Global inspiration and family memories
The homeowner designed the rooms in her rowhouse to reflect her Bangladeshi Muslim background and her travels around the world.
Sharmin Hossain purchased her West Philadelphia rowhouse three years ago, and her creative vision is in every room.
“I designed with heavy influence from my travels to Morocco, my homeland Bangladesh, and my New York upbringing,” said Hossain, 32, who curated, designed, and painted the home herself. She said each design feature and piece of art holds significance.
An artist and organizer from Queens, N.Y., she moved to Philadelphia after the first year of the pandemic to live closer to her best friend and to, as she described it, “live a slower life.”
“I spend most of my time brewing coffee, collecting textiles, learning to sew, and reading,” Hossain explained.
Hossain curated her spaces based on both art influences and her travels to Asia, North Africa, and South America. Her Bangladeshi Muslim heritage helped inspire her choices.
“Bangladesh was a global leader of textile manufacturing and produced fine cotton fabric like muslin, so I grew up with a deep reverence for fabrics and prints, since the women in my family had a keen knowledge of textile production and design,” Hossain said.
Her home, she said, is “a landing place with reminders of the beautiful parts of this world — the color, textures, and patterns of artisans and workers who carry the traditions.”
Hossain painted the home herself, installed all the art, and designed the rooms.
“It took me three months to complete the design of my living room, kitchen, bathrooms, and bedrooms,” said Hossain.
She also noted her West Philly community was a help at times.
“My supportive and kind neighbors taught me how to use the power drill and helped me with tasks like installing curtains, shelves, and the garden bed,” she said. “We borrow each other’s tools on this block because we don’t believe in overconsumption and purchasing things our neighbors already have — which is a fit.”
In the same spirit, she has scored secondhand wins.
“One of my favorite things about moving to Philly is having access to a car to do random pickups from strangers in the suburbs,” she said.
One of those acquisitions took her to Cherry Hill, where a woman she’d met on Facebook Marketplace was selling rugs.
“She asked me to follow her and took me on a maze to her storage unit — I was in for the adventure — where she uncovered dozens of brand new designer rugs that she sold for a small profit," Hossain said. ”My friend and I left with three large rugs under $300 that day, which is a steal!”
The kitchen is particularly meaningful to her, linking back to family traditions.
“I am following the footsteps of my mother. Growing up, she was one of the most gifted chefs who hosted dozens of people for dawats in our tiny one-bedroom apartment in Queens,” Hossain said, recalling the gatherings her mother hosted.
Now, Hossain hosts dinners at her own home, enjoys the feeling of community, and has goals of growing her recipe repertoire. She’s been working to learn South Asian dishes such as fish biryani, beguni (fried eggplant), bhorta (mashed vegetables), and chicken karahi, she said.
“I love this kitchen because it sprinkles in everything I love about being a host with South Asian and Muslim roots.”
In the living room, she wanted “vibrant and exhilarating” colors. She chose a wallpaper from Spoonflower first.
“I wanted to be inspired with dopamine when I entered my home,” Hossain said. “The floral geometric pattern reminded me of when I lived in Morocco, and vivid color could be easy to work around as a centerpiece.”
Treasures peek out from every nook and corner — handmade instruments from Bangladesh, Bolga baskets on the wall, a neon light of the map of Bangladesh.
“When I went to London’s Notting Hill market, which is famous for goods from regions colonized by the British, I bargained for these Afghan pillows that complemented the living room with sunburnt orange and hot pink,” Hossain said. The rattan furniture adds natural elements.
One of her favorite spaces in her home is a reading nook. It’s the kind of space she always dreamed of having, complete with a red couch she found for $100 on Facebook Marketplace, including delivery.
“I spent so much of my childhood reading on trains, park benches, and tiny apartments, I wanted to use this small area near my entryway for a meditative space,” Hossain said proudly.
The front of the home features a bright-yellow patio set, with a garden bed growing lettuce, cilantro, jalapeños, bok choy, and more vegetables.
Just as lively, the backyard boasts a wooden fence with hamsas painted on it, a bright-blue patio set, and a grill. This summer, Hossain hopes to enhance her backyard.
“I’d like to add some design elements to it — source free planters to add some life,” she added.
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