Inspired decor, personal style

Decorating your room? Priyanka Joshi speaks to a few interior designers who offer tips on how to adapt hot styles and trends for your home.

Raise your hand if you know what an inspiration room is. No, no...it isn't a place to meditate or think quietly. An inspiration room could be any room, any attractively decorated room that is, that you've seen in a magazine, a showroom, or even in a friend's home and admire, but don't have the pocket to afford.

Good and affordable home decor may sound impossible, but it does exist. As the clich goes, you just need to hunt around a little to find it. Here are three dominant looks that you are Go green
Chances are parts of your home and lifestyle are already green  you're just unaware of it. A big part of going green is not just about reducing consumption but also reusing and recycling stuff.

If you've decided to remodel your home or room instead of building or buying a new one, you've already taken a step in the green direction.

"Natural fibre rugs, beeswax or soy wax candles can add eco flair to your decor. Another unique, elegant and green decorating tip  adorn your home with mosaic bamboo tiles to add warm tones to a wall or make a floor interesting," suggests Jessica Karani, owner of Mystique, an upmarket home decor store in Mumbai.

Prices vary from product to product, starting at a low Rs 150 for the soy wax candles, and rising to Rs 1,500 and more for the mosaic bamboo tiles.

How eco-friendly your furniture is depends on the material it is made from, how it is processed and what finishes have been used, so choose carefully, recommend design experts.

Buy second-hand (or vintage, if you like), and you're greener than if you buy the most eco-friendly of furniture. Plus, consider how much lighter it'll be on the pocket. "Natural tree bark and old wood artefacts and furniture are part of the green trend too," finishes Karani. Prices here start at Rs 500.

Throw in a grass-cloth wall covering, bamboo flooring and you get a simple, uncluttered room that fosters earthiness. If you're in the market for new furnishings, look for products that are chemical-free or made from renewable or reclaimed materials like paper and discarded wood.

Expressive invention
Of all the trends that are bursting on the scene this year, one is predominant: the ongoing integration of new technologies into everyday lifestyles. Mobile phones, MP3 players, home theatres, speakers and similar digital assistants are part of most households these days.

Inspired by their energy and pace, this trend advocates a decor emphasising graphic lines, in which 1960s- and 1970s-style furniture is arranged beside the high-tech equipment. The effect is "walls down"  functional, bright and clean.

Sounds too austere? Not at all, opines Radhika Gupta, owner of MoonRiver. Gupta's lifestyle concept stores are present in Delhi and Mumbai, and are expected to open soon in cities like Bangalore and Hyderabad.

She and her team of interior artists have styled villas and super luxury apartments for leading real-estate developers and individuals.

"Our patrons are boldly asking for oversized prints, stripes and psychedelic patterns boasting of strong colours," says Gupta, and adds, "Stainless steel, very light or dark wood and glass are also being used for surfaces while people want to accessorise with coloured plastic or dull metal for a touch of the fanciful."

Here too, luxury is the key. Designer labels do hold strong with furniture and accessories by well-known labels more sought-after than ever.

Although walls and other key surfaces are usually seen as providing a neutral background  often in grey, beige, white or black  the use of bold accessories and prints brings colour into play and conveys a refreshing naturalness. Result  decor that expresses a bit of whimsy but is still chic and neat, and all yours for anywhere between Rs 40,000 and Rs 60,000 a room.

Dramatic differences
"Warm-coloured metals like copper, bronze and gold, coordinated with precious woods, crystal, shantung silk, velvet and embroidery create an effect that's as dramatic as it can get," says Karani.

The ensuing look is both refined and welcoming and Gupta wagers that, at Rs 50,000-Rs 75,000 for a sitting area, it won't eat into your budget too. "Bright-hued furniture pieces, mostly in reds, greens and purples underline a dramatic effect," says Gupta.

Inspiration also means infusing your individual style into the design rather than replicating an exact duplicate. Most experts recommend trying to get as close to the "inspired" look and style as possible and then moving on.

Gupta suggests "warm, elaborate, rich, shimmering, embossed and embellished" as the catchwords of the season. So put in an ebony piece from Africa in one corner and a Moroccan brocade pillow and a mirror brought back from a trip to Europe in another.

This season, also go vibrant with spicy tones of red, fuchsia, turquoise and bright yellow for accessories. A symbol of luxury and wealth, aubergine, which emphasises both the sumptuous and the beguiling is the season's hottest colour.

The Business Standard dt. 12.7 2008