Sleek and sauve

ALTHOUGH INAYAT SHAH LIVES OUT OF A SUITCASE MOST TIMES BECAUSE OF HIS WORK, HE HAS ENSURED STYLISH DECORATION OF HIS HOUSE. THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT GRAND SHIKHAR, LETS MOIN UDDIN TAKE A SNEAK PEAK INTO HIS REDESIGNED RENTED HOUSE IN BISHALNAGAR.

As soon as you walk through the entrance you are greeted by a big garden on the right. A pathway takes you to the main door from where you can head straight towards the patio. A khatiya is neatly placed on the patio. The lobby has minimal decoration leaving it open and airy with white walls and marbled floor.On the right, an Ayatul Kursi frame dons the wall, silently blessing visitors and protecting the house. In the centre, a flower vase filled with fresh flowers is placed on a table.

Bedroom

“This is my room. My world! I have hand-picked only the finest materials for my room,” Shah reveals. Minimal design with black and white theme is what the bedroom is all about. He has infused local decorations with modern interiors. According to Shah, the bed is the most important part of the room. A cleverly made wooden pallet king size bed gives a contemporary feel to the space. The combination of white and black makes the whole room look elegant. As far as the lighting is concerned, the large windows brightens the space with ample light during the day and a beautiful wall and bed lamp illuminates the room at night. “It took me six months to design the Bandana black and white carpet and select the mattresses,” says Shah.

Shoes on the stairs

“There was an old house being demolished a year ago. I chanced upon this wooden stairs and bought it although I did not know what to do with it. I then realised that I needed a good shoe rack and now I am using this old stairs for my shoes,” says Shah.

The Girl

Shah’s friend Meghana gifted him the gorgeous oil painting of a retro girl. It was her first painting and she did not want to sell it. “I am single and she thought I might need a girl in my room, besides, she knew that I would value the painting like no other.”

The study area

On the side of his king size bed lies Shah’s multipurpose table. Locally sourced bamboo plants and other antiques compliment this section. The orange chair adds to the overall modern look Shah is going for in this section.

The most treasured of all the items on the table are ancient coins given to Shah’s ancestors by kings of those times. “I got it last year from my grandmother and I will hand this to my next generation, to keep the legacy alive,” says Shah.

An antique Roman clock which Shah brought from Dubai sits on his multipurpose table.

A version of this article appears in print on August 06, 2015  On Home & Interior of The Himalayan Times.