This interior designer’s expansive home includes a cosy and homely family den where they like to spend most of their time. By Shivani Kagti
Gudi Lamba (69) Interior designer and owner, Design — In Total
The horse painting above the writing desk was made by Lamba after they moved into the house. Their home is filled with oil paintings made by the interior designer. “I picked it up from my mother who was a skilled artist and could also embroider beautifully,” says Lamba, who has been painting since the age of eight.
A walnut writing desk from Srinagar graces Lamba’s corner of the den. “We bought it about 35 years ago when my husband was posted in Ludhiana,” she adds. With chinar leaf carvings on the wood, the handcrafted desk is typical of Kashmiri handcrafts. The leather armchair and footstool, a place for her husband to sit and read, is from Amar Collections on Old Airport Road.
In the centre of the family den is a 10×10 sq ft cutout or central void that connects the upstairs space with the living room downstairs. Above this void, is a skylight. “We wanted a central skylight so that there would be ample natural light through the day,” Lamba says. “Also, sitting up here, we can easily see what’s happening downstairs or call the help if required.”
The aircraft propeller is a souvenir from Ajit Lamba’s flying days. The IAF officer was teaching an aspiring pilot to fly when their aircraft lost the propeller and they had to force land in HSR Layout. The propeller landed in a marble yard there and he decided to keep it as a souvenir. Later, Lamba installed a clock in it.
A wall of mementoes and photos showcasing the air marshal’s years in service. There are also pictures of their son who is a commercial pilot.
The den overlooks a verandah lined with colourful geraniums, perhaps the most beautiful feature here. The original plan didn’t have the outside space; a fact Lamba’s husband bemoaned. When he took off for a 15-day trip to Paris, she had the walls broken down to incorporate the verandah space and made French windows to enjoy the outdoors. Needless, to say he was happily surprised on his return,Lamba recalls.
When Gudi Lamba and her husband Air Vice Marshal (retd) Ajit Lamba built their sprawling bungalow in Horamavu 14 years ago, it was literally in the boondocks; theirs was the only house for miles. Now, of course, their scenic getaway home is in the midst of several upcoming high-rise projects. Nonetheless, the house is still charming. When the gates open, a beautiful rock garden carved out of a huge boulder, which was part of the original property, comes into view. Indoors as well as outdoors, one gets a sense of the wide expanse given that the two-storied house is spread over half an acre.
Lamba’s sensibility inclines towards semi-classical design — evident in her selection of furniture, mainly understated antique-style pieces, interspersed with plenty of blue pottery and bells of many sizes and materials. On the first floor is the family den where the Lambas spend most of their time. More homely than sophisticated, this central space was planned by the Lambas keeping their varied interests in mind. So, one half of the 30×30 sq ft space is taken up by a mini golf putting set, model airplanes and books belonging to the retired air marshal, while the rest includes a writing desk, settee and easel where Lamba practices her art and does her work. “The idea was to fill the space with mementoes and personal items; for instance, there’s a collage made by our children which has all our family photographs. It’s more about preserving memories and having a comfortable homely space than anything else,” Lamba says
source: http://www.bangaloremirror.com / Bangalore Mirror / Home> Columns> You / by Shivani Kagdi , Bangalore Mirror Bureau / Februrary 03rd, 2015