A great room is the one that holds a thousand memories together,” says Upasana Sharma, a mother and a social worker, as we walk into her home in Gurugram. It’s a home transformed into a mini museum, with artefacts, antique furniture, and collectibles from around the world. Be it a British-era shelf or an old Indian barrel—every piece is restructured into furniture.
Colour drenching was one of the core interior trends of 2025, with maximalism back in the reckoning. Sharma’s living room is a breathing testament to this trend, long before it actually became a thing. Warm lights in huge modern chandeliers, a huge maroon canvas used as a backdrop for the sofa, endless paintings of her son placed all over, and ceramics and artworks from renowned artists form a tiny bit of the living room.
Sharma says minimalism for her means lack of opinion or personal style. The chairs come from Goa, the table is from a British-era collection, and the barrel turned into a bar is another antique piece. Breaking the monotone of brown and maroon stand her green indoor plants, extremely old photographs of Delhi and her son’s artworks in canvases of all sizes.
A wall with pictures of Hindu gods, including Tanjore paintings, calendar-like frames, and Japanese tile work is her favourite parts of the house. She says the images of gods and temple architecture attract her much; however, thanks to her son, she started perceiving art in every form. “Earlier I was not a fan of abstract works; I felt they do not mean anything. The beauty and details of vintage pieces attracted me; anything that’s old was precious. But my son changed my outlook; he made me realise that beauty can be appreciated in all forms of art,” she said.
Down the lane
Every corner of her house reflects a stolen moment, cherished in a frame. Sharma has preserved her son’s infant cot into a centre table. The heritage of her grandmother, a hamam, finds a corner spot. Broken pieces of a haveli that would otherwise be trashed are restored, repainted and added to the living room.
A wall towards the stairs cherishes her family history in black-and-white photo frames. From grandmother’s wedding to her husband’s childhood pictures—every frame holds a stolen moment together.
Clutter, declutter—just words
The living area is full of objects collected over a span of 20 years. Sharma says she had never hired an interior designer for the space because she believes a house should reflect the person living in it, and they will best decide what goes with their personality. “I started being this woman much before my wedding. My mother had great taste, and she always kept her home in the most beautiful way possible. I inherited that.”
Stating that after marriage she and her spouse travelled everywhere their jobs took them—Bengaluru, Singapore, and now Delhi NCR—but the house always looked like this. She said she has always been house-proud. “After all, you spend most of your time there. No matter where I stayed or where I travelled, I always visited antique shops to collect the best vintage pieces to add to my house. Be it the ceramic plates from Holland, the yaali from Kerala, or the pine fruits from Himachal, it’s all a mix and match.”
Too many things would look cluttered to anybody, but she says her son helped her redo, replace and rethink the placement of items in the room, which makes it better.
Warm lights, cosy corners
As we walk up towards her bedroom, it’s a game of light and air passing through huge windows. Whites and greens in bits and pieces complement the lavender walls that hold her son’s nursery-time paintings. Every painting holds a memory. She says she relives his childhood through them.
This article is written by Srestha Sarkar