As far as dream teams go, few have proof of concept like Tania Singh Khosla and Sandeep Khosla. Thriving in their individual and collective spheres, they represent a take on design and architecture that is at once singular, signature, and universally desired.

As longtime friends and collaborators of Himêya, we’ve looked to them often for notes on how to build a home and a life. Below, a window into their creative spirit and their dance between less and more

As an independent artist and urban ecologist, Ditty’s music is inspired by the natural world. Her insightful lyrics and sublime timbre are compelling enough, yet what resonates most with us is her coupling of sustainability with creative expression. Whether raising funds for water conservation or charting a conscious touring model for artists that offsets carbon emissions, she is pitch perfect and a girl after our own hearts.

As we adjust to the challenges of life during a pandemic, being in touch with dear friends is paramount.  

Rina Singh – the creative force behind Eka, an apparel label drawn to natural fibers and traditional techniques — collaborated with us last year on Himêya’s launch collection.

In Bed With… Annika Fernando

This month, we veer off India’s coastline to catch up with the lovely Annika Fernando, a multifaceted designer-entrepreneur from Colombo. One of Sri Lanka’s most sought after interior designers, she’s also the founder of concept store PR, and a director at the iconic Paradise Road Group of Companies:

What keeps you awake at night?
A busy mind planning. Occasionally, my husband’s snoring and our Bull Mastiff sleeping against our bedroom door!

What gets you out of bed every morning?
The next day; I’m a morning person. On weekends it’s my hungry son, wishing for waffles. 

In Bed With… Samyukta Nair & Pooja Dhingra

January has us intimate with two powerful entrepreneurs… who happen to be great friends! 

Samyukta Nair’s upbringing in hospitality has prepared her well. She forges her own path with sleepwear label, Dandelion, a concept store in Mumbai called Clove, and London restaurants Jamavar and Bombay Bustle.

Pooja Dhingra, Founder and Head Chef of cult patisserie and cafe, Le15, has built a mini empire herself. It started with introducing macarons to Mumbai and now includes a flagship cafe, multiple patisserie stores, a studio workshop and a line of best-selling cookbooks. 

Here, they talk sleep, comfort and what’s exciting in 2020:

In Bed With… Prateek Jain & Gautam Seth

 Prateek Jain and Gautam Seth are the creative forces behind Klove: a Delhi-based boutique luxury practice that specialises in custom lighting solutions.

We enjoyed being let in to their gorgeous 4,000 sq. ft home-studio which reflects their deep knowledge of light, form and space: 

What gets you out of bed every morning?
Prateek: We’re morning people. I wake up by six, work out and take piano lessons. By 9.30am, we’re both ready for the day.

What’s it like living in a home-studio?
Gautam: Amazing. We’re blessed to be able to work where we live.
Prateek: During peak season, it becomes a creative madhouse because we’re usually working on a new collection. Otherwise, it’s a regular office.

In Bed With… Vinita Chaitanya

Interior designer Vinita Chaitanya’s impeccable taste lends her the ability to transform any space. It’s only natural that her Bangalore residence and holiday home in Coorg have an unmistakable warmth and character that feed off her infectious energy. 

At her home in the city, Vinita talks sleep, the pleasures of slow living on her estate and more:

Your relationship with sleep?
I’m a morning person. Sleep is an essential for me, but I never stay in bed for more than 6-8 hours. I’m in tune with my body, and know when it needs rest. 

In Bed With… Tishani Doshi

 Poet, novelist and dancer Tishani Doshi’s home in the fisherman’s village of Paramankeni has a mythical quality. With the Bay of Bengal on view from every room, it is filled with natural light, birdsong and the bark of her three dogs – Bagheera, Buggy and Zelda. 

Serving often as a haven for writers, the atmosphere invites an unhurried pace of living, perfect for introspection and harmony with nature. A gentle sea breeze at night offers deep sleep.

In Bed With… Kaneez Surka

Kaneez Surka has been changing the face of Indian comedy, specifically improv, since her arrival on the scene a decade ago. An active mind, constantly editing and creating new material, feeds her vivacious personality. 

