Abode in Bombay: The Ace Hotel of India? - Remodelista
Photographs by Prarthna Singh courtesy of Abode, unless otherwise noted. Smack in the middle of bustling Colaba–the southernmost section of Mumbai, formerly home to its British quarter–the once touristy district is experiencing a modern renaissance. Just as the Ace Hotels have seen success in neighborhoods on the cusp of change (notably its recent re-envisioning of the downtown LA United Artists theater), Abode brings a fresh, contextualized design sensibility to the area, a move that is bringing locals (and a different, more style-driven traveler) back to Colaba. Photograph by Anushree Gavas of Serendipity. The street entrance to Abode features a neon light installation that quotes Bombay native Rudyard Kipling. The hotel did away with the idea of a traditional reception desk, allowing the space to function more as a café and community space. The hotel’s interior design was executed by Sian Pascale who first tackled the lobby by restoring the wood and iron faí§ade around the original 19th century chandelier. Photograph by Anushree Gavas of Serendipity. Pascale enlisted the creativity of British graphic designer Katy Buckley, who in turn worked in collaboration with local truck painters. The hotel’s library off the lobby is, as Pascale explains, “somewhere you can sit, relax, and have a chat with other travelers and locals over a cup of chai; a home away from home.” Photograph by Roberto Michel via Sian Pascale. “The original lobby space was completely landlocked, so a round steel window was created, echoing the shape of the original iron girders that are scattered across the building, opening the lobby up to natural light that came in through the lift shaft,” says Pascale. The existing tiles in the stairwell were left untouched, just slightly restored, and a custom Hotel light box was added for illumination. Room numbers are hand painted in both English and Marathai, the local language. A seating area in a bedroom suite features vintage wicker furniture sourced from the markets of Mumbai. The Bhel Puri Bedside Tables designed by Pascale’s studio, Young Citizens Design, are inspired by the stands of Bombay street vendors. Also by the studio, the Bhel Puri Wall Lights are made from locally sourced elements, including black powder-coated aluminum, wooden wall mounts, and black-and-white cording. An antique copper carafe adds an old-world note to a crisp white bedroom. Photograph by Roberto Michel via Sian Pascale. The bathrooms are fully modern and have rainwater showers lined with slatted wood floors; the walls are made from Indian patent stone, a type of poured-in-place, polished concrete. Guest robes made of locally sourced cotton hang in the bathrooms. Some of the larger rooms at Abode offer up restored vintage Indian writing desks. Tea service in the lobby includes colorful enameled teapots and tea glasses in a traditional metal holder. The hallways are outfitted with 20th-century colonial and art deco hardwood furniture.