The minute we walk in VJ Deepak offers us juice. On that very hospitable note, we walked in to see a really loved home that the bubbly man had built with his wife and son.
How are you this energetic always?
The minute I heard that you guys are coming, all the energy I had inside shot up! (laughing)
We’ve come to see all the interesting things you have at your house…
Well, the most interesting thing in my house is my little son. Even more interesting is my wife, the conversationalist. But both of them have gone out, so you have no other options than talk to me (laughs).
Everybody has their own concepts and dreams while buying a house. How was your experience?
My father and I together pooled funds and bought a house in 2006. Back then, I was happy. I was the first to buy a house in my friends’ group; I thought, “Great, now we’ve bought a house and we’re settled.” But then I got married, we had to get a new house and the race began again from square one. It took me almost ten years after marriage to buy this house.
So let’s go around the house…
Well, the first thing I want to show you is the sofa in the hall. This is my couch; my wife gets angry over the time I spend on this. I’d sit here, pull up a pillow to balance my phone and use the phone for hours from this spot. It is my lazy spot. When she comes back home and knocks on the door, if I don’t leave the footrest down before opening the door, she’ll figure out that I’d been sitting idle for hours! The question that she asks will not be “were you sitting here”, it will be how long have you been sitting here?” (laughing).
If you have ideas to modify your house, you should do it before moving in. Otherwise, it becomes difficult!
There are several dolls in the showcases…
All that is my wife’s taste. She likes them. I’m scared that she would take me for a doll and hang me up somewhere if I stay still too long (laughs).
You said you bought the house after marriage. What sort of furniture and kitchen specifications came up during the discussion? Can we see the kitchen?
Well, the kitchen is modular. Right now the ruler of the kitchen is our highness Renuka madam (maid). She prepared the juice for you! (laughter) One thing is, if you have ideas to modify your house, you should do it before moving in. Otherwise, it becomes difficult. We redesigned the kitchen and put up a modular set, a year after moving in. My wife thought about it and made the decision. We have a lot of contacts and our friends helped us procure and set up the materials within a short period of time. My wife works in an organisation called BNA. They have something called Dynamic Kitchens. We chose a design named ‘sleek’. It has a hydraulic system for the cabinets – however, fast you open or slam it close, it will only close on its own speed.
The breakfast counter looks cool…
Yeah. The breakfast counter is compact. We wanted a spot for our son to eat while he is rushing for school, but now the school provides all children compulsory breakfast. So my son does not eat breakfast here anymore. We just pack him some snacks. The yellow-tone lighting that you see here is a favourite of mine. As of now, it is not really used much. If I want, I can lower the lights too. I have a friend called Sulfi. We bought it from him.
This is a dishwasher?
Yes. My wife advocated for it. Like a typical South Indian, I said that it will only get properly cleaned if you wash plates with your hands. But this appliance takes washing plates to the next level. If we rinse the cutlery, glass and ceramics and leave it inside, it cleans even water spots. The plates will all be steaming and clean when they pop out: the next dirt on it will be your fingerprint when you touch it! it will be polished-clean.
Those who buy metal artifacts should also invest in a lacquer polish to maintain the metal well!
The husbands watching this are going to be happy.
Yes! (laughs) Ladies, listen well! Ask your husbands for a dishwasher! We get hard water here. The dishwasher removes all salt stains from the plates! (laughs). Many say that it might waste water, but honestly, it doesn’t. The water gets heated and the steam is sprayed on, so the water used is also minimal.
The fridge is mammoth too…
My son wanted a fridge as big as a house, so there it is. The magnets on the fridge are all from the countries we have visited. We want to keep travelling and adding to the fridge magnet collection. And here is the microwave. When you are late in the night and the wife says, “heat your own food,” this is the appliance that comes to your rescue (laughter). Every home should have one. In the night, I’d heat my own food, eat quietly and go load the plate into the other friend, the dishwasher (laughs).
The wall in the lobby is almost a hall of fame?
Yeah. The entire Zee family is here. The coloured lamps above are cracked glass, it is supposed to be artistic. I bought it from a friend and I was like, “you are selling me all the broken stuff!” This group of family photos, my wife put them up. She would buy something online without telling me, fix it up and then tell me there is a surprise addition in the house. Then if I don’t find it and praise it, I’ll get slaughtered (laughs).
Is this the junior’s room?
Yes. (reading the sign near the door) “Welcome to the scary house!” Well, he likes the scary houses in the malls and keeps wanting to go in. One day I teased him saying why are you wasting 50 bucks each time? Why not turn your room into a scary house? It looks like he took that to mind and decided to go on a budget by creating himself a scary-house-room. He is a mamma’s boy: aren’t all boys like that? My son is smart. He only finds me when he needs me, otherwise I’m just a fixture in the house.
When you are late in the night and the wife says, “Heat your own food,” microwave is the appliance that comes to your rescue!
The huge traditional lamp at the entrance?
It came from Kerala. It is 39 kgs of an alloy named bronze. Or was it brass? My in-laws bought it for us when they knew that we were buying a house. When they sent the picture, it looked small and we said yes. As it turned out, it is pretty huge. A friend of mine also gave us a lacquer polish so that the shine stays for at least 2-3 years. Even though it is costly, it helps maintain metal objects.
There are a lot of ‘Round Table’ emblems…
I am part of this initiative called the Round Table, which tries to do its share for the society and community. Giving back to the society in an individual capacity makes it small and is more for the notice of others; As part of a group, you can contribute to a bigger thing. Now we are building schools, classrooms, laboratories. There are also other things that we do. It gives us satisfaction.
