A contemporary house in the posh Millennium City, Gurgaon, boasts of an entrance that has an ancient, royal look — a carved wooden door with a door knob from a flea market in Amsterdam, traditional bells instead of the electronic door bell, a wooden Ganesha, wood-framed mirror and a wooden flowerpot holder are the introductory look of the house.
Jewellery designer Neety Singh’s home is a beautiful blend of traditional Indian décor and mementos from different parts of the world. “Being a true Indian at heart, I love colour. Even my jewellery is very colourful. I like blending colourful stones like kundan with diamond. I think along similar lines when it comes to designing my house. While I like a contemporary look, I give it an Indian twist with Tussar print upholsteries and carved furniture,” says Neety.
So there’s a Burma teak cabinet clubbed with an Indonesian cupboard that serves as a mini bar. “I was passing a market when I came across it and picked it up instantly. I didn’t even think what I was going to do with it. Later, I polished it dark and converted it into a bar cabinet,” says Neety, talking about the cabinet.
A black Buddha was bought from a trip to Bangkok and a bronze Tree of Life from a flea market in Delhi. And even while everything is markedly different from each other, nothing looks out of place. “I make sure to unite the look. Like, I got the tree of life framed in a style similar to the other paintings in the house,” says Neety, who has a special fondness for golden frames.
Similarly, a Husain painting that she got as a gift from Husain, has been framed in an identical fashion and put up on the focal wall of the drawing room with framed mirrors and another painting. “I was lucky to meet Husain at a family friend’s place before my marriage in New York. After knowing that I’m about to get married, he drew this for me,” Neety reminisces.