The corner: Amina Rehman and Marium Atif

The ladies of  The Loft invite us into their favourite space, a contemporary — minimalistic home office

On a pleasant winter morning we make our way to meet Amina Rehman and Marium Atif, the creative brains behind The Loft, a recently launched interior design house. As we enter Marium Atif’s contemporary house designed by architect Raza Ali Khan, we are warmly greeted by our hosts who usher us towards their favourite space — their home office.



“As you mature as a person there are no favourite spots, they kind of change over time. At this time in our lives, this room really complements where we are professionally and personally. This came into being as we needed a professional space in the house because we have little kids and we can’t really leave them alone all the time,” Rehman explains. “We wanted a space that gave us inspiration and is multifunctional in its use, as it’s also used to entertain guests. Furthermore, we only cater to clients whose style matches our aesthetics, hence we prefer our clients meeting us in this space, as not only can they see our furniture pieces up close and examine the quality and the finish, but they also get an idea of how their area would look with all the pieces put together. This makes them more inclined to work with us,” Atif elaborates while handing us a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice.

This is a well-lit glamorous space, mostly in black-and-white with splashes of colour added by decorative elements such as the lamps and paintings. A sophisticated, high-gloss, black work desk and chair by The Loft resides in one corner of the room. Quirky, brass bookends by The Loft and a magnificent, white globe add a grand aura to the workspace. A beautiful hand-woven carpet by The Weavers, in hues of purple, turquoise and grey sits proudly on the solid, wood floor. A multipurpose TV unit complete with a contemporary fireplace, storage drawers, shelves ornamented with travel finds, paintings and statement pieces inject character in the room. A wooden, mirrored side table by The Loft is placed in front of the TV unit. Due to the mirrors and white couches, the space has a soothing effect, despite the fact that a lot of black has been used.



“All the furniture has been made by us, and that’s why it’s so close to our hearts. Every piece has been collected and designed over time. When we make our furniture, comfort comes first for us, and then style. We are all about making pieces that are durable and practical, hence we use materials that can easily be cleaned and do not need much maintenance. We are very big on supporting local businesses and feel very strongly about it, so most of the materials we use are found locally,” our hosts explain when we inquire about their design philosophy.

“I adore this minimalistic cocktail table made out of brass and marble. I’m a caffeine addict and when I’m having my coffee I want to put it comfortably near me. This table serves that purpose as it fits just about everywhere,” Rehman states while Atif looks around and adds: “My favourite piece however would have to be the brass bookends, as they fit in well with the whole culture of the study. Also the bevelled mirror, as it adds beauty to the room and makes it look more spacious.”



“As we are cousins, prior to our business launch, we were always helping each other out with furniture and coming up with fresh ideas on how to design our houses. However, once we designed this space and were so appreciated, we decided to take the plunge and turn it into a full-time venture. This very space laid the foundation of our business,” the cousins nostalgically recall.

As we bid farewell, we leave the space feeling inspired and impressed by the immense talent of our hosts and their design philosophy, one which skilfully uses local materials and supports local craftsmanship.