The Corner: Imrana Ahmed

Imrana Ahmed invites us into her picturesque home and shares her favourite corner – her poolside and courtyard area

Upon entering Imrana Ahmed’s majestic home, the first thing we notice is the grand garden, full of exotic flowers. We quickly make our way inside the house and are warmly greeted by our host of the day, who takes us straight to her favourite corner – a stunning pool area complete with a beautiful courtyard.



At first glance, the inner courtyard pool area is the epitome of serenity, with an array of colourful flowers along with a large, tranquil pool. The courtyard is decorated with our host’s favourite flowers including jasmines from Thailand and the Bird of Paradise. Our host shares that she has designed the house in such a way that this area is visible from every room in the house. “I envisioned this space to be for relaxation, laughter and a cultivator of good memories. I’m a nature lover and enjoy the fact that we can relish in the beauty of greenery, water and birds at the same time. I love that this space spontaneously brings people, significant collectables and nature all together. Since this view is accessible from most angles of the house, whenever anyone is spotted in the courtyard, others gravitate towards them,” she explains.



We examine the area more closely. The entrance has an exquisitely carved antique door from a haveli from interior Sindh. Consisting of floral patterns, it gives the space an old-world charm. “This door is hundreds of years old. I personally visited the haveli from where we bought this and chaperoned it the entire way home,” says Ahmed while we observe. Cane furniture is spread all around the pool area. The comfortable material helps in giving the space a casual, outdoorsy feel. Several other fascinating pieces are placed around the corner such as a miniature boat made of teak wood which Ahmed tells us was a gift from a close family friend. “It took him six months to personally carve the boat and it is very precious to us,” she smiles. We then spot a cane lamp, which Ahmed hand carried from Barcelona. The lamp is woven in the shape of a bird’s nest and perfectly complements the natural vibe of the area. Two portraits of Ahmed and her husband hang in the space, which were personally sketched by the famous artist, Iqbal Mehdi.



Ahmed shares that though this space sometimes lends itself for work-related projects, for instance Ahmed’s daughter Fatima uses this space often for photo shoots for her fashion brand FAE, they spend a lot of time here together as a family. They love to lounge around in the evenings, catch up over some tea and enjoy the outdoor breeze. “It has always been my children and their friends’ favourite spot too. From having spontaneous pool parties in the midst of winter to barbeque nights, taboo nights and even dance sessions. I love having my children’s friends over and serve them all sorts of things to eat – I’m a typical mother in that sense. This space has also become the go-to area for my two-year-old granddaughter. She loves hanging around here, dipping in the pool and playing with the pigeons she has befriended,” she laughs. After pausing for a moment, our gracious host concludes: “This corner has truly cultivated some fond memories and I really cherish it for that!”