JOIN USConstruction and furnishing are only a part of building a home. Nandita Manwani explains why interior decoration is also an important element in the process.
Often, when people think of home interiors, the focus is on hard furniture and woodwork. And, almost always, the aspect of ‘decoration’ of the home gets missed. While there is no doubt that well-designed furniture and woodwork are essential parts of a home, it does, however, need the embellishment of ‘decoration’. Just as how a bindi on the forehead transforms one’s look from western to quintessentially Indian, simple decoration techniques are capable of completely transforming the look of a home. The best part is that, decoration, unlike furniture, need not necessarily be expensive.
The concept of themed decoration has been at play in commercial interiors as well as in well-designed homes for a long time. It has helped in dramatically bringing down the costs, while maintaining the theme and the look, especially in commercial spaces. Recall the no false ceiling microbreweries that have the air conditioning duct visible for the industrial look, the no-paint walls with the brickwork showing for a rustic look and the beer bottle chandeliers in restaurants going for the vintage look? On similar lines, I have collated simple decoration ideas for your home which don’t really cost a bomb and can be easily implemented with materials that are readily available.
Let’s start with the foyer. A big, framed mirror on top of the foyer unit with some murals not only makes the foyer space look big, but also adds a bit of warmth at this point of first entry. The frame, as well as the mirror itself can have some design on it – a lot of such products are readily available in the market nowadays.
In the living room, one can highlight the living area wall – ideally the wall behind the main sofa with a wallpaper or a painting. For an ethnic look, you can get a brass plate, a piece of carpet or silk, and get them framed, and hang this on the wall,
instead of a painting.
If you have a large enough centre table, you can place on it coffee table books of your choice, a betel nut (paan) box or any other curios.
No more plain
On the other walls, photo frames in different sizes with a wall lamp in the corner can help eliminate the blankness of the wall and bring in some warmth. In the corners and next to the wall edges, you can place large vases and dry flowers that are easily available in most established interior decor stores.
The sofa set itself is a unit that has ‘high decoration potential’. One can keep bright cushions on the sofas. The covers can be stitched from old silk saris, sweaters etc. Similarly, the dining table can be decorated with bright coloured runners, candles and small pots with herbs.
If there are kids at home, then, it’s nice to do the bottom part of one wall in slate paint to give them a place to doodle and draw. It also helps in keeping the drawings away from the other walls of the home.
As for the kids’ room ceiling, you can get glow-in-the-dark stickers that can be
self-installed. These are a big hit with the young ones. The master bedroom can be done up with family photos and brightly coloured curtains that can be made from old saris or dupattas stitched together.
Last, but not the least, make sure you focus on the lighting. This is a small investment that will make a big difference. Depending on the living space, proper lighting can either make the place feel warm or full of energy, and affect the mood of the inhabitants accordingly.
A floor lamp in the living room and side lamps in the bedrooms help adjust the room’s brightness in line with the mood you want to set. Do remember that yellow lighting, also called warm white, will make the space feel warm and cosy, while white light will make it feel more efficient.
(The author is an interior designer, and founder, The Studio Bengaluru)