The corner: Nyla Amjad

Owner of The Lounge, a furniture outlet in Lahore, Nyla Amjad takes us through her favourite space —  her entertainment room —  and shares her love for interior design 

On a warm, glorious morning we head over to Nyla Amjad’s house, located in the suburbs of Lahore. We enter the house expecting to see hues of colour all around us, as in her vibrant studio, but are taken by surprise when we are welcomed by warm, earthy tones instead. Our endearing hostess gives us a quick tour of her cosy house and then directs us to her favourite space, her entertainment room.



The first thing that catches our eye is an aquarium that has been embedded into a wooden panelled wall. We discover it has been with her husband since he was a little child. “This aquarium has to be my favourite piece in the entire room, not only for its sentimental value, but also for the life it injects into the area, especially at night when the lights are off. And with its constant bubbling sound and the movement of the fish”, Nyla illuminates.

We can’t help admire her paintings. Our hostess has no qualms in telling us she acquired most of them at giveaway prices in Thailand.



Offering us a glass of fresh orange juice, Nyla tells us about her design aesthetic for this space: she has tried to follow a theme, so the furniture has also been done up in warm earthy tones, giving the space a rustic, cosy vibe. The colour in the entire house comes just from the walls — colours she has mixed herself with the painters — and a few accent pieces.



At this point we just have to inquire why we can’t see any of her best-selling statement pieces around her house. She laughs and tells us she gets tired of seeing them all day long. Besides, she designed her house way before she started her furniture shop.



We step out to the terrace through a glass door from the living room; the warm spring breeze, the sparkling water from the pebbled fountain and the beautiful greenery landscaped by her husband makes us want to lounge in one of her patio chairs. “The terrace gives us a lot more space while entertaining. The men are usually seen hanging out here, while we girls prefer staying inside,” Nyla says.



The picture Nyla paints about her favourite space makes us visualise her entertaining her guests, cooking and lounging out in the terrace. The design and vibe of her entertainment room is a reflection of her persona: warm, interesting, and thoughtful.