

Photographer Porus Vimadalal
enjoys his eggs with a side of
furniture. “And my mushrooms
too,” quips the Mumbai-based
creative director, who used the said protein
sources to nourish his latest project with his
husband, Prayag Menon: a still life campaign for the metal furniture brand Nama
Home. “I was immediately drawn to their
design philosophy,” continues Vimadalal,
noted for being the imaginative force
behind some of India’s most successful
photography campaigns, including several
projects for Gucci and Apple.
Wallpaper* •

Immersing herself in nature taught this landscape architect ‘more than any lecture ever could’

Indian landscape architect Varna Shashidhar, founder and principal of Bengaluru studio VSLA, didn’t always know that her heart – and hands – belonged outdoors. But by the time she earned her master’s in landscape architecture from Harvard’s Graduate School of Design in 2006, she was sure of one thing: a desk job in an air-conditioned office just wasn’t on the cards. ‘Harvard introduced me to fantastic friends and mentors, and led me to the best scientists, ecologists and designers at the cutting...
Architectural Digest •

A California Home Rediscovers its French Contemporary Roots With Cloudlike Details

There was something special about the home’s French Contemporary bones—but there was also something missing. “While Gina and Dan loved the French influences, they really wanted us to emphasize the contemporary aspect—to truly bring the home into the present,” says Sulaiman, who set about creating a warm and inviting oasis—somewhere the family could huddle, kick off their boots, and disappear for a while. And then, just as easily, reemerge and entertain when the mood struck. She didn’t design the...
Vogue India •

Sudha Murty: “I don’t go to restaurants. Why drive, park and waste time in traffic when you can eat at home?”

There’s no pomp when Sudha Murty enters the room. In fact, no one really notices. The videographers are busy priming their cameras, her staff is whirring around the sidelines and I am admiring a painting depicting the Mahabharata—made by a Kolkata-based collective of the Bengal School, she tells me later. “Which magazine?” she asks, smiling, as I hurriedly turn, take notice and mutter an answer. “Ah yes, please sit.” So I do. In videos and pictures, Murty seems larger somehow, a powerhouse of a...
Architectural Digest •

This 3,500-square-foot coastal villa in Chennai channels Mediterranean magic

The thing that people often forget about architects is their ability to roll with the punches—to expand a room by a few square metres, move a window an inch or two to the left, flip the living room to frame a better view. Or, as in the case of Raghuveer Ramesh and Sharanya Srinivasan, the duo behind Chennai-based Studio Context, do all that—and then decide to promptly not. “We kept doubling every room with each design round. At one point, Sharanya insisted that she’d have to start cutting down t...
The Local Project •

Larkspur by BOSS Architecture

Larkspur, a midcentury-inspired dwelling designed by Denver-based BOSS Architecture, harmonises with the surrounding 1960s residences yet conceals a secret imperceptible from the street: a storybook backyard that turns with the seasons.
For the architects, the ambition to create a garden that matched or even surpassed the home itself inspired the idea of an L-shaped plan that would shelter the backyard from two perpendicular street frontages. While one wing was designed to accommodate a garage,...
Architectural Digest •

Inside BILT Rewards founder Ankur Jain and former WWE wrestler Erika Hammond's home in NYC

Also read: A retired couple’s home in Bengaluru becomes a quiet ode to neoclassicism and memoryThe thing about designing a home for a couple, especially one as creatively distinct as Jain and Hammond—he breathes technology, she’s a former beauty queen and the founder of STRONG by Erika, a boxing-inspired fitness app—is finding a way to hold a mirror to who they are individually, and who they are together. As Mehlre explains, “Ankur and Erika represent the perfect fusion of intellectual sophistic...
The Local Project •

Articolo Studios’ New Melbourne Flagship Showroom by Studio Goss

Though defined by angular volumes, the showroom possesses an earthy quality, an approach that reflects the nature of the objects it houses: all of Articolo Studio’s lighting features brass as a base metal, with some pieces finished in bronze. The space reflects the studio’s focus on the inherent beauty of the materials featured in its ranges. “We create lighting and a complement of sculptural furn...
Elle Decor •

