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Queen of kitsch

Fashion designer Nida Mahmood's home is clearly an extension of her personality. We capture and dwell deeper into her quirky, colourful world.

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Situated in south Delhi's Sheikh Sarai, fashion designer Nida Mahmood's house looks deceptively plain from the outside, as if to blend in with the surroundings. But step in (sans shoes--she likes the house to stay spic and span) and you'll see how it actually shines out in the crowd. Spread over an area of 3,500 sq ft, the five-bedroom house is home to Mahmood, her husband and her in-laws and has been in the family for the last 11 years.

The ground floor consists of an elaborate drawing room and an office, but the first floor is where everyone makes merry. Climb up the white staircase and you are greeted by the playful banter of Mr Toffee Tinkerbell, the cat of the house. The lounging area consists of a low seating sofa and a couple of white chairs done up in bright upholstery and adorned with quirky cushions, designed by Mahmood herself.

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A cluster of posters and comic covers from the 1960s provide a background to the cozy space. Contrary to what one may expect from the exuberant designer, she explains, "I am very bohemian in my thinking. I like pristine white with my colours." We thus see a dominance of white, played off with fun colours of course. Little personal touches of creativity are ubiquitous throughout the house lending to it a personal and very lived-in feeling. The living room has a reading corner consisting of a small bookshelf and a window seat with colourful drapes cascading above. How we would love to plant ourselves here with a good book and a hot cup of tea on a rainy day.

As the designer explains, home to her means "a space where you get all the comfort you need; both in spirit and in looks." Adjoining the living room, the dining space encompasses a large eight-seater dining table with a glass top. The designer's trademark quirk is not amiss even here. The dining table is set up with black hexagonal plates and gold cutlery accompanied by napkin rings she had made with artificial flowers, simply by twisting the stalks to create a circle.

Decorative plates embellish the wall and a sideboard runs alongside the back of the table bearing essentials such as the microwave and the toaster. We also found a pair of Chinese rice bowls she had acquired from a remote village in Bangkok, which have come to be one of her favourite possessions. Not only do they emanate an old world charm, but also keep the rice warm for hours. What really catches your eye in the dining area however, is the refrigerator. Far from being the usual white or silver, it's covered in a snazzy red skin with colourful abstract patterns, her own creation. A screened door behind the dining table leads to a small balcony housing interesting pots and plants. It's an ideal space to just step out for some alone time and get some air, without having to go all the way down and out.

Mahmood's bedroom, right next to the living area comes with a sign--No Trespassing. Violators will be shot. Survivors will be shot again. With that quick warning in mind, we walked in (with permission, of course) to an elaborate photo wall on the right and the little splashes of colour throughout, in the form of cushions and posters. Although like the rest of the house, the base colour is white, the wooden flooring and the several knick-knacks displayed on shelves and the headboard gives the room a vibrant and warm aura. Mahmood reveals to us that she has a fetish for bottles. We thus find these placed in different places all over the house. Starting from the bookshelf in the living room to the little telephone and newspaper corner to her bedroom, bottles of all shapes, sizes and colours make sudden appearances. She even has a small collection of empty perfume bottles amassed from all her travel endeavours. Another thing she makes a point to pick up while on the go is crockery.

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Mahmood's abode is a shining example of space optimisation in complete harmony with fine aesthetics. There are cabinets upon cabinets to keep away all the clutter and a general sense of happiness and brightness with her individuality coming across crystal clear. When it comes to doing up your house, Mahmood says, "Resonate with your own style. You cannot ape someone else's expression. This itself will make a world of a difference."

FIVE MUST-HAVES FOR YOUR HOME

1. A nice reading corner
2. A good crockery collection
3. Interesting light fixtures
4. Colour
5. Photographs

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