The corner: Afreen Shiraz

Afreen Shiraz, entrepreneur, stylist and beautician welcomes us into her home

Afreen Shiraz, entrepreneur, stylist and beautician, owner of Ellemint Pret and Ellemint Salon & Spa, welcomes us into her home, sharing a corner closest to her heart — her annex

Running a salon is a tiresome job and so our host, Afreen Shiraz, chooses a corner in which she kicks back and spends her leisure time. This soothing space is right outside her main house, which she calls her annex.



“My husband and I spend a lot of time here together,” Shiraz says, “We watch TV here and since we both enjoy smoking shisha, this is the perfect little private corner to have it in.” Shiraz explains that since she lives in a joint family, her annex feels like a nice getaway whenever she needs some time alone. In addition, she tells us that some important family events have been held here. “We have family birthdays here and during my brother-in-law’s wedding, all the dance practices and dholkis were held in here,” she reminisces.

The annex is adorned with some eye-catching art pieces, mostly of horses. “My husband and I are very fond of art, and we have built a collection over the years, most of the pieces are of horses as my husband plays polo,” she explains. When asked about her favourite piece, Shiraz is at a loss for words as each piece was handpicked, and choosing one is merely impossible.



The annex was completely inspired by her husband’s sport of choice — polo. The aesthetics in the room, from the curtains to the art, are far from traditional, and this is precisely the look Shiraz tried to achieve. The colour palette in the annex comprises of warm shades of brown, with an occasional pop of colour found in the various paintings around the room. A pool table situated in the far corner adds a youthful vibe, complemented by the mini shishas scattered around the room. Contemporary décor pieces from Harley Davidson further add edge and character to the room. A variety of artwork by artists such as Tassduq and Abrar enhance the walls, and she shares that the first was a calligraphy painting by Ahmed Khan. A statue of a black horse catches our eye, which was gifted by her father-in-law and has been in the family for many years.



She discloses that she did the interiors for this space on her own, which is possibly the reason why it feels so personal to her. “I have built this place from scratch, literally,” she smiles.