Amit and Leena Walavalkar are architects and designers with experience in doing up residential and commercial spaces. According to them, there is a good demand for ethnic Indian interiors, mostly for second homes and bungalows or big apartments. The designers recommend such décor to people who love to stay close to nature and who enjoy an 'earthy' look in their home. "We prefer to showcase the beauty and workmanship of Indian folk art in wall hangings, paintings, bric-a-brac and fabrics. Even when it comes to lighting, you can use lamps made of jute, cane, terracotta and other natural materials," they chorus.
To look cohesive, every home needs a theme, even if the theme is that of 'organised chaos'. Before you set to work, select a particular ethnic culture that appeals to you. Next, browse online and through books and magazines, for ideas that will spark your own imagination.
ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS Consider your walls, ceilings and floors carefully. Is the texture and appearance of the walls and ceilings rough or smooth? What floor covering is appropriate? Should it be wood, stone, tiles or carpets? Will rugs and mats make a difference and if so, what should they be made of ? Are the windows better suited to drapes, blinds or shutters? What style of furniture works? What about plants, motifs, pictures and wall hangings? "An earth-based theme can include vibrant brown and green colours," says Vengurlekar, adding that "Choose elaborately carved, thicker furniture in darker shades and lower the height for your bedroom. For the curtains, use silk fabric. Adding a zari element to the curtain will improve its look."
Wrought iron work or lampshades that look like traditional oil lamps, will add the right accents. Avoid white lights and go for dimmer yellow lights to add to the mysticism of your décor. In place of a carpet, bring in an authentic Indian dhurrie for the floor. Tanjore paintings or one of the many other Indian styles of paintings will complete the look.
LIGHT CAN WORK MAGIC "Many Indian homes are gloomy, simply because they don't have enough lighting fixtures. There are three types of lighting - general, task and accent and all three sources must work in harmony. The combined lighting effect should provide the most evenly balanced light and maximum versatility for different purposes, such as lighting for conversation, for reading or for accenting a collection of favourite objects. Raise your consciousness about the therapeutic benefits of lights and make the lighting fixtures a high priority in the decoration of your house," Vengurlekar recommends.
FESTIVE SPECIAL Diwali is about colour and festivity, so do up the living room in bright, cheery colours like red, orange, pink and yellow. This also enhances the space by making it look bigger. Use a glossy fabric for your cushion covers and curtains. They will reflect the glow of the diyas and candles you light and make the room look warm. See if you can work towards a clean, minimalistic look. If you are the proud owner of a garden, however small or big, even your balcony garden, you can light it up with LED lamp strings which cost very less and consume very little electricity. Bandhanwars are traditional door hangings. You can use good luck charms, strips of embroidered cloth and chimes, to make your doors ring in the festive cheer. You can also convert embroidered clothes/fabrics into beautiful Bandhanwars. "Nowadays, you get customised wallpapers and glass stickers that are easy to remove. During a festive occasion, use banana leaves as placemats on your dining table. A set of classic wooden poufs add to the charm of your sitting area. You can also get ethnic printed cushions for the sofa, keeping in mind the theme of the festival," points out Amit Walavalkar.
Up for something innovative? Take a walk in your society garden or down the street. Pick up a few small, interestingly curved branches that might have fallen off a tree. Spray-paint the branches in silver or gold and pop them into a vase. Take it a step further and dangle some ornaments on them or tie a few colourful bows here and there.
FAUX PAS ALERT! Even if you have no time or inclination to make major changes right now, simply eliminating certain obvious issues will make your space neater, cleaner and more interesting. Many Indian homes are well decorated but ignore something small that makes a huge difference to the overall look and feel. What's more, we get used to ignoring these little things and do not even 'see' these issues in our own home. So, take a good look around your house. Are there too many cables/exposed wires on the floor? Undressed cables not only make your room cluttered but also pose a fire hazard. Use cord covers to hide these cables or attach them to the back of the furniture. The same goes for plumbing and pipes, cracked or broken door frames or chipped edges on walls or furniture. You can go a long way with little steps to correct these problems.
QUICK BYTE THERE IS A GOOD DEMAND FOR AN INDIAN, ESPECIALLY ETHNIC LOOK FOR HOMES IN INDIA. WHILE DESIGNING YOUR HOME AROUND AN ETHNIC THEME, YOU CAN BE MORE DARING IN YOUR APPROACH TO COLOURS, TEXTURES AND PATTERNS. UNUSUAL ARTEFACTS FROM DIFFERENT INDIAN CULTURES WORK VERY WELL AS FOCAL POINTS TO A ROOM.
Courtesy:
MANISHA DHINGRA gives useful tips to decorate your home, this festive season
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