[Print] Objects of Obsession: Chennai Apartment by Samir Wadekar

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.
Elle Decor •

[Print] Volume, Light & Quiet: A Home in Hyderabad by NA Architects

Anyone who knows Niroop Reddy, or has, at the very least, experienced one of his ambitious designs, knows that the Hyderabad-based architect, for better or for worse, has a penchant for packing double the punch. “It’s always for the better,” smiles the founder and principal architect of NA Architects, who remains faithful to a more-is-more approach. Although, if his latest Hyderabad project—a 9,600-square-foot show villa—is anything to go by, more, at least in terms of volume, can sometimes equal less. His restraint from excess, on this occasion, is characterised by the double-height void that punctuates the central living area: a hallmark that has come to define his studio over the past decade, and one that proved particularly fortuitous for this project, which he undertook alongside principal interior designer Rupana Reddy.
The Local Project •

Gantri’s Consciously Crafted Lighting

From nebulous table lamps to traffic-signal-inspired floor lights, each Gantri piece is a sculptural statement that empowers self-expression and channels an unexpected whimsy that feels both contemporary and timeless. Its design language, paired with its eco-conscious ethos – each light is crafted from a biodegradable, plant-based polymer derived from sustainably grown, non-GMO sugarcane – has made it a firm favourite in the A&D world. Gantri lighting has featured in Time, Dezeen and Architectur...
Domino •

This Scuba-Loving Couple’s Florida Home Makes a Case for Kelp Green

For one scuba-loving couple, trading city life in Washington, D.C., for the laid-back rhythm of High Springs, Florida—a town famed for its turquoise springs and storybook charm—was a chance to keep the water close, and its magic even closer. To them, a home inspired by those crystal pools felt like the perfect place to begin. The only snag? They had no idea how to bring it to life. What they did have, though, was the perfect blank slate: a forgotten workshop separated from the main house by a ha...
Architectural Digest •

This store in Hyderabad is inspired by Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Padmaavat

If this store in Hyderabad were a movie set, the customers would naturally be the protagonist. “Which is why it had to inspire an atmosphere that makes people feel great about what they are buying,” says Dev. For him, that looked like jharokha-inspired backdrops and dazzling open displays, arranged so as to blur the distinction between merchandise and mise-en-scène—where every sari feels like part of the narrative, not just a product on a rail. Dev puts a finer point on the subject. “Every conve...
Architectural Digest •

In this Chennai home, hotel-like luxury meets heartfelt design

James Stephen, Managing Director of the Clinton Group of Hotels, is no stranger to the art of fine living. But, as he realised early last year, delighting others is far easier a feat than delighting himself. “Every time I received a quote, I’d have to take a glass of water to calm myself down,” says the Chennai-based entrepreneur. “Then I’d call Varsha to discuss it…only to be told to take another glass because this was just fifty per cent of the quote.” The Varsha in question was Varsha Menon,...
The Local Project •

Kastex’s Sublime Architectural Wall Finishes - Product Feature - The Local Project

For architectural wall finishes brand Kastex, no two walls are alike. The Melbourne-based, family-run company has long upheld an ethos of craftsmanship, creativity and customisation, treating every surface as a blank canvas and an opportunity to tell a tactile story. Sustainable materials and methods underscore its commitment to responsible design, ensuring beauty never comes at the expense of the environment.
The Local Project •

Blind Dormer House by Anya Moryoussef Architect

Anything Anya Moryoussef Architect touches feels like an optical illusion – or, at the very least, becomes one over time. Blind Dormer House – a 1920s home in Toronto’s Wychwood neighbourhood, rejuvenated a few years ago – is a compelling case in point. While preserving its pre-war identity, in both profile and materiality, the designer subtly reconfigures the interior, turning the home away from the street and toward a view that had been hiding in plain sight all along: a grand, century-old oak tree. In renovating the heritage structure, practice principal Anya Moryoussef introduced additions so deftly integrated that it’s difficult to discern where – or even whether – the old meets the new. A contemporary home was inserted between the original gable ends, forming a two-and-a-half-storey volume with a mirror-image roofline that blends effortlessly into the streetscape. As Moryoussef puts it, “it’s reinvented by a brush with surrealism.”
The Local Project •

