Mukta Khairas Home

Thursday, February 5, 2004, Chandigarh, India CHANDIGARH INDEX

C H A N D I G A R H S T O R I E S

EDUCATION Home Decor A traditional home with modern touch Ruchika M. Khanna A home having the essence of rustic India without losing touch with contemporary modern style. That's the Khaira house in Sector 8, which has traditional interiors in contemporary architecture. Built on a two-kanal plot, covering an area of almost 5000 sq foot, the two- storey house is a homogenous combination of traditional and modern styles. Says Ms Mukta Khaira, lady of the house,“we did not want to loose touch with our roots and at the same time wanted to keep the convenience and aesthetic factor in mind while building and doing up the house.” And she has succeeded in her mission. The house has a modern aspect (facade) with arched windows, bay windows overlooking the rear garden and an unconventional colour combination of earthy brown and white. Even the inside of the house has modern leanings — a double-height lobby, with the staircase winding its way up the first floor, an open kitchen, and a verandah at the back. To create the green house effect, an array of ornamental greens have been placed and two sides of the verandah are covered with glass walls. From Baster antiques to phulkaris used as wall panels and a marble mantelpiece running along an entire wall in the drawing room to Tanjore paintings, Khairas love for the traditional artifacts is reflected in the house. So is their love for flowers and candles. Crystal vases with flowers adorn almost all rooms, besides crystal and metal candle stands in varying shapes and sizes. Beautiful patra paintings, where the artist has made figurines on old patras, adorn walls of the drawing room. Jharokha mirrors in traditional frames, mostly rustic Rajasthani and Punjabi designs, have been used in all rooms to reflect light and create emphasis at a particular corner. The beauty of the house is that space, light or ventilation, all three elements, have been aptly considered in its designing. The open kitchen in the house is a perfect example of this. By doing away with the wall between the dining area and the kitchen and replacing it with a counter or by utilising the wall of a narrow gallery for making a storage almirah for dry ingredients, the three elements have been properly made use of. The floor, though made of mosaic tiles, has been left without a carpet in most rooms, adding to the space. “In fact, the house was earlier rented out to the Haryana Government as a minister's bungalow and the rooms were very small. When we bought the house, we had to make a lot of changes to ensure that all elements were included in perfect harmony,” informs Col Manjit Singh Khaira. Colours used in the upholstery, drapes or walls of the drawing room are neutral, ensuring that numerous wall paintings, antiques and crystal ware stand out. The bedrooms, too, have been done in soft colours, with bright wall panels or the linen offering contrast. Also, bright valances have been used in all rooms over soft drapes to add colour.