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October 19, 2006
Immaculate look
The decor of the house speaks volumes of the denizens’ taste for artistic things, writes S. J.
The soft ringing bell of Almas and Shoaib Farooqi’s house instantly tells that one is about to enter the house of people who conform to the norms of traditional hospitality with a rather classic touch.
The wooden gates, well-trimmed greenery with the boundary wall and a lush green lawn compel one to stop and enjoy the landscaping. In one corner stands a pond with blooming lotuses in full splendour. The lotuses are offset by a tiled wall, painted by Eqbal Mehdi, depicting a pegging scene from the ‘Horse and the cattle show’. Gardening and shrubbery are a passion for the lady of the house.
The main door opens into a mirrored lobby, with antique curios placed around tastefully. The most interesting aspect of the house is that every room, including the drawing/dinning suite, opens into a comfortable and contemporary lounge. The lounge has some antique artefacts and merits mention.
There are ‘Vietnamese ivory tusks’ that show an intricately carved palace scene, with the king on one side and the queen on the other. The stand is a pair of Chinese serpents, painted in gold and silver hues. The beauty of these tusks is that it is a one piece carving including the dangling earrings. They occupy the entire niche that divides the lounge from the ground floor bedrooms.
Besides the glittering collection of the Bohemian crystals, another outstanding piece is the nude statue in Murano glass from Italy. The Italian wall lights need a mention too, as they are more of art fixtures than mere electric fittings.
The drawing and dining suites are done in off-white and black tones. A leopard skin rug spread on the pure white carpet complements the black and off-white theme of the room. Two couches covered in the same leopard skin lend uniformity to the room. The dining show case is again in off-white tones and colourful flowers add gaiety to the surroundings.
A curved staircase leads to the first floor of the house. The lounge up here is done in a Chinese theme. The red and black dragon greets one on the antique rug and the screen with mother of pearl inlay divides the place in an organised fashion. Low seating, Chinese lanterns and an antique writing table almost make one think that a Chinese old man must have just walked off this table after writing down the day’s expenses.
The bedrooms are given individual themes, with grand pieces of furniture combined with modern aesthetics. The colours vary from off-white and gold to Chinese red.
All in all, it is a house full of artefacts. The decor of the house speaks volumes of the denizens’ impeccable taste.
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