Actor Alaya F’s Mumbai residence reflects her fast-moving professional life, combining work, fitness, creativity and relaxation within a 1,200-square-foot apartment in the city’s northern suburbs.
Featured in 2025, the three-bedroom apartment was transformed into what Alaya calls her “hustle home” by interior designer Zara Eisa. The makeover was completed in around six weeks, creating dedicated spaces for yoga, beauty content, entertaining and everyday living.
A Home Built Around Mumbai’s Hustle
Located on the ninth floor of a newly constructed building between Andheri and Juhu, the apartment appealed to Alaya because of its connectivity, large windows and views of greenery.
“I am a true Mumbaikar at heart,” Alaya said, standing in her cream-coloured living room one December morning. “I don’t think I could live anywhere else—except perhaps in New York. They are similar in terms of the hustle culture they have. That’s the energy of this home—to keep moving. This is the home that I’m in to work hard, so I can build towards my dream home.”
The interiors follow a bright, neutral aesthetic featuring white, beige and natural textures.
“I needed every room to serve multiple purposes,” Alaya said. “My aesthetic is pretty neutral, white and bright, but we still needed to make sure that I could shoot content in every corner of the house.”
Eisa added, “She wanted a functional, versatile home. So the challenge was to keep it fresh in each corner of the home while also making it cosy and homely at the same time.”
Dedicated Yoga and Glam Rooms
Two bedrooms were converted into specialised spaces. The yoga room features mirrors, storage for fitness equipment and a wall-mounted rod that can serve several purposes.
The second room functions as a glam room, with extensive wardrobes, a large dressing table and a floor-to-ceiling window that provides natural light for filming beauty content.
Cosy Living Spaces
Alaya’s living room includes a large U-shaped sofa, chosen to comfortably accommodate guests without turning the apartment into a formal party space. A wooden dining table sits against a mirrored wall, while fabrics, rugs, ceramics, wicker details and plants introduce warmth to the neutral palette.
Lighting is another prominent feature, with a cane chandelier in the glam room and pendant lights creating a focal point in the living area.
Personal Details Across the Apartment
The home also reflects Alaya’s interests and family history. A trophy wall, framed pen drawings and memoirs of her grandparents add personal character, while her bedroom includes both a television and projector for movie nights.
Her pet MJ also appears to have influenced the home’s design, with small details such as a staircase beside the bed and a water bowl near the kitchen.
“Because we’ve worked together before, Alaya’s aesthetic is pretty easy to grasp,” Eisa said. “When we were doing this the first time, she’d come for the selection of fabrics and then she came for the reveal of it. This time she was a little more hands-on. To bring it to life is easier with that sort of communication. It’s why we covered a lot.”
Alaya initially preferred the idea of a smaller home.
“When I first moved out, I wanted to move into a small home,” she said. “There’s less to clean and maintain, and I’m very particular about how my space looks and smells. But the obvious disadvantage is that there’s no space!”
She added, “I do feel that we’ve extracted maximum purpose out of it. I used to think this would be the perfect size for a starter home. But now, it’s just home.”
Source: Hindustan Times
