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India Mahdavi: Color, Hospitality and the Architecture of Joy

20 hours ago
2 min read
Portrait of India Mahdavi — image used for the article cover
Portrait of India Mahdavi. Cover photograph reproduced below the article title; original photographer and reproduction permission to be verified before publication.

India Mahdavi has helped make color an essential part of contemporary luxury interiors. Her rooms are memorable not simply because they are vivid, but because each uses form, atmosphere and unexpected combinations to produce a particular emotional experience.

Portrait of designer India Mahdavi in an interior setting

A multidisciplinary career


Based in Paris, Mahdavi founded her studio in 2000. The practice works across architecture, interiors, scenography, furniture and objects, giving her a broad vocabulary for constructing environments that feel distinctive and welcoming.


A recognizable yet varied language


Curves, contrasts and carefully orchestrated color recur in her work, but the resulting spaces resist repetition. Mahdavi's design philosophy draws on cosmopolitan influences and allows a sense of humor to coexist with sophistication.


Makoto Miami — restaurant dining room
Makoto Miami — restaurant dining room. Photograph: India Mahdavi studio / photo Jason Varney. Original publication and photographer rights require clearance before publication.


Projects that become destinations


The Gallery at Sketch in London is closely associated with her approach to hospitality. Other projects documented in her portfolio include Ristorante Cavallino in Maranello, Makoto in Miami and the continuing reinterpretations of Sketch itself.


Ristorante Cavallino Maranello red dining room
Ristorante Cavallino Maranello red dining room. Photo: Italia a Tavola; design by India Mahdavi, photography Danilo Scarpati where confirmed. Reproduction rights require clearance before publication.


Makoto Bal Harbour restaurant designed by India Mahdavi
Makoto Bal Harbour restaurant designed by India Mahdavi. Photo: C&C Milano official partner project portfolio; photographer to verify. Reproduction rights require clearance before publication.


Ristorante Cavallino, Maranello — interior 1
Ristorante Cavallino, Maranello — interior 1. Photograph: India Mahdavi official studio portfolio, photographer to confirm. Original publication and photographer rights require clearance before publication.


The Gallery at sketch 2022 London by India Mahdavi — photograph 1
The Gallery at sketch 2022 London by India Mahdavi — photograph 1. Image source: House & Garden, The Gallery at sketch London 2022, design India Mahdavi, contemporary installation by Yinka Shonibare, photo credit to verify. Photographer / permission subject to final editorial verification.


The Gallery at sketch 2022 London by India Mahdavi — photograph 2
The Gallery at sketch 2022 London by India Mahdavi — photograph 2. Image source: House & Garden, The Gallery at sketch London 2022, design India Mahdavi, contemporary installation by Yinka Shonibare, photo credit to verify. Photographer / permission subject to final editorial verification.


Beyond the signature pink


Her influence extends into the design of furniture, exhibitions and creative collaborations. For an illustrated profile, each project should be shown as an environment rather than as isolated decoration, accompanied by a reliable portrait and specific photography credits.


Hôtel du Cloître Arles guest bedroom, design by India Mahdavi
Hôtel du Cloître Arles guest bedroom, design by India Mahdavi. Photo: Yatzer, photograph Hervé Hôte. Reproduction rights require clearance before publication.


Villa Medici Rome interior salon designed by India Mahdavi
Villa Medici Rome interior salon designed by India Mahdavi. Photo: Wallpaper*, Villa Medici, photographer to verify. Reproduction rights require clearance before publication.


Ristorante Cavallino, Maranello — interior 5
Ristorante Cavallino, Maranello — interior 5. Photograph: India Mahdavi official studio portfolio, photographer to confirm. Original publication and photographer rights require clearance before publication.


Further reading


https://india-mahdavi.com/en/about | https://india-mahdavi.com/en/projects/interiors

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