Living in Colour with Interior Designer India Mahdavi
Image by Alice Rosati Recadrée ©
A quiet mastery infuses the work of India Mahdavi—an interior designer whose palette is as rich in emotion as it is in colour. Known for her playful approach to interiors and her commitment to creating spaces that resonate with warmth and personality, Mahdavi has, over the years, cultivated a world where vibrancy, luxury, and serenity coexist. From the soft optimism of her trademark hues to her enviable ability to transform ordinary rooms into immersive experiences, her work continues to awe and inspire.
In our latest Proust Questionnaire, Mahdavi brings a glimpse of the enigmatic allure behind her practice—a reflection of her own beliefs about beauty, freedom, and her love of colour. As her thoughtful answers unfold, we come to understand a woman who approaches life much as she does her designs: with a profound sense of play, depth, and endless curiosity.
1. What is your current state of mind?
Yellow mellow.
2. How do you switch off?
When I Turn off the lights. Pitch black.
3. What is the trait you most admire in others?
La vie en rose as a state of mind.
Villa Medici, Rome © François Halard
4. Which living person do you most admire?
Lord Purple of Greenland.
5. What is your greatest extravagance?
Gold.
6. What is the first thing that you do when you wake in the morning?
Caffeinated black.
7. What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Patience.
8. Do you have any daily rituals?
I turn habits into rituals, so plenty.
9. What do you most like about your appearance?
My Red lipstick - Chanel 72
10. What does wellbeing mean to you?
Acqua blue.
11. What is the quality you most like in a person?
Their taste.
Image by Antoine Doyen ©
12. Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
'Regarde'.
13. What or who is the greatest love of your life?
My friends / my colors.
14. When and where are you happiest?
In my home in Arles.
15. Which talent would you most like to have?
To know how to sing.
16. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I would like to have red hair.
17. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
My freedom.
18. If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?
A rainbow.
19. Where would you most like to live?
In a rainbow.
20. What is your most treasured possession?
A question mark in bronze.
21. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
Rubble greys -
22. What is your favourite occupation?
Inventing colors like 'Mandarine au lait'.
23. What is your most marked characteristic?
I mostly dress in dark blue.
24. What do you most value in your friends?
Radiance.
25. Who are your favourite writers?
Joseph Albers and Michel Pastoureau.
Villa Medici, Rome © François Halard