Home with a brush of creativity

interior

A teacher by profession, Hina Barlas resides in a beautiful and tastefully decorated apartment with her husband Ebrahim Atcha and two boys. While teaching is her profession, art and crafts is her passion. And this love of hers is evident in her aesthetically designed home.

Hina moved into the apartment with her family in 2012. “This place was probably renovated more than two decades ago so we had to repair and build literally everything which gave me an opportunity to give it a new look according to what we liked and required for our family,” she explains.

The tastefully decorated apartment exudes a touch of a professional having worked on it. However, Hina did not enlist the help of an interior decorator. Rather, she did it herself. “I decorated my home single-handedly keeping my husband’s and children’s preferences in mind of course,” shares the talented lady.

The house is a fusion of East and West. “I have many things which belonged to my parents and are older in age than myself. I simply cannot part with them due to the memories attached to them. I also get attracted to the contemporary furniture and décor and also handcrafted things, and have quite a collection of each. Whatever catches my fancy and is affordable, I take it. I don’t believe in buying expensive or branded stuff only. I believe in setting my home with simplicity and comfort yet with a magical brush of creativity,” she expresses.

Hina loves nature in its purest form, which also proved to be her inspiration for her home interior. “I love nature in its every possible form! Colours, art, plants, flowers, trees, sea (which is right across from us) to breezy wind, old things and the memories attached to them… the list is endless. These all inspire me and I see beauty in every simple thing which someone would probably not even notice. You will see all this in the interior and exterior of my home with a juxtaposition of colours, art, nature and comfort of a practical home.”

When planning, Hina did not decide on a particular theme rather functionality was the most important aspect. “I like to play with colours in form of accessories, or an accent piece which, I believe, complements the setting of a room.”

But there’s no specific colour Hina prefers. She simply loves all shades! “It's very exciting for me to put together different hues where each colour would make a statement on its own to create a pleasant ambiance. In one instance, I have opted for a yellow-orange wall in the living room which instantly lights up the space giving it a cheerful look. In most spaces, we decided to stick to pristine white for the walls. White is beautifully offset by colourful accessories that I have used throughout my home,” she informs.

Hina loves to revamp her home; as a result, she recently had her sitting room and dining area done in a gorgeous shade of coffee which looks amazing. “The only constant in life is change! I keep changing or adding accessories every now and then with a different pallet of shades which changes the whole look completely,” enthuses Hina.

The one thing that you will find in every nook and corner of the home is art in some or the other form. “Art can be seen throughout my home. I only have my own artwork which I created at some point in my life. Whenever I get some free time from my work I love to paint or create something which is a joy to look at and lifts the spirit,” says the passionate artist.

Not just an artist, but an exceptionally good cook as well, Hina spends all her free time either creating artistic masterpieces or delectable dishes for her family. She loves to cook! So it’s no wonder then that her favourite space in her home is her kitchen.

“We tore down the original kitchen and built a new one to suit my needs. It is not only spacious but also absolutely functional without wasting any space. My kitchen is a multi-purpose space fulfilling the needs of my family. This is where we all come together for our meals,” elucidates Hina.

Plants and gardening is an essential aspect of Hina’s life. “We have a huge outer area on three sides of our apartment. One of the most important reasons for me choosing this place was I cannot live without plants. I have a lot of indoor plants which add freshness, beauty and life to the interiors,” she tells. “To one side of the apartment is a big garden with tall hedging. I have done some landscaping with rocks and different plants on different spots. The second side, I have turned into a vegetable patch and utilise it to grow seasonal vegetables. The third side has big fruit trees along with lots of potted plants,” adds Hina.

When asked which room is her favourite, Hina quickly interjects, “My favourite and most happening room in our home is the lounge/living area. It is airy and bright with lots of sunlight streaming in. A full length window, which overlooks the garden, gives it a pleasant vibe. Family time, watching television or entertaining informal guests, all happens in this room. While sunlight keeps the room fresh and bright throughout the day, my various, aesthetically placed lamps add drama to this space in the evenings.”