Ensconced inside a heritage structure in Mumbai’s Kala Ghoda precinct, Plural is a newly launched contemporary Southeast Asian restaurant founded by first-time restaurateur Vedant Shah. It offers vegetarian fare inspired by the cuisines of Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. The restaurant adheres to its environmentally conscious ethos, reflected through the mindful sourcing of high-quality, regional produce and use of eco-friendly packaging.
Shah approached Tejal Mathur of Tejal Mathur Design to plan the interiors of Plural. It took her about four months to transform the 1,500-square-foot space. “Vedant spent considerable time developing the story [with us],” says Mathur. “His clarity of wanting to steer clear of cliches associated with South Asian decor was further punctuated with the idea of smart design. Delving deeper into what his brand represented, he [shared] our thoughts with his branding team, Local, and we spent an entire day scientifically breaking down the space into form, texture and colour. This process led to the birth of Plural.”
The Colour Code
Calming hues, textural infusions and curvilinear forms inject the interiors with a refreshing aesthetic, as elements cohesively come together to speak a fluent visual language. Natural materials like rattan, terracotta and wood find their way into the decor by way of furniture pieces and lighting fixtures. Textured wallpapers and a mint-green shade envelop the walls; the colour gently seeps into the furnishings as well, underlining the colour scheme of the space. “Taking cues from a collage of graphic imagery inspired by the contoured terrain of paddy fields, verdant greens and a connection to the earth, we used terracotta furniture, oversized rattan lamps and a fresh mint colour to encapsulate the feeling of sitting in a long veranda gazing out at the harvest,” explains Mathur.
Interior Elements
Thrive Garden Design Studio was tasked with landscaping the sidewalk; they beautified the limited outdoor area with a profusion of lush exotic palms. Inside the restaurant, the bar lies to the left, near the entrance, and further ahead begins the dining area. Here, the length of a wall has been punctured at intervals with windows. “Architecturally, the windows were a must and for that we had to rope in a structural consultant on how to go about it since it is a heritage structure,” says Mathur. These are now fitted with fluted glass panels through which one can see hazy hints of green that indicate the swaying palm leaves on the outer side. Clay wall sconces are pleasant additions to the walls.
An elliptical community table, finished in terracotta, is crowned by a cluster of terracotta lamps crafted in diverse shapes. Adjacent to this lies a row of tables with plantain-printed surfaces as sizeable rattan lamps hang above. The space also features curvilinear furniture in light oak and rattan. The booth seating across is set against a ledge wall adorned with clay bottles. Lights from Hatsu jut out from above the ledge wall and illuminate each booth, while hand-planed stools provide extra seating. A cosy mezzanine space is integrated too that can seat about eight people and the kitchen is positioned beyond the dining area at the far end.
