As we saw the bright plumed peacocks chase each other amidst red poppies under a clear blue sky with cotton candy clouds, we knew it was time to wake up! Or not, as we stood in the five-and-a-half acres sprawling farmhouse of designer Reynu Tandon in the interiors of Mehrauli and the fatigue of a broken auto and a one-and-a-half hour bumpy ride went into the wind. As we walked into the large oval space that was separated into three separate areas, the subdued colour scheme of brown and crème proved instantly comforting. As we took a 360-degree turn and noticed paintings in almost every corner, the question begged to be answered. “I have been collecting art for a long time now and enjoy artists like Satish Gujral, Sanjay Bhattacharya and Anjolie Ela Menon. We also have some rare Tanjore paintings that my son Rahul is very fond of. In fact, art is a major point of discussion in the house and conversations often hover around it,” she told us.
But apart from art, food too seemed a focal point in the house, for there were two dining rooms, one formal with a long table and elegant silverware and the other a round casual one with similar silver besides a complete orchard that actually produced edible food. “I started taking an active interest in the garden about 10 years ago and now we have various citrus fruits and vegetables along with some rare plants like asparagus and the Thai Bird of Paradise. I can proudly say that all of them have been planted by me,” informed Tandon. As we ventured into the surrounding pool area, the mini jungle with streams and a functional tennis court, we strained to see some designer’s touch and didn’t have to look far. The artefact, which had red thread spools intricately, arranged around a dry shrub, caught our attention, which we had spotted last at the previous fashion week. “Believe me, I have spent a lot of energy in doing up the house and having a designer’s instinct only made it easier. I have added a few touches here and there like the blinds of the curtains, which were designed by me,” said Reynu.