A House of Peacefulness
By Mamnun Ahmed Nihal
People living in a densely populated city always feel the urge to be in a state of peacefulness. Dr. Chowdhury Saima Ferdous (Professor, University of Dhaka) and Mr. Masud Mushfiq Zaman’s (Group Head of HR at Mutual Trust Bank Ltd.) 3000 square feet house in Dhanmondi reveals to us that you can make your house the center of your calmness even if the world outside is full of clamor. Today in our journey of fabulous houses, we will explore a house full of sunlight and peacefulness.
The Secret of the Theme
A soothing sea painting will make you feel at home when you arrive at the doorstep and after entering the house, a breeze of serenity will harmonize your mind. Dr. Saima revealed to us the secret of this tranquilizing theme. And that is the color white on the walls and the house’s white marble floor; The key of making an abode with a peaceful melody. White draws attention to every other subtle color accent in every room and the variations of the sunlight bring the theme to the next level. ‘The theme of the house is the expression of what we are as a family.’ the owner said.
Dining Room
The open infrastructure of the house provides a sense of liberty throughout the house; less cluttered and a breathing heaven. Even the dining room is surprisingly free from any obstructions as that could have gotten in the way of the openness.
The Newfound Meaning of the Living Room
We want to run away from the complexities of city life by getting a vacation in an expensive holiday resort. But here, afternoon tea in the living room of the house will get the exact feeling of being on a holiday in the center of an overcrowded city.
The formal living room justifies the formal tone by having only one prominent color, blue, in one of the wooden furniture. Also, the newest addition of glassy silver and golden ornaments adds an appreciable glamor.
In the layout of all the furniture, we can observe the same design complexities as the renowned brand Ralph Lauren’s furniture. The living room also carries out the house theme by maintaining subtle decor tricks, such as matching the furniture cushion with the color of the paintings. And finally, different lanterns and chandeliers fulfill the living room by creating a properly lit surrounding.
Bedrooms
The most minimalistic of all the rooms are the bedrooms with a wide window providing a huge amount of natural light during the day. And because of the plants beside the bedrooms, a greenish natural tone has been created all over the room. ‘It’s beautiful, the green. It brings life’ Dr. Saima explains with joy.
The Remark of Care
Parents overjoy with happiness when their offspring shares the same passion as them. And delightfully for Dr. Saima and her husband, their only daughter Subah also shares their passion for reading books of many genres. As a result, the room of their daughter has been decorated as such a book lover’s paradise with an outstanding corner beside the window just for reading books.
A mini bookshelf with her favorite books and inspirational word ornaments are in that corner. ‘Wish, Dream and Family; the three valuable words that will always help her to grow in her life.’ Dr. Saima while talking about the word ornaments.
Little Amazon
As we are exploring the house of book lovers, we have to look intently into the library which was created so systematically with the books of their passion. The Little Amazon, the library room has different sections for different books with a beautifully structured bookshelf, such as a cooking book section authored by many amazing chefs around the world which reflects the love for cooking of the owner. We can also look into the books of many legendary literary in our country and the world in this small yet valuable library.
Another important section of the library displays only the books on women’s leadership which illustrate the progressive mentality of the family.
Surely, you have already guessed, the favorite corner of everyone living in the house is the library corner. Especially on a rainy day, the corner becomes blissful for reading books of their liking.
Balconies
Every balcony of the house serves a particular purpose, hence created with a pre-planned ecosystem. For instance, one of the balconies will display the proper beauty of a sunrise. And the amazing sunrays of sunrise help lotuses bloom flawlessly.
Another balcony has an ecosystem with a natural aquarium, where the garden was built around the mini pond. The customized waterfall creates a wonderful environment on that balcony.
The third balcony has genuine grass on the floor to make Dr. Saima’s Daughetr feel like walking on a countryside field, as in a city, this experience is hard to get.
Kitchen
For a working couple in a busy city, the handier the kitchen the better. Bearing this factor in mind, Dr. Saima has created a breakfast nook where cooking becomes easier and swifter. As a cooking enthusiast, the cooking room works as a comfort zone for her.
Supporting Women Initiatives Through Decoration
Dr. Saima has set an amazing example to support the women’s initiative by decorating the house with accessories that have been made by women entrepreneurs. As an established woman, the support will encourage more women to pursue their dreams; many other women will start to believe in themselves.
Paintings: Where the Love was Discovered
The paintings of the house are not random; they not only influence the theme, also hold a value of their own. For instance,
The painting above represents how a working mother perceives her daughter from a distance, how much they miss them when they are busy, and the love for them, all in one painting. Likewise, other paintings of every room hold a unique value, and most of them are designed by Dr. Saima’s closely known artists. Another example of a creative painting is the 3D painting hanging in the library.
Maintenance: We Found Monica
Every house needs a Monica (from the F.R.I.E.N.D.S tv show) to take a proper care of the house. Luckily this serene house got a Monica in Dr. Saima herself. Like Monica, she also places everything in an orderly way and has an appropriate angle for every moveable. Cleaning the house whenever she has time is another habit of her that impacts the proper maintenance of the house. And as the house is painted with Berger Easy Clean, the maintenance has become much convenient.
‘Home is where your heart is, and perhaps that is the reason we decorate our homes with the things we adore, appreciate, and admire the most.’ While replying to the question of what a fabulous house is to Dr. Chowdhury Saima Ferdous. She added, ‘However the meaning of a fabulous house goes beyond this materialistic perspective. A home becomes fabulous by the people who live there. When they love and respect each other, share responsibilities and help each other to grow, any home can become a fabulous house.’