St Kilda Hill House by Robson Rak

A few years ago, St Kilda Hill House – named after the eponymous Melbourne beachside suburb – was a shadow of its former self. The Victorian terrace had lived many lives, including as a language school and a call centre, with each iteration gradually stripping away a piece of its original character. Robson Rak was enlisted to restore the home to its former glory, thoughtfully reversing the effects of time – a challenge the practice embraced wholeheartedly. Kathryn Robson, co-founder and principa...
Vogue •

Surat-based designer Priyanka Shah is building furniture that looks like it walked out of a storybook

When she isn’t in her studio thinking about what to make, Priyanka Shah likes to send her imagination to faraway lands, past wispy clouds and azure waters. When she is in her studio, those dreams take on tangible form—wooden half-tunnels for storing pencils and pens, prayer wheels à la Tibetan monasteries and French-style carousels inspired by gaushalas, castles and Rajasthani folktales. The Surat-based product designer, who graduated from Parsons School of Design in New York, has one rule: never dream the same dream again. Which means no two of her creations are the same.
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Architectural Digest •

AD Visits: Diipa Büller-Khosla's canal house in Amsterdam is a postcard from 1614

Even from 6,000 kilometres away, Diipa Büller-Khosla’s energy is palpable through the screen. It’s morning where she is, and she and her husband and business partner, Dutch former diplomat, Oleg Büller-Khosla (the couple legally adopted each other's last names when they married in 2018) are perched in the kitchen of their Amsterdam home, in the company of their pet pooches, Kubii and Bimbo.

By their own admission, it’s a scene that just a few years ago, was a figment of their imagination. “We'd
Architectural Digest •

AD Visits: Ishaan Khatter’s Mumbai apartment is a sunset sanctuary

When he isn't busy filming or promoting or air-dashing off to exotic locales, Ishaan Khatter likes to appreciate the little things in life. “On Sunday mornings, when time permits, I slip off for a bike ride. In the evenings, I like to watch the sunset with some music and coffee,” says the actor, who was last seen in supernatural comedy Phone Bhoot, alongside Katrina Kaif and Siddhant Chaturvedi. So when he moved in a three-bedroom apartment along the Bandra sea face, naturally, his first priorit
Architectural Digest •

AD Visits: Actor Aahana Kumra’s Mumbai apartment is a pretty-in-pink princess pad

In a building full of identical brown doors, Aahana Kumra's entrance is the only non-brown curiosity. "I absolutely love pink. It's my all-time favourite colour—that's why it's right at the front," she laughs, holding open the candyfloss-coloured opuscule as she ushers me inside. For Kumra, the home is a manifestation twenty years in the making, and one that nods equally to her Lucknowi roots and her life in Mumbai. "There are whiffs of Kashmir, London and Delhi too. It's a collection of all my
Architectural Digest •

AD Visits: Actor Aparshakti Khurana’s Mumbai home displays drama in the details

Even before they had finalised their house, or decided who would design it, actor Aparshakti Khurana and his wife, events entrepreneur Aakriti Ahuja, had a chandelier picked out and stowed away in storage. "I had spotted it some years ago in Delhi and just knew I had to buy it," laughs Aakriti, and Aparshakti chimes in, "We had no idea what our future house would look like. Nothing was set in stone, except this big, blue bhaisahab." The bhaisahab in question now occupies a corner of their living
Architectural Digest •

AD Visits: Singer Armaan Malik’s Mumbai home is halfway between London and Los Angeles

At 10 AM on a Sunday, the last thing you'd expect is for Armaan Malik to be crisping the edges of a frittata. And yet, that's exactly the sight that greets me as I step into his kitchen, a California-cool bolthole with a London-esque edge. "I love making breakfast and treating myself to a good spread," he says, drizzling butter on bruschettas. Dressed in a casual button-up and chinos, he looks like a laid-back version of his on-screen alter ego, who, as fans of The Voice (on which Armaan appears
Architectural Digest •

AD Visits: Actors Aditya Seal and Anushka Ranjan’s newlywed nest is a storybook come to life

At the door of actors (and newlyweds) Aditya Seal and Anushka Ranjan Seal's new Mumbai duplex, the nameplate is conspicuous by its absence. What is not is the cheery (LED) baby seal that takes its place, animating the wall and nodding to its namesake owners. “It's fun to watch people guess," says Anushka. "Those who get it, get it. And it makes for a great conversation-starter." But the unlikely sea creature isn’t the only thing setting the entryway apart—because if the peach-toned front door (a