The corner: Aleena Ahmad

HR personnel at Coca Cola Pakistan, invites us into her apartment and shares her love for books and more


Minahil Qasim May 29, 2016

Aleena Ahmad, HR personnel at Coca Cola Pakistan, invites us into her apartment and shares her love for books, art and sentimental decorative furniture

As we enter the centrally located apartment complex building where Aleena Ahmad lives, we are pleasantly surprised by the modern design of the building. We ring the bell of her apartment and are welcomed right in.

The vibe of her living room is cosy, comfortable and vibrant; some would say a mere reflection of our host’s warm personality. A colourful life-size Minaa Mohsin painting dominates the steel grey wall, an art piece that was responsible for turning Ahmad into an art enthusiast.



“When we shifted to this apartment after living with my in-laws, I finally felt I had a home for the art pieces that I had been collecting over the years. My interior is based around my art and you can see some of my pieces on the floor, as I still haven’t been able to figure out their placement,” she says.

When we inquire about an art piece that holds a special place in her heart, she points to a black and white illustration of a girl called ‘Contessa’ by David Downton.

“This was a wedding gift from my college best friends, the illustration reminded them of me and it reminds me not to become one of those boring married women,” says Ahmad with a chuckle.



“All the furniture that you see in this apartment — from the cabinets to the couches to the tables — my husband has made everything. He’s not really into it, his mother used to make furniture, but when we were getting married, I sent him the designs and he created the pieces.” She mixes the earthy tones from the furniture with vibrant statement pieces from Maira Chinoy, Aurum Home and Taseer Art Gallery.



In the corner of Ahmad’s living room is her workspace; fresh lilies set in a glass vase, a reading lamp on one corner of the desk and books everywhere. Books that have been collected from her various trips to New York, Toronto and Paris. We can’t help but admire the craftsmanship of the desk and the lion knobs. “My mother-in-law passed away last year. She used to make furniture and this desk was one of her first pieces, it’s not contemporary but it’s something that is very close to my heart.”



“My home is a place where everyone comes and hangs out, whether it’s my husband’s friends or my friends. I hosted a Thanksgiving and a Christmas dinner here. Maybe it can’t accommodate a lot of people, but it’s enough for my close friends.” She explains. “I can play around with this area, depending on whether I want to dress it up or down. Right now it’s more contained, since I have a one-year-old — a lot of my things had to be put away, as he ends up destroying most of them.”

Every piece in Ahmad’s living room, from her furniture to her art collection to her books, has a meaningful story behind it and reflects the personality of the family to the core.

COMMENTS (1)

Bunny Rabbit | 7 years ago | Reply In the forthcoming articles , Please cover the houses / cottages to their fullest I mean the outside / exteriors / gardens and pools ( if any ) and not just the interiors of a few rooms . I simply wait for this part of your mag each week. Gives a good insight into habitats .
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