Pretty as a picture: A home full of memories

Elena Kuoni is warm, welcoming and stylish. She arrived in Kenya with her architect husband 17 years ago. The mother of two, a Russian by birth, Elena runs two businesses at the Village Market; KSHMR by Kuoni and Oysters & More Restaurant. Her home is situated in an idyllic suburbs of Nairobi. A globetrotter, her home is a collection of treasures from all the nations she has visited. Most homes they have lived in - from Conakry, Guinea, to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania - have been by the beach. When they moved to Kenya, they found this fantastic mansion formerly built for the late former President Daniel arap Moi when he was a minister.

The six-bedroom house holds the living room, a dining area, kitchen, two guest rooms, dancing room and dining room. The balcony adjoined the dining area has a fireplace, and it is open for stargazers. The staircase leads to more bedrooms upstairs and the master. The garden leads to the pool, which houses a pool house, benches, gazebos and creeping plants. The view of the lake from her garden and ducks swimming is a mesmerising backdrop with the ever-changing weather patterns. "The reflection of the small lake changes with weather patterns," said Elena, adding, "The lake looks different during different times of the day."