Off stage, in her Bandra bedroom, the noise fades and she is most at ease. She lets us in, describing Pancake Sundays, deep sleep and a blossoming interest in tarot:

In Bed With… Ashiesh Shah

Ashiesh Shah has a talent for making interior design and architecture appear effortless. His home is every indication: of his taste that spans centuries and continents and a love for geometry, materiality and the Japanese wabi-sabi philosophy. 

Despite being one of India’s biggest names in his field, Ashiesh strikes a balance in his personal life that appeals equally.

In Bed With… Zoya Akhtar

Between the successes of Gully Boy and Made in Heaven, it’s been a busy and exciting year for film director and screenwriter Zoya Akhtar. With a career that requires her to regularly harness creative energy – her own and that of those she works with – how does she stay centred?

Below, she chats with Himêya about self care, pet peeves, and the importance of not bringing baggage to bed: 

Nighttime routine
I shower to make myself sleepy, and use a Bioderma cleanser every night to get Bombay off my face. 

Your version of counting sheep…
Reading!

Current bedtime reading
Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney. When you’re shooting 14 hours a day, you don’t have the bandwidth to read, but I always keep a book in my bag.

In Bed With… Gayatri Rangachari Shah

 Having grown up amidst ‘Type A’ notions that glorified sleep deprivation, Gayatri Rangachari Shah is now clear about addressing stress and balance head on. We enjoyed her self-assured views and useful recommendations.

Shah is a contributing writer and columnist to publications such as The Hindu, Vogue India, Architectural Digest and India Head at Tina Brown Live Media, which produces the globally renowned journalism summit, Women in the World.

In Bed With… Dhruv Sehgal

 For actor-writer-director Dhruv Sehgal, restful sleep and a decluttered mind is an ongoing challenge. From his early career days working on independent films and web series’ at Dice Media to his current gig as the perfect Indian boyfriend in Netflix’s Little Things, the 28-year-old has found ways to deal with stress along the way.

At Himêya, we’re inspired by young talent like Dhruv, who seek work-life balance through new ways of being. More from him below:

In Bed With… Elton J Fernandez

 Between running India’s first YouTube beauty channel and a profession as hair / makeup artist for high profile clientele, Elton J Fernandez gets his fair share of sleep and sunlight – two essentials for survival in his line of work. His cozy Mumbai apartment is his refuge, especially at night when he unwinds by filing his nails or preparing for sleep.

Below, he talks bed boundaries, objects on his bedside table (Kailas Jeevan multipurpose Ayurvedic cream, for one) and midnight karaoke:

Sleep – an essential or indulgence?
An absolute essential. I can’t function, and get cranky without sleep and food.

Minimum number of hours to feel rested?
I prefer 10 hours but only get six if I’m working and eight if I’m not.

Most mornings begin at…
11.30am when I’m not working, 10.30am if I am. I don’t like being disturbed till I wake up to my alarm or the doorbell.

Your mood on most mornings?
Fairly sprightly and positive.

In Bed With… Kiran Rao

Kiran Rao is admirable for many reasons. As an independent filmmaker, producer and storyteller, she questions the status quo; in her personal life, she embraces her role as mother to Azad and wife to Aamir Khan. Our fascination, not in the least, is with how she makes it all seem effortless.

As she lazes about in her Bandra home, cast in its gentle light and beauty, Kiran is candid with us about the pleasures of rest, motherhood, and bedtime reading…

Your version of counting sheep?
Making mental to-do lists of all the jobs that need to be done!

Objects on your bedside table
Water, phone charger, homeopathic medicines, ear plugs.

Objects on husband Aamir and son Azad’s bedside table:
Aamir has water and a book. Azad has homeopathic medicines and water.

Azad’s favourite bedtime stories
Azad brings books back from the library, and bedtime stories are an important time together. Our favourites are Asterix and Obelix and Tintin, but we like to read all kinds of stuff.