Aahana Kumra’s entrance is the lone non-brown wonder in a building full of identical brown doors. “Pink is my favourite colour. It’s my all-time favourite colour, which is why it’s upfront “She chuckles as she invites me inside, holding open the candyfloss-coloured opuscule. Kumra’s home is an expression of twenty years in the making, a homage to both her Lucknowi heritage and her life in Mumbai. “There are also hints of Kashmir, London, and Delhi. “It’s a combination of all my favourite locations,” she adds, adding that the image was heavily influenced by English design because “I visit London a lot.”
Aahana Kumra, who lives much of her life out of a suitcase, was adamant that the house be as un-hotel-like as possible. “I’ve seen so many residences that appear less like homes and more like hotels. I made it obvious that I did not want that. Indeed, that was the first thing I told Shireen: the aim was to make the house seem and feel like a house “argues the actor.
Shireen Mahna, the founder and lead designer of her namesake design business, Shireen Mahna & Co., was selected by Aahana Kumra to give the residence a unique touch. Despite the fact that she was entrusted with adding character, Mahna’s biggest issue was encouraging Kumra to embrace colour. “She had always pictured her house to be white,” she says, adding, “but we had to work with soft tones and accents to give the home a feeling of dimension.” After all, the finest rooms are constantly telling us something about the people who live in them.”
The interior of Aahana Kumra’s house is filled with traditional treasures: a Sarita Handa accent chair stands in the living room, Kashmiri souvenirs glisten here and there, and handcrafted wooden artworks are picked up on the street to liven up the sage and daisy walls.
Clearly, the topics in some frames are more exceptional than others—the monochromatic gallery wall in the dining room is a prime example. “This is my favourite room of all,” Kumra proclaims as we take our seats at the dining table, where hot cups of coffee wait anxiously for their customers. “I’d always wanted to include a family photo montage.”
Shireen proposed making this gorgeous wall-mounted diorama.” The wall-mounted tableau in question is hidden behind her, with each frame containing a different family member. “My cat, my parents, my nephew, my sister, my brother, and some extended relatives all dwell in these frames.”
One of the many advantages of being single, according to Aahana Kumra, is the house’s permanent pinkness. Aside from the pinkness, the house is a reflection of Kumra’s life in more ways than one. The rainforest wallpaper in her bedroom, for example, is reminiscent of the one at her parents’ house.
With its princess chandelier, larger-than-life mirror, and fluffy pink vanity chair, the interior appears to have had a previous life as a Disney set.
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