Oriental oomph
Oriental oomph
Call it serendipity. When singer and actor Sophie Choudry went to inspect a flat on the eighth floor of Tuscany, a spanking new building in Khar, Mumbai, she walked into the bedroom and saw the wall pasted with old newspapers (work was still going on). What she didn’t expect to see was her face. In the centre was an entire Bombay Times page featuring her. “It was karma," says the actor, “we had to have the flat."
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Today, Choudry, her mother, and her grandmother are comfortably ensconced in the 2,800 sq. ft, three-bedroom home which has been dressed up with liberal use of gold, regal fabrics and the omnipresence of the Buddha in various avatars. The space has a distinct oriental feel with pieces imported from Bali, Indonesia, and Thailand. “We wanted the house to look rich with an influence of the Orient, but we didn’t want it to look like a museum," says Choudry.
Interior designer Anjali Kedia formalized the living space by hiring a local craftsman to texture an entire wall with gold leafing. The highlight of the living room is a Balinese daybed with a stream of crystals hanging from the top. “That was added by Anjali for some sizzle," explains Choudry. Adorning it are some eye-catching cushions, including ones with hand-embroidered portraits of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal. “Cushions are the easiest way to update a room. We change them every few months," she says.
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