DNA Celebrity Column: Designed to Perfection, writes Shweta Bachchan Nanda

The monsoons are always a tricky time to eat out. If you do manage to overcome the weather and the general chaos the roads become in its wake, make your way to Arth (a new restaurant by Aallia Hospitality), and you will be assured that the kind of experience was worth braving a downpour for. 

Split into two levels, Arth, designed by Gauri Khan, is a refreshing change from anything you’ve seen in the city thus far. It combines the plush opulence heretofore expected only in 5-star hotels with a hipper aesthetic you would find somewhere in New York! It is a daunting undertaking, the space is massive, and Gauri has given it scale, which is scarce in this city and therefore the first thing that grabs your attention. How did she manage to achieve this? Gauri is the embodiment of sprezzatura, her calm exterior belies some serious industriousness. How and when did you manage this? I ask her incredulously. She smiles; it’s taken her about eight months from start to finish, and I am gobsmacked into silence. 

The bar (running the length of the space) with its monochromatic marbled flooring opens up into a room with large offwhite sofas — enough seating for those of us who hate squeezing our way through over crowded areas. What makes the space grand yet trendy is its distinctive lighting. Curated by Gauri from Paris and Milan (the only pieces in the restaurant not manufactured by her here in India) they add a feminine whimsy, which is in contrast with the more masculine pieces of furniture. Art Deco pendant lights shaped like teardrops, grouped with crystal chandeliers are dangled from an exposed ceiling with rope creating an interesting juxtaposition. She tells me she planned the entire place around her lighting when ordinarily it is done the other way round, her conviction definitely paid off. 

A dramatic staircase takes you up to the dining area, handsome in blues, beiges and gold, striking but not overpowering. The real hero here is the food, she says. It was her brief to make the experience luxurious yet comfortable and she has struck the perfect balance. She is passionate when talking about her work. It radiates through her while simultaneously maintaining a very practical outlook.

She has taken into account every aspect of designing a restaurant, from the footfalls to the upkeep — nothing should look messy and specific elements and materials were used to ensure that. She flirts with a little bit of drama in the bathrooms where facing mirrors scatter your reflection cloning you several times over. What’s her favourite piece/area I ask her — the lights, the bar, and the central seating area of the bar (a circular seating arrangement with deep sofas you can snuggle into), she replies without hesitation. What’s mine? Most definitely the 2.5 metre tall mirror by the bar, which she says is handcrafted with 300 odd triangular prism lights (she knows the specs by heart) the effect is a gloriously diffused halo (perfect for selfie taking ladies)…and above all: THE DESIGNER.