Stepping in, one is struck by the light and airy ambience in this modern home. The adventure-loving family wanted a home with an open feel and which let the outdoors into their living space. The residence of Adam and Sherbano Halai wraps around the garden and the swimming pool, which was once the focal point of the home. Unfortunately, the pool is no longer in use. “It was in constant use when my children were growing up. But not so much when they moved away for studies and work,” explains the home owner.
Sherbano ushered us inside on a hot Karachi morning and, while sipping refreshing minty lemonade, we talked about the house, her family and her recent summiting of Kilimanjaro!
This is an old property but the house is new.
Yes. My husband wanted to live in this area so we bought this land and completely demolished the old structure. This house was built some 15 years ago.
You opted for a very modern design.
Yes, because we wanted that open feel and that is what we told our architect Tariq Qaiser. The garden and swimming pool were the focus and all the living spaces either open into that area or look onto it. There is a lot of light in the house because of the tall windows.
There is a bridge which runs over the pool and it connects both ends of the house…so all the living spaces and the outside areas flow into each other.
Whose hunting trophies are these?
These are from when my husband used to hunt , but he no longer does so. He was also a scuba diver and has, in fact, trained many people. But he had to give that up because of back problems.
As a family, we love the beach where we are found every single Sunday.
And the dry arrangements?
They were actually green plants (laughs) but they died and I thought they still looked pretty good.
You have some impressive artwork.
We are both interested in art. We have bought many paintings over the years, mainly Pakistani art, from Canvas Gallery.
Who has more of a say in the decor?
That would be my husband. He takes the lead in design and picking furniture etc. He is much more passionate about architecture and interiors than I am.
Where did you pick up the furniture from?
It is almost all from Dubai. Back in the day it was easy to have a container full of furniture and accessories shipped here. And that’s what we did.
There is a preference for organic materials. I see a lot of natural wooden forms, driftwood, jute etc.
Yes, that is probably a preference. It goes with the modern feel of the house too.
What is your favourite spot in the home?
Probably the lounge. There is so much light here, it’s the centre of the home where the family tends to gather.
Do you entertain a lot ?
I used to but that dropped off during the pandemic and since then less so. But there is a lot of space to entertain and in winter the garden can also be used.
The walkway leading upto the front door skirts a koi pond. Has that ever been tricky to navigate?
Not at all! Except for my dog… I had two dogs. The older one never had a mishap but the younger one has fallen in twice !
Photography by Naeema Kapadia
