At home with India Mahdavi

India Mahdavi, recognized as Wallpaper's Designer of the Year 2023, offers an intimate look into her personal world, sharing insights into her homes in Paris and Arles, her daily routines, and the inspirations that shape her unique design philosophy. Known for her expressive output that spans furniture, objects, and interiors, Mahdavi’s work is characterized by a strong sense of color and innovative forms that often challenge traditional silhouettes. Her notable projects include the iconic all-pink Gallery at Sketch in London, which was recently re-envisioned with artist Yinka Shonibare, an intervention at Rome's Villa Medici interiors, and ongoing collaborations with Gebrüder Thonet Vienna that reinterpret classic furniture designs. Mahdavi divides her time between her apartment in Paris's 7th arrondissement and her house in Arles. She describes her Parisian apartment as an L-shaped flat with the characteristic charm of Parisian spaces, including crooked Versailles parquet floors and Neo-Grec moldings from the 1930s. She moved into this apartment 27 years ago while pregnant with her son, Miles, and it has since become a personal landscape, accumulating layers of her life through prototypes of her designs, vintage pieces, and objects collected from her travels. Her favorite spot in the apartment is a small, suspended garden in her kitchen, adorned with an orange velvet screen, a yellow oval table, and checkered curtains, creating a cozy dining nook that can accommodate four people. One of her most iconic pieces of furniture is the Bishop stool, which originated as a wood-turned bar stool for a club in New York's Meatpacking District in the early 2000s. It later evolved into a glazed ceramic stool for the Condesa DF Hotel in Mexico City, becoming her signature piece. The Bishop has since been reinterpreted in various scales and with different accessories, with her favorite being the Apple Blossom Baby Bishop. This particular version, created in collaboration with French manufacturer Émaux de Longwy, applies the ancestral cloisonné technique to adorn the stool with a floral motif, transforming it into an intricate haute couture piece that modernizes and sustains ancient craftsmanship. Mahdavi’s days typically begin with coffee in bed, listening to the morning news on France Inter radio. To relax, she enjoys sitting by the fire in her living room, reading, and listening to music. She doesn't consider herself a collector in the traditional sense but rather acquires furniture, art, and tableware that bring her joy. The last object she purchased was a pink ceramic basket by artist Audrey Ballacchino, and she is currently reading multiple books, including "Nina Simone's gum" by Warren Ellis and "Histoire naturelle de l’architecture" by Philippe Rahm. Her music playlist is diverse, ranging from Serge Gainsbourg and Chopin to Miles Davis, Dave Brubeck, Duke Ellington, and Shervin Hajipour. Dinner is her favorite meal, as it's a time to relax and share with friends. If hosting Wallpaper*, she would prepare her favorite Persian meal: wild cherry rice with lemon and saffron chicken, followed by rose water ice cream. Her most meaningful recent collaboration was the refurbishment of the Villa Medici in Rome, where she aimed to revive the villa's essence without overpowering its historical heritage. Working with French and Italian artisans, she created contemporary furniture juxtaposed with archival pieces from Mobilier National to transform the space into a more vibrant living and thinking environment. Her favorite place in the world is her house in the Oasis of Siwa in the Egyptian desert, a structure made of Kershef (salt blocks and mud) illuminated by candles, which she describes as magical. Rome continues to inspire her with its beauty, leading her to discover new places like Giacomo Balla’s fantasy apartment. Upcoming projects include designing a contemporary and modern art museum in Trondheim, Norway, set to open in 2025, and an artist’s residence in Arles. She advises the next generation of designers to embrace hard work, humility, and curiosity. #IndiaMahdavi #InteriorDesign #ParisianHomes #DesignerProfile #DesignPhilosophy #BishopStool #VillaMedici #DesignInspiration #HomeDecor #IndiaMahdavi #InteriorDesign #ParisianHomes #DesignerProfile #DesignPhilosophy #BishopStool #VillaMedici #DesignInspiration #HomeDecor