Nestled in the East Village of New York City, designer Meher Goel's apartment is a stunning space and an ever-evolving canvas of creativity. Every aspect of her decor and design choices are reflective of her different chapters of life, and each corner contains creative DIY's inspired by South Asian culture. Much like the surrounding city, her apartment showcases a unique aesthetic developed through cultural infusion, modern art, and individual expression.
Join us as we explore this fusion of modern living, creativity, and South Asian culture, all carefully curated over the past three years within the walls of Meher's NYC apartment.
Drawing Inspiration
From the eclectic gallery wall to every coffee table book, each piece in Meher's home has been collected or inspired by her love for traveling the world.
"I spent most of my childhood living in the Middle East, and every summer my family and I would visit India," Meher says. "While I have vivid memories of my Nani braiding my hair in the morning and my Nana sitting on the charpai (picnic mat) playing cards, I also remember finding the aesthetic of my culture dated, not luxurious, and overall lacking a 'clean' look."
As Meher grew up and started to work in the world of design, while building her knowledge of interiors and decor, she found herself returning to her upbringing and roots. She started to collect and create pieces that
"It took a lot of unlearning what a'clean' aesthetic is and how the influence of the West and 'minimal design' plays a role in one's space," she says.
| "The more I traveled and experienced the world around me, the more I wanted to incorporate the nostalgia and craftsmanship of my culture." |
Dining Room Makeover
We might be a little biased, but one of the highlights of Meher's home is her newly redecorated dining room, featuring her signature DIY elements alongside our Gardens of Jaipur wallpaper, which she's styled in a unique way.
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"I'm a firm believer in not investing in a space until you have a vision for it," Meher says. "Until about a year ago, that was my dining area." |
After initially painting on a sage green arch, upcycling an IKEA dining table, and incorporating greenery in the area, she ended up elevating the green theme further and building a clear picture of the look she wanted.
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"Slowly but surely, I knew what I wanted from the space: a Parisian Indian royal aesthetic that feels cozy and allows for a space to host dinner parties and game nights, and also acts as my second space to write/journal." |
In the final look, we see a beautiful area rug, a modern DIY bench with velvet upholstery and a modern wavy look, and a striking copper chandelier inspired by Mexico City, and as the focal point: the mural-style Gardens of Jaipur wallpaper, which Meher created a bespoke frame for.
"I knew I wanted something with tigers, a motif that felt relevant to my current journey of life and also my culture," she says. "Serendipitously, I came across the Gardens of Jaipur wallpaper from Marble Lotus and instantly spotted the tigers and fell in love with it. I incorporated this into my vision and to give it a custom element with the framed-photo look."
Elevated DIY Decor
We first fell in love with Meher's space thanks to her creativity, seen through the variety of DIYs she has created. From a vibrant cobalt set of painted arches inspired by the traditional shapes seen in Indian architecture, to upcycled pieces of furniture and decor with a South Asian influence, every piece feels full of thought and intent.
We certainly can't pick a favorite DIY, and neither can she.
"There are SO many items in my space that are DIY’d, but I do love my live-edge wood mirror and shelves because I made them with my dad," Meher says, "and a close second is my Rajasthani bone inlay-style dresser."
A Curated Collection
Finally, no tour of Meher's space would be complete without a closer look at the incredible gallery wall spotlighted on her socials.
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"I like to craft my space as an extension of what inspires me, brings me joy, and inspires me," she shares. |
"With this in mind, the majority of the decor in my space is personal to me and pays homage to various times and places in my life."
Each piece in her living room, both on the wall and on surrounding shelves and surfaces, has been curated to represent a chapter in Meher's life.
"My gallery wall has artwork from my travels, artists I know and love, or creators I’ve looked up to for years," she says. "The tray under my coffee table holds coasters I used to make and sell on my Etsy shop in 2020, Portuguese handpainted tiles from the 17th century, and candles that look like toasts from my trip to Florence."
Take a closer look at Meher's home, DIY's, and before-and-afters on her Instagram
