The green room

interior

This week You! takes a look at the beautiful interior of a chocolate outlet, launched recently in Karachi...

We all know that French interior decor is bold, sophisticated and chic. French interiors have an original flair and are rarely flashy, but they often have a bit of sparkle in the form of a gilded mirror or gorgeous chandelier. This is exactly what the recently launched chocolate boutique ‘Aztec’ is all about.

The outlet, located at Khayaban e Badar, Karachi, is the brainchild of Ms. Naila, who is also the CEO of our favourite bakery ‘Pie in the Sky’. As soon as you enter the outlet, you are bound to get blown away with the bold yet tasteful use of vivid green and off-white colours with hints of gold.

For the interior of the chocolate boutique, Ms. Naila approached interior designers Asad Omari and Afsheen Dada. “They are the only people I trust with all my ventures. And they have done a great job. The vision that I had for the shop has been developed quite well. Moreover, they have brought in aspects of their own, which I absolutely love. Strong elements, like the colourful wall and gigantic mirrors, give off a very French vibe,” shares Naila.

“We wanted the place to have a joyful impact on the customers while staying chic. The lights are bright, there is a beautifully hand painted wall with gold gilded frames just like any French space. It gives a statement that ‘Aztec’ is unique,” she adds.

When asked about the name of the chocolate store, Naila says, “I will take the credit for that. Actually, Aztecs were the tribe that found the cocoa bean, before the Mayans or the Europeans. They understood the importance of it and considered it the food of gods. For the Aztecs cocoa had a religious significance. The cocoa tree was believed to be of divine origin - a bridge between earth and heaven. And with this name we have made an effort to revisit the roots.”

The entire shop seems as if it is a beautiful jewellery box, giving sheer glamour, and chocolates are displayed as valuable jewellery. “As far as the interior design is concerned, the shop is the perfect representation of our boxes. It is elegant yet lively,” states Naila.

Bright green dominates the entire place with a statement wall that has gorgeous huge leaves, depicting the beauty of nature. “It is a small space which has been done on modern lines. I believe glamorous greens are trending so we have focused on a vivid hue to bring freshness and vibrancy to the interior,” informs the owner.

About the exterior of the outlet, Naila says, “The designers and I decided to go for a curved facade with a black and brass signage. The green colour is very eye-catching and one can spot the outlet from afar. Moreover, we have placed plants to make the exterior more appealing and welcoming.”

However, the highlights of the place are the huge mirrors and the statement wall. “I wanted to do something completely different, something that hadn’t been done in Karachi before. Hence, the statement wall where a wooden table stands adorned with customised chocolate boxes that represent emotions and celebrations! And the mirrors in golden frames, that occupy an entire wall, have been placed to make the outlet appear spacious,” she explains.

Lighting is an important element of any interior design and special emphasis has been given to it. “Spot lights have been used to highlight certain features within the space and create a warm and inviting atmosphere. The use of chandeliers would have cramped the place up so we have used hanging lights,” elaborates Naila.

Coming to the best part, chocolates! “The chocolates are made from Belgian chocolate and Aztec comprises a palette of 45 flavours in 6 different categories of chocolates. I personally urge you to try Lotus biscuit, caramel, truffle cream...Actually you need to try them all. The flavours have been chosen to be different in shape, size and texture. Being a chocolate enthusiast myself, I believe chocolate is not merely to be eaten, it’s to be experienced, to be savoured. I wanted people to have the same experience when they have chocolates,” she shares.

“Life is empty without love and care. Don’t shy away from expressing it. And what better way to show love than with chocolates! So drop by our shop and enjoy the overall experience,” signs off Naila with a smile.