A House Woven From Our Story
When I first imagined what our almost 200 year old home could be like today, I knew it would not be just walls and windows. It had to feel like us, a living canvas that held our family’s story, our memories, and our quirks. After years as a fashion designer, fashion photographer, mom, and endlessly curious creative, I have learned that beauty lies in the details, and details are what I poured into every corner of this house.
I’ve always believed women are multi-hyphenate beings. We can do many things. Yet for so long the narrative was to do one thing well and be successful at it. That is changing. More and more women are being encouraged to showcase all the great things they have — ideas, skills, creativity with their hands. That shift inspired me and gave me the courage to transform a 200-year-old house that was falling apart into what it is right now.
Every element was custom made, not just to be different, but to be meaningful. Botanicals and animals thread through the rooms like a secret language unique to us. They appear on the walls, in the fabrics, and in the smallest of touches. They remind us of where we have been, who we are, and what we love.
Take our bedroom for instance. The wallpaper was designed just for us, inspired by the lush flora and fauna of Mangalore where I spent so many special times. It bursts with plants and birds that feel like home. And yes, if you look closely, you will spot a toucan tucked in among the leaves, my husband’s favorite bird, a little wink just for him. The home hosts 8 beautiful wallpapered rooms with different themes.
Then there is the staircase, affectionately nicknamed the Tunnel of Joy. Every step feels like walking through color itself. The runner on the stairs is more than just fabric. It is a nod to my decade designing menswear in London. The weave reminds me of tailoring suiting fabrics, but here it is reimagined in a way that feels playful, full of movement, and completely ours.
The library turned into a walk in closet with a fireplace
One of my favorite transformations was turning the library into the walk in closet of my dreams. It is more than a closet, it is a storybook of my life. Each piece of clothing has been curated from across the three continents where I have lived, one for each decade of my life. Woven in between are my mom’s vintage collectables, treasures I have been holding close to my heart for years. My collection of hats finally stands proudly on an antique hat stand from India, each brim and feather displayed with the dignity they deserve. Above the 100 year old marble fireplace rests the art my husband and I collected during our intercontinental courtship, reminders of how love carried us across the world.
For this room, I dreamed of a maximalist Sabyasachi inspired look, rich and layered with history and heart. At its center glimmers a vintage glass chandelier that I carried home piece by piece, carefully packed into four suitcases from India. Hanging it was like crowning the room with memory and magic. The love and effort that went into this space was worth every ounce of labor. The first week it was finished, I found myself walking in every two hours just to make sure it was real and still there.
The two tone Kitchen in green and up-cycling old world elements
The kitchen was the one space where I knew I could not afford to make expensive mistakes. It is the heart of our home, where we gather, cook, and linger long after the food is gone. Partnering with Westchester’s own Christine Wetzel was one of the best choices I made during this renovation. Christine has such a gift for listening to my wild ideas and helping me refine them into something both timeless and functional.
Together we brought to life a green and wood two tone kitchen that feels like a quiet ode to my love for plants and all things botanical. Every decision was intentional, every material thoughtfully chosen. Above the island hangs an original ladder from the house itself, dating back to the 1840s, now repurposed as a place to hang pots and pans. It feels like a bridge between past and present, history layered into everyday life.
The hood above the induction stove is a work of art in its own right, hand painted by the incredible decorative artist Carol Guagenti. The Brazilian quartzite counters, sourced from MSI in New Jersey and custom fit by Romstone Stone in Westchester, shimmer with light and texture, grounding the space with both beauty and durability. And to tie it all together, Gotham Kitchen in Scarsdale designed and executed the space with care and precision.
The movie Secret Garden is one we watch over and over again
And oh, the garden. If the house is our canvas, the garden is our fairytale. We spent countless hours as a family pulling up nearly two centuries of weeds to uncover its bones and breathe life back into it. What is growing there now is not just plants, but love. To me, it feels like stepping into a secret garden, hidden, wild, and magical, a place where time slows and everything blooms.
Every detail in this home is more than design. It is memory, personality, and intention. It is the fashion eye in me that loves textures and silhouettes, the photographer in me who sees light and shadow, the mother in me who craves warmth and play, and the creative in me who never stops dreaming. This is not just a renovation. It is our family’s story told in wallpaper, fabric, wood, and earth.
Welcome to our home, whimsical, layered, alive. A place where design meets memory, and where every corner whispers, this is us.
Inquire about booking a shoot at this beautiful home and create a set of custom branding images just for you! All photos by my incredibly talented friend Nadia.
