October 21, 2004

One rarely comes across a house that exudes resort-like tranqullity and charm. Shanaz Ramzi discovers such a home

In spite of the fact that one comes across numerous picture-perfect abodes in Pakistan, one rarely finds a house that exudes resort-like tranquillity and charm as does the home of Dr Isma and Ali Reza Gheewalla. The minute you set your eyes on the attractive steel and wooden gate, you know that a treat is in store for you.

Sure enough, the entrance to the house is as promising as it can get.

To your left is a quaint, beautifully manicured garden with attractive statues, culminating in a channel of clear-running water overlooking a large window. A steel and wooden walkway above the channel beckons you to enter through the heavy metal and wooden door and as you step into the long passage, you can’t help but catch your breath.

The first thing that grabs attention is the flooring. Huge, shining ceramic tiles in gray and white are laid out artistically through the length of the passage. On the left is a sunken living-room separated from the entrance foyer by a low, gray wall decorated with interesting artefacts.

The living room is a charming and soothing place with two huge windows occupying the two walls facing each other and allowing the outside vista to become part of the one inside. They complement each other, with the window on the left overlooking the front garden and the window to the right a delightful porch with wooden flooring, garden chairs and plants all flanked by running water.

Water, in fact, has been used abundantly as a decorative feature in the house. The living room wooden flooring gives way to a glass floor near the two windows, so that one can see the water flowing beneath, the blue chip tiles of the water channel giving the water a clear blue hue.

The only large wall in the living room facing you as you walk in, boasts a trendy metal and glass stand with unusual decoration pieces adorning it.

The sofa sets in off-white leatherette and dyed rust leather are complemented by the steel and glass contemporary side-table, tall candle-stands, paper lamp and long glass vases, not to mention the telescope on the patio.

The steel and wood theme runs through the entire house and even the staircase on the right of the entrance foyer leading up to the bedrooms is an aesthetic combination of the two.

A rockery, complete with waterfalls and fountains, not only makes excellent use of the space below the staircase, it reinforces the calming effects of the sound of running water on one’s tired nerves. A powder room is tucked away discreetly near the staircase, its blue and white decor and accessories giving the place a snazzy, aquatic look.

As you move further down the passage, you pass the kitchen done up in blue, white and black. With a straight-out-of-a-magazine look the immaculate kitchen boasts shining blue cabinets and big, white and blue square tiled floors.

Across from the kitchen is the dining room, a sunny and not too spacious room decorated in light colours and with trendy accessories.

As you enter the room through the sliding doors you find beech wood long side tables with olive green frosted glass trays, strategically placed on them as if part of the table top flanking the walls to your right and left. Matching olive green leatherette chairs surround a beech wood dining table topped with olive green frosted glass. Off-white shears and drapes of the same fabric allow sunlight to filter through the large windows.

Glass shelves occupying niches in the wall on either side of the window are adorned with unique decoration pieces. Unusual niches have in fact been incorporated cleverly throughout the house to lend it an artistic and singular touch. The wall in the passage opposite the dining room has a large, asymmetrical decorated niche, while the passage in the upper section of the house leading to the bedrooms does not only boast of unique shaped niches but also imaginatively coloured ones.

The bedrooms are no less creatively decorated, but to describe each would require a separate article. Suffice it to say that one of the most attractive rooms had a black leatherette round bed, and glass and metal sitting arrangement in front of it.

So who says you must go to a resort to get into a relaxed, holiday mode? You can create your very own haven of beauty and tranquillity right in your own home, provided of course, you have the capital and the inclination to do so.

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