Photographs by Prabuddha Das Gupta

A tangerine board outside a farmhouse down one of Goa's country lanes in Sangolda village simply says, 'Monsoon Heritage'. It is the address of the iconic interior designer pair - Yahel Chirinian and Doris Zacheres - who shifted into the two-storied Portuguese-styled colonial house earlier this year. The place doubles as home and workplace for the creative women. Chirinian's mixed French-Lebanese parentage is reflected infectiously in her English that is liberally peppered with bons and ouis! The blue-eyed Zacheres is German.

The two women have turned designing interior spaces into a fine art. Their unique creations are much sought after not just in Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi in India but abroad as well, in Los Angeles and Paris. In Goa since the last six years - with their personal objets d'art collection as a backdrop - the women make a lovely picture of warmth, depth and partnership.

Strolling into their studio rooms is like walking into the presence of a living, magical light that speaks eloquently, inspires dreams even in those who have long since stopped dreaming, something that Chirinian wishes for ardently. No wonder then that natural light filters in through the wide windows and through the tiled roof overhead, highlighting each of their signature beauties. Curvaceous, hollowed out tree trunks, wrapped beguilingly in mirror mosaic and fairy lights, are born-again humble "driftwood logs" picked up from beaches or just fallen trees from farms. They have been painstakingly transformed into statuesque lights to invite attention in crème de la crème homes. The Monsoon Heritage Totem Lights collection has become such a big success that a fan in Milan has ordered 30 pieces from their new collection this year. Chirinian explains, "This is ambience lighting to create emotions. For me, a thing of beauty must move and inspire feelings. These new totem lights will be encrusted with crystal stones."

As far as their work is concerned, they have their own strengths. Chirinian is the creative half, while Zacheres takes care of "the commercial side". But what they both agree on is the fact that "we're both together in creating something and work 18 hours often, which is very hard."

Totem Lights apart, another signature technique of their work is panels, lampshades (square, triangular, oblong, round), wall pieces - small and big - all featuring a riot of the colours of the bougainvillea flower. "It's a Japanese technique that teaches you how to extract the natural pigment of the flowers and treat it with oil before putting it back," says Chirinian. The effect of the bougainvillea oranges, magentas, violets and reds makes for an exquisite kaleidoscope of light akin to stained glass. They have done a prayer room for a client in Bangalore "which is egg shaped," say the designers who "prefer to work closely with architects on total design jobs". The round yin and yang tables in black and white mosaic tiling, are one of their best-sellers. Hanging from a ceiling is Octopus Light in resin; it has a piquant chandelier charm. Eve's Candelabra in a corner is a real showstopper exuding feminine grace.

Chirinian also loves mirror mosaic which is reflected everywhere in their straight-backed chairs. She waxes poetically that mirrors are "soul-catchers and not static like wood. They change the colour of everything around. Mirrors make light sing!" Pollen in Los Angeles shows off their one-of-a-kind designer pieces, as does Egg Studio in Paris. From Mumbai, there is Malini Akerkar, Anuradha Singhania and Ali Mamaji, who make it a point to see their bi-annual collections and place orders for the exclusive lifestyle stores - Pallate. They have a discerning clientele in the Portuguese and Italian consul generals and many others with beautiful homes.

Chirinian earlier lived in Los Angeles but got tired of "the perfectly blue sky and the perfectly green grass. I like to see cracks in concrete walls. Bon, that is interesting!" She was born in Avignon in Southern France, educated in Switzerland, Paris and Italy. "In Japan, I studied conceptual art." Like her father, she too dabbled in photography for a while, with an interest in architecture. She met Zacheres about ten years ago and since then, they've been friends who agree to disagree, fight and make up again!

The Indian connection was first courtesy Indian family friends in Delhi but now, say the happy duo, they cannot dream of living anywhere else but in Goa. "We love the monsoon in Goa and India is the most fascinating country in the world. When I'm abroad I miss India but when I'm in India I do not miss abroad!" That's Chirinian speaking, while Zacheres smiles in the background. Monsoon Heritage is here to stay in Goa to make connoisseurs of the good life sit up and dream of beautiful things that make the sensuality of light come alive.