o f th is d e n c o n n e cts to A lpana’s b ed ro o m an d th e o th e r leads to

h e r office. “T his is w h ere I am m o stly found. T he space has an d

co n n e cts all th a t I need ,” she adds.

A s y o u m ove fro m th e d en to w ard s A lpana’s study-cum -

office, y o u c a n ’t h elp b u t n o tic e th e ex u b e ra n t u se o f crystal,

m irro r, an d Belgian glass in th e ho u se. “I am v ery fo n d o f

cry stals an d glass,” she explains. “W h e n paired w ith d ark w ood,

th e y give a space a w arm feeling.” H er stu d y is a q u ie t nook th a t

is serio u s-lo o k in g b u t w ith a to u c h o f co m fo rt. S helves carved

o u t in th e w alls ho u se h e r m any jew ellery bo o k s w hile a w all

h o s ts a m ed ley o f m asks. “I have a fetish fo r m asks a n d th e se

h av e b e e n g ifted to m e b y m y so n s fro m th e ir trav els ab ro ad

in c lu d in g to Sri L anka an d M exico.” An exquisite cry stal sta n d

is placed rig h t n ea r th e door. “I d esig n ed th is so m e y ears ago.

N o w it serv es as a p ed e sta l fo r o n e o f m y fa th e r’s b ro n z e

sc u lp tu re s.” Y ou also n o tic e a black ro u n d sto n e p la ce d o n th e

flo o r a t th e c o m e r o f th e doorw ay an d a F eng S hui chim e

h anging fro m th e to p . “M y m o th e r’s c o n trib u tio n ,” says a

sm iling A lpana, o n ce again u n d erlin in g th e fact th a t th is is a

h o u se fo r its people an d d o n e u p by its people. ■

T his cozy fam ily dining area overlooks th e garden. T he

G ujrals p refer to have th e ir m eals h e re ra th e r th a n u se th e

form al dining room w h en th e y are b y them selves,

top.

T h e im posing

10,000

sq. ft. h o u se h a s lo ts o f o p en spaces,

above.

“W e all love green sp aces an d th e g ard en really is a

favourite area w ith th e w hole family,” says A lpana.