About
Vaishnavi Nayel Talawadekar is an architecture, design, and art journalist who serendipitously segued into journalism in 2016, after realizing spreadsheets weren’t her thing. She lives in New Delhi with her husband and their two gremlins, ages 3 and 1.
Experience
Vaishnavi spent equal parts of her childhood in New Delhi, London, and Bangalore. After graduating with an MBA in marketing in 2012, she joined the corporate world, digging into spreadsheets and samosas while stationed in various corners of India.
In 2016, she decided to give up the spreadsheets (but not the samosas) to bring to life a long-harbored dream: A sunny content studio she named Mangomonk. Then, a series of chance encounters with some very kind editors led Vaishnavi to discover her true calling in architecture, design and art journalism. In the almost seven years since, she has written about architecture & interiors, design, art, culture and lifestyle, and been published in Architectural Digest, Azure, Domino, Design Anthology, Frame, Livingetc, Sotheby's, The Local Project, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Wallpaper*, Vogue, Yellowtrace, 1stDibs, and Houzz’s magazine editions across India, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore.
Education
After completing her Bachelor of Commerce from St. Joseph’s College of Commerce, Bangalore, Talawadekar went on to graduate from Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Pune with an MBA in marketing. Today, unfortunately, neither degree comes in handy.
Highlights
- Expertise includes speed-typing one-handed, performing questionable circus acts for pint-sized humans, and writing about homes that allow her to live vicariously.
- Interests include keeping her kiddos busy, keeping herself sane, and achieving the world’s best banoffee.
Notable Works
-
Step Inside a Midcentury Los Angeles Home That’s Steeped in Family History
Architectural Digest
-
A Mirrored Bar and Groovy Woven Built-Ins Helped This Laurel Canyon Home Find Its Cozy-Cool Harmony
Domino
-
Their Home Renovation Was Almost Complete. All That Was Missing Was a Turret.
The Wall Street Journal
-
How to Make Room for a Baby When You Don’t Have Space for a Nursery
The Washington Post
My Most Successful DIY Hack
Without a doubt, my teapot and teacup chandeliers! All the ceiling lights in my home are handmade from bone china handed down from my grandmother. I had a glass specialist diamond-drill them and then had an electrician do the wiring. (My grandmother shuddered when I told her—how dare I damage perfectly good china?) Don’t worry—she forgave me once she saw the result. The lights are perfect for my cottage-like aesthetic and they’re surefire conversation starters.
