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A cozy shelter

The house has a modern, glamorous and glitzy look even while it retains its innate Indian feel, says Harjeet Kaur Allagh

DISTINCT CHARM Selective shades can work wonders PHOTO: CH. VIJAYA BHASKAR

The growth of the contemporary Indian home from kucha to pucca has been like a ballad or a folk song, metamorphosing with successive generations, but the basic theme of the song remaining intact— a shelter.

It has absorbed western influences with Indian architecture that blends new methods of construction with indigenous design and decorative traditions. The newly constructed home of Manny Lamba and Sapna reflects all this and more.

Soft yellow lights, known as mood lighting, provide a warm glow to the rooms. The colour palette on the walls goes hand-in-hand with the feel good hues of the basic elements of air (white or silver), water (blue) and fire (red, orange, yellow), with a few textured walls in a rough finish.

The flooring is in glossy vitrified tiles, glistening all over. The ground floor houses the main part of the living area. Manny's parents live here. A royal living room with a dominating eight-seater dining table, three bedrooms, with the main kitchen and a puja room makes up the ground floor.

Adding charm

The red granite stairs leading to the first floor look really bright and are supported by a steel railing. A set of four steps in a semi-circular shape leads to the rooms.

A small living room with a two-seater sofa and chairs along with a low-seated divan with bright red and yellow checks, adds charm to the room. A small dining table in rosewood with ivory seats complements the overall look of the room. Looking onto the dining table is a small kitchenette, which has only a microwave and a small refrigerator as the main cooking is done downstairs.

Manny and Sapna's bedroom is huge. Dominating the room is a large-size Sony projection TV. The beds are stylish with slats of wood put together and polished in a natural wood shade. The dresser and side tables along with low shelves are part of the same pattern. Sapna loves to pamper herself with the latest beauty products and her well-stocked dressing table is an ample proof of that. Complementing the faux leather sofa in ivory is a center table with an oxidized silver pot of dry flower arrangement on it.

The bathroom si turned into a glamour room. It is bigger than many bedrooms one has seen. A washbasin with a granite slab and glass ledges holds the bath products. A wooden shelf has towels and a huge sunken bath in a semi circle is where the kids have fun in hot summer months. A rectangular shower cabinet completes the bathroom with a matching set of toilet seat and bidet. This has an attached walk-in closet, with ample storage space and legroom too to get dressed in comfort. Manny is also a fitness freak and has an Exercycle and weights placed here.

The couple loves to sing and play the harmonium and both are good dancers too. Sapna is into yoga and fitness in a big way. She loves to follow latest trends and designs her own clothes.

Their daughters Sabreen and Raynah have a lovely room with white cedar beds covered with a pink and blue check bedspread. A playpen alongside is for Raynah to play in. She is a cherubic toddler with a wonderful smile and speaks Telugu better than her mother tongue. Sabreen is older and likes to watch TV, movies, play with her friends and eat out. Her room has a computer too. Chairs are ivory in color and nooks in the walls have books and artifacts on them. "A good home should always be built according to individual taste, not bought," says Manny.

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