The little house on the mountain

interior

One of the most picturesque hill stations in Pakistan, Nathia Gali is known for its scenic beauty; hiking tracks; lush green meadows; deep forests of oak, cedar and pine, and pleasant weather where fog in July/August presents a glory. In winter, snowfall adds to the scene. No doubt, it is a favourite spot of many who like going there, especially in summers, to avoid the hustle and bustle and scorching heat of the cities and to relax in a cool and serene environment.

Consider yourself lucky if you have a place of your own in Nathia Gali – amidst such beautiful scenery. Ainee Shehzad, a renowned furniture designer, based in Karachi, calls herself fortunate enough to have a small house in Nathia Gali too. “It is our family house which is basically owned by my parents-in-law. My mother-in-law, Rashida, was born and brought up in Germany and the UK and my father-in-law, Saleem, studied at Ghora Gali. They both love nature so they built the house back in 2009 to be close to nature. It was constructed over three seasons as you cannot carry out construction in the winter due to heavy snowfall. It was a tedious task and therefore, it really is a labour of love,” explains Ainee. “We go there every summer for a few days. My in-laws stay there for 6 months of the year, March to October. There is a local chowkidar who looks after the house. The house is all boarded-up for safety against the snow,” she elaborates.

“While furnishing this house we made sure that the interiors reflected the beauty of nature, and all rooms should have a wonderful view of the surrounding beauty – the tall majestic mountains and the sky-touching pine trees. The balcony view is of the two mountains, Miranjani and Mukshpuri,” elucidates Ainee.

This pretty little house consists of two lounges, two kitchens, three bedrooms, two balconies, an attic and a garden. The walls are painted in pale white and are adorned with paintings, local handicrafts and wall murals. One can see that the inhabitants have used a liberal amount of natural stone and wood in the house. The bespoke furniture is wooden with warm brown tones, embellished with tiles, inlay work and leather. “Since I am an interior and furniture designer, every piece has been designed by me and has been made in my factory,” informs Ainee. While pointing out her favourite pieces of furniture Ainee says that she loves her four poster bed. Besides that, the stone inlay console and mirror at the entrance are also among her preferred pieces of furniture.

The house has been decorated with interesting artefacts that have been collected over the years from local artisans. “Art plays a big role in interiors when it comes to paintings. We have a diverse collection of paintings ranging from masters to the new, young and talented artists. The paintings in our Nathia House are more about nature and landscapes,” shares Ainee. Talking about her latest inclusion in the family house Ainee tells, “We have just added a beautiful grill trellis that adds to the character of our home.”

For Ainee the few days that she spends at her family house in Nathia Gali are the best days of the year. “I love this place as it gives me the much needed peace and rejuvenates my energy.” Her favourite room in the house is the kitchen as she describes, “I enjoy finding the time to be there, which I miss in my normal life.” Will you be making any changes to your Nathia Gali home in the near future? To this end Ainee says, “We will add a dryer for clothes, for sure.”

While giving keys to decorate a house with low budget, Ainee suggests, “One should be innovative and focus on different objects at hand to be improvised and used in different ways. Recycling and upgrading work well. Also, simply rearranging existing furniture in a room and adding a couple of curios works really well for a new look.”

Ainee and her husband are great hosts and they welcome guests graciously. “We love having friends and family over. When we are in our Nathia Gali house, we have guests over nearly every day. Our house is not that big but we can accommodate up to two families to stay with us. When guests come to our house, they really appreciate the place. They love the peace and serenity, the fireplace, the nature walks and sitting in the balcony at night,” smiles Ainee. “However, it is not easy to maintain a home in the hills as it costs a lot,” she adds.

According to Ainee, when it comes to furnishing one’s home, it needs to come from the heart.

“You do not need a huge budget, what you need is a large imagination. Our home in the hills is the perfect getaway for us,” she enthuses.