December 1, 2005

Shanaz Ramzi visits an aesthetically decorated home which exudes the warmth of the lady of the house

With more and more beautiful homes being the outcome of the sole efforts of the housewife, it is a matter of great pride that the Pakistani woman is becoming so enterprising. A case in point is Najma and Zubair’s home in which she has played a significant part in the decor claiming to have waited for her husband to take off on one of his trips before knocking down doors of one of the rooms and transforming it completely.

An attractive house, its tone is set the minute one enters the driveway and seeing the carefully manicured garden to the right with its pebbled border, brick-lined corner boasting a bench, and a ceiling jhoola hanging in the patio.

There is a long foyer with a beautifully carved console and mirror, and on the left, there is another large mirror ensconced in a carved wooden frame. Tucked in the right corner wall is an attractive triangular carved showcase with glass shelves and doors. On the right side of the foyer is the sitting room and its wooden flooring is in marked contrast to the marble floor of the foyer.

The seating comprises two single seaters placed against the wall on the right side, framed by raw-silk maroon curtains and shears draping the windows behind. A stool with a maroon silk seat that the owner had specially embroidered; a wooden and wicker sofa upholstered in contrasting yellow fabric with a maroon throw, and a beautifully carved sofa make up for the rest of the seating in the room.

A step up and the living room leads into the dining area occupied by a carved dinette. Built-in cabinets in the wall reveal glasses decorated within, while a glass shelf in between the two cabinets, held by fibre-glass brackets, boast decoration pieces. A console table placed diagonally against an opposite wall and a divan before it completes the decor in the room. The left wall is occupied by large windows that overlook the lounge area across the foyer.

The lounge is the room that Najma renovated entirely on her own. Sponged walls and a large window revealing greenery add character to the room. Chairs upholstered in maroon embroidered raw silk and placed before a large glass-topped centre table, comprise the furnishings in the room as does a wicker and wooden divan placed before the window and a sofa upholstered in beige and dressed with small cushions.

The passage leading to the kitchen has a console above which is an attractive Chinese tapestry with a dragon embroidered on it.

The kitchen is spacious and open, with modern amenities. Wooden cabinets with steel handles, and off-white granite countertops lend a sparkling look to the place. A round table overlooks a window dressed with printed shears, revealing lush foliage beyond and giving the room added warmth. So, hats off to women power. Left to their own devices they often prove that they have what it takes to make a beautiful home.

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