Two winged chairs are offset by a custom-designed gilt-polished floral pattern on the wall; (above) the living room has a spacious feel to it and one of the highlights is a ceiling light with strings of translucent beads falling all the way to the floor

Fashion designer Jyoti Khaitan always dreamt of a home that would be her sanctuary. It would be a place where she could relax, entertain and work without compromising on comfort. So, when Khaitan, her 14-year-old son, Devansh, and solicitor husband, Trivikram, moved to their fifth-floor, two bedroom home in a plush apartment building in south Calcutta, she knew exactly what to do with it.

As you step in to the 4,500 sq ft flat, the sheer expanse of the living-cum-dining space takes your breath away. Khaitan believes that clutter blocks positive energy from flowing through the house. So, the furniture and artifacts are widely spaced out to give it a grand, yet uncluttered feel.

The most attractive element here is the ceiling light that Khaitan picked up in Delhi. The fixture is made of three fabric shades with strings of translucent beads hanging from them that fall to the floor. Says Khaitan: “People usually don’t bother with ceilings and lights, but I decided to focus on these elements.”

The designer also paid attention to every surface in her home — from the marble floor to the false, wood ceilings. Be it the ornate wallpaper, the antique clock in the dining room or the huge ceramic seashell replica on the cabinet, every element merges into one cohesive unit.

(From top) Jyoti Khaitan with her husband, Trivikram and son Devansh; The picture window in the den is bordered by a backlit wooden jaali frame that gives the room a soft glow; The balcony offers a great view of the city; The antique, hand-painted vase in Khaitan’s bedroom is a family heirloom

Another piece that catches your eye is the gilt-polished floral pattern on one of the walls of the living room. Khaitan first had the pattern made in plaster of Paris. “But it didn’t meet my expectations,” she says. So, she had the pattern carved in wood, polished and mounted on the wall.

The cabinets and couches in the living room as well as the dining table all have an unpolished, light finish. However, to accentuate the ridges in the wood, Khaitan brushed the raised surfaces with brown paint — with her bare fingers. Clearly a do-it-yourself person, Khaitan also designed all the upholstery and furnishings. The curtains in the living room are refreshingly different. “I didn’t want the same old sheers-and-curtain look,” says Khaitan. So, white curtains are overlaid with three removable brown velvet panels that are embellished with turquoise and gold zari bands.

Sitting pretty in one corner of the living room are two immaculate mother-of-pearl vases from Milan. “I saw these in an import house catalogue and ordered them right away,” she says.

While the the living room is perfect for elaborate dos, the den is where the couple unwinds with close friends. The area is separated from the living room by sliding doors and heavy velvet curtains. The den is a rhapsody in black, grey and silver with dark brown furniture. The room seems to be made for parties what with its Bose sound system and the Bose Jewel Cube surround sound speakers. “This is our chill out zone,” says Khaitan.

But what catches your attention immediately is the picture window, bordered by a wooden jaali-work frame. The frame is back-lit through frosted glass lending a glow to the room. One of the walls is entirely padded with silver-grey leatherite.

Here too the ceiling is wooden, this time a darker hue than that of the living room ceiling. A chandelier designed with leather straps and silver metal beads cascading from it is the centre-piece of the room while two bulbous black glass vases from Italy add elegance to the space. The den opens to an aesthetically done balcony with a cane swing and printing blocks on the wall.

Khaitan had always dreamt of a romantic bedroom. So, the master bedroom is dominated by a tulle draped four-poster bed with a carved headboard. A settee rests in a corner and above it hang lights with glass lampshades, creating a cosy nook. Completing the dreamy antique look is a chest of drawers in mahogany and an antique hand-painted vase placed in a niche in the wall. The vase was passed on to Khaitan by her in-laws, who live on the sixth floor of the same building. The other bedroom is her son’s domain, which he protects zealously.

Unlike the old-world charm of the bedroom, the study has been customised for the new age businesswoman. There are cabinets the exact size of files to save space and an interesting double-layered mahogany table, the lower section of which slides out to hold stationery or even glasses. “I can comfortably work here when I’m not in my office,” says Khaitan.

The designer is proud that her vision came together perfectly to create her dream house. “But it is my family that makes it a home” she signs off.