Bought your dream house and now want to make it a glam home? Sure. That’s not a big deal anymore.  Just hire an interior designer. No you don't have to be a celeb or uber rich socialite to aspire for a designer-done home.
Today it is the done thing to hire an interior designer and have the wow home that you saw only in glossies. If you thought only the likes of Rani Mukherjee and Priyanka Chopra hire the designing services of star wives — Suzzane Roshan and Twinkle Khanna, you couldn't be more mistaken.

Dream home
More and more people today are hiring interior designers for their homes. And there are designers galore who will help you do the interiors and give you a home that would truly be a dream home. And you don't have to cough up an astronomical amount to hire the services of a designer.

Arti is a Mumbai housewife with two kids and a busy husband.

"We have bought our second flat in Hiranandani, Mumbai and this time around I'm using the services of a designer. For my first flat, I ran from pillar to post getting everything from electrical fittings to curtain rods and it was physically exhausting, not to mention time consuming." With her second kid still being a toddler, Arti is sure that she can't do a repeat run of the first time. Sulekha, yet another homemaker, says, "We have purchased a 3,000 sq ft flat and my husband and I want to do it up really well. This is our first home and I see us living in this house for a really long time. So we decided to hire an expert who would give us a home that we would cherish for years."

So what lies behind this rising trend? Most couples say that they don't have the time to shop for every detail and much rather leave the job to an expert who knows where to source it from, at the best price. Ruchi Malhotra, interior designer in Mumbai says, "People today are house proud. A home isn't just a place where you live and sleep. It is your pride. You entertain your friends and colleagues and want to wow others." Medha Arora, an interior designer in Kolkata says, "It's more than just wanting to show off a beautiful home. Indians today are well travelled, they work hard and earn well. They see the world and want their own space to be classy and beautiful. Our cities are becoming glitzier, we want to buy brands, snazzy cars…So why should our homes be any different?"

Srikant Kulkarni, a Mumbai-based designer who works on offices and homes of head honchos of companies says, "Everyone wants to look good, stay stylish and make a statement. The kind of house you stay in says a lot about who you are and where you stand. And it is not an easy job to design interiors. Conceptualising what would look good on a wall, which colours would bring out the best, types of furniture etc requires a trained eye and that's where we designers step in."

Mood lighting
Our lives today aren't anything like what it used to be couple of decades ago. So while the earlier generation was content to buy a house and fill it with modest furniture — the usual sofa set, dining table and beds, today, the world is your oyster while doing the interiors. Mood lighting, exotic plaster of paris designs to adorn ceilings, paint textures to set off a wall or two, wallpapers that have designs you never thought of, modular kitchens and bathroom fittings that can throw you into a tizzy!

Add to this, computerised homes. You can walk into your home and say like God, in true blue Genesis style, 'Let there be light' and your house will lit up. You can control the lights from your mobile phone and have the perfect lights and music the moment you step in to create the ambience you wish. Just wish and it can happen!
So how does the process roll? Do you just leave your house to the designer and go for a holiday only to come back and walk into a dream home? No. The designer works in close tandem with you and your partner. It usually begins with a tour of the new house followed by a detailed meeting when the designer tries to assess your taste and preference. Are you the type who likes funky and futuristic designs or are you the traditional type who likes solid wood? Ruchi says, "This is a very critical stage. It is important for the designer to get a grasp of what the client's taste is like. After all we just design and finish the house and leave; it is the family that has to live in it. So it is important to meet the people who would be living in the house."

Reality check
Before you zero in on the designer; you should meet many others and most importantly take references and do a check on their work. Sulekha says, "My husband and I liked our designer after having numerous nightmarish experiences. Some of the designers were very dominating with their ideas and wanted to thrust upon us a taste which didn't gel with us. One of them walked into my house and made me feel as though I live in a dump! That really got me very upset. And then I met Amita. She is willing to listen and accept our choices. She didn't junk all my existing furniture.”

Steer away from designers who try to shove their ideas on you. It is your house. You are footing the bill and most importantly, you have to live in the house and have to like what is being done.  

So happy home making!

Do what you desire and make a designer home that is your haven for years to come.