A SENSE of connection

interiors

For a house to be successful, the objects in it must communicate with one another, respond and balance one another,” said Andre Putman, a famous French interior and product designer. According to her, rooms should be cohesive, giving a sense of connection, rather than appearing as a hodgepodge of random items tossed together.

Lahore-based interior and furniture designer, Anam Yasir’s spacious home truly depicts Andre Putman’s sense of decor. Built on 2-kanal, the house has all the elements of a comfortable living – the rooms bring on a feeling of peace and orderliness; the colours complement each other; and the decor items and artwork have been selected with intention.

“I bought this house around three and a half years back. It was an old house that we renovated. We made necessary structural changes where it was needed. It’s a two-storey house which consists of four bedrooms, a lobby, drawing room, dining room, lounge, and a basement,” tells Anam Yasir.

“For structural changes we hired the services of a professional architect named Kamran. However, I did the interiors myself since I am an interior designer,” informs Anam.

Anam calls her home ‘fusion-based’. “It’s an amalgam of modern and classic. It is contemporary as well as has an ethnic touch. The house has been painted in neutral tones,” defines Anam.

Though Anam does not have a professional degree in interior designing, she did some courses on-line. According to her, she has a natural flair for interior designing and it is evident from her tastefully done home. There has been emphasis placed on the ceilings. The LED lights installed provide an incomparable look. The grand doors are made of pure shisham and are finished off with dark brown varnish that adds to the rustic yet modern beauty of the house.

“My house must be comfortable enough to allow me to work diligently in my element. That is precisely why I focused on redefining art and luxury via furniture and interior decor. My house is regal but at the same time it is simple, perfect for my family. You never really get a chance to get bored of the house, there’s so much to explore. I made sure to add something different so I put panelling of plaster of paris as well as wooden. The blend is elegant, contemporary and graceful,” elucidates Anam.

Talking about her label ‘Shifra’ Anam says, “We are known for great brass and wooden furniture. As we believe ‘less is more’, that’s the language spoken by contemporary interiors nowadays. I have made sure my products are placed keeping the modernism alive but have played with colours so the element of vibrancy is not ignored.”

While describing important decorating tips that one should keep in mind, Anam shares, “To begin with, a classy wallpaper is a must. It will completely change the look of the space. The door hardware is a very important decision one needs to take. The entrance is defined through that – could be vintage door knobs or even crystal ones if we want glamour. But the whole point is to extend the age of the furniture and vintage designs could help us achieve that. But whatever we decide, a basic theme needs to be followed otherwise it would get difficult to define a certain space.”

Being an interior designer, Anam feels that current market trends, as far as home furnishing and accessories are concerned, are very flaky, always changing with the wind. “Nowadays, we have seen a radical change in people’s choices. They have broken away from the trend of monochromatic tones and have been swooning over pop-furniture, with one piece standing out and the rest complementing it.”

However, she puts great emphasis on putting everything together judicially. “Unless you blend all the objects in an appropriate manner it would look like a furniture shop. A beautiful one indeed! But no, for a homely feel it is imperative to focus on blending everything keeping in mind the theme, colours, style and the all over feel you want. Only then would you get that perfect glam look which is not the same for everyone,” stresses Anam.

So, how important it is to have everything gel together for a glam look? “I think all the factors which we have discussed earlier. From the choice of artefacts, decoration pieces, rugs to the door hardware. It’s our choice of how much glam quotient we wish to add,” suggests Anam.

Your home gives an excuse to feel glamorous. What makes it so distinguished? “It’s those extra attractions that add to the details creating beautiful spaces. Could be frames encapsulating memories. Or mirrors as one cannot ignore the vanity factor! Book shelves and ethnic rugs could be a clever addition if complemented with the right lighting. And above all, it is made with pure love… the first and foremost ingredient for a perfect home,” concludes Anam with a grin.

Pictures courtesy: Rubia Moghees