We head over to Fatima Zaheer Khan’s recently renovated house in the suburbs of Lahore for a look at how she has transformed an old family home into a more up-to-date version of old-school glamour. It is a house that we were told has been in the family since before the time of Partition, architecturally renovated along modern lines, but with its charm intact. Khan welcomes us into her favourite space: her living room.
The space is well-lit, with natural light entering from large windowpanes overlooking a beautiful patio. “I love reading my newspaper in the sunlight, so whenever I design a house, I make sure there is enough natural light in all the rooms”, she explains. Decorated in hues of blue, white, and brown, the architectural design of her living room is contemporary, but still follows a rustic theme. “I decided to redo the interior of my house after recently moving back from Turkey, so a lot of my accent pieces, lights, wall hangings, and paintings are from there” she adds.
While handing us a glass of mint lemonade, Khan fondly shares how the renovation of this house was her first project as an architect. This area in particular holds a special place in her heart because it’s like a small, secluded apartment within a house.
“It has everything, from my study to the bedrooms to a small kitchenette. I’m an avid reader and I enjoy my privacy but I like having my family within my visual reach at the same time.”
We can’t help but admire her vast collection of paintings, which she explains have been collected over a period of time and have stories behind them. She points at her Jamil Baloch paintings, purchased before her family’s big move to Istanbul.
Fatima excitedly guides us towards her study, a snug workspace with a shelf full of books. “I end up bringing my work home, so most of my thought process and drawing-board work is sorted here in peace!”
Work aside, she also loves to casually entertain friends and family in this area. The patio enables the guests to roam around while the kitchenette allows her to serve a quick cup of tea.
In all, Khan’s space is cosy and minimalist, but at the same time practical and private — a truly brilliant combo.
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