For some of us who are lucky enough to have the space in our homes, a lounge room is a must. It’s where you can put your feet up and relax, watch the latest film on your home theatre system, battle it out with friends on the X-box or simply get some work done in a relaxed atmosphere on your net book.
If you would like to create a lounge room in your home, the key is getting the right kind of furniture and creating the perfect ambience.
Finding that lounge space
Thomas Johan, Sr GM Marketing @home says, “Ideally, the specifications to keep in mind would be a space that is compact, yet comfortable. You will need a comfortable size to work with since you need to create a walk way, knee and elbow spacing between seating arrangement as well as orientation and placement with other objects. This will give you clean and moveable space because guests are often entertained in these areas. After the bedroom, it is this lounge space where members of the family spend a long time.
Chintan Doshi, Director, Tangent – the furniture mall says, “One can transform any area of your house into a lounge area. It can be an attic, a basement or any unused space in a house. Lounge rooms are less formal than a living room but can be elegant. The key is to avoid adding a lot of different designs that may be overpowering. Size is not a concern as any vacant done up space can be used. A few attractive lounge chairs, some good lighting, music and good company and you can create that perfect lounge experience.
Perfect lounge seating
Your lounge space is all about choosing the right mix of materials and colours. Of course, seating too has to be comfortable and of the variety that you can spend a great deal of time in. You could first think of a theme or a mode of décor for your lounge area.
Thomas explains, “If you have good space to create an outdoor lounge seating area,
then you could opt to have wooden lounge seating. This builds a connect with nature, apart from giving your space a more natural feel and charm. However, if you’d like to create an indoor lounge, the seating you choose will have to complement the theme of your home.
This could mean using leather lounge chairs, etc. Colours for outdoor lounge seating can be chosen depending on the natural settings: jute, wooden, green to suit the outdoors. For the indoors, darker colours like black, chocolate brown, etc would work wonderfully.
Speaking about lounge chairs specifically, Chintan says, “Lounge chairs come in a variety of styles, materials and colours. They come packed with unique and innovative designs and adjustable features that allow you to select the best seating options to give any room that desired zing. A formal set-up or office area can use more sober colours that have cutting edge designs and adjustments. For a more relaxed set-up, contrasting colours and designs will give the room an attractive finish. Hotels and resorts opt for classier lounge set-ups without being too loud. They look for furniture that will blend into the luxurious setting of the resort. One has to keep in mind that the basic aim of a lounge chair is to give that much needed feel of relaxation and comfort, and at the same time appeal to the person sitting on the chair.”
Afzal Chandiwala, Director, Living In Style says, “The most important thing to be kept in mind while choosing the material and colour of your lounge chair is the décor theme of your home along with the type of lounge chair. Also the comfort and sustainability of materials should be taken into consideration. Traditional damasks, luxurious Italian leather, ultra suede, velvet, etc are in great demand and lend a very rich and lavish look to the room. Also fabrics like cotton, linen, polyester, etc are good options as they provide a soft surface that’s durable.
These materials are available in a variety of designs like animal prints, stripes, floral, abstract, etc. In terms of colours, the neutral, soft shades and clean lines go along with a range of styles and palettes beautifully. However, the market is also flooded with lounge chairs in bright and bold colours, generally preferred by young couples, bachelors, etc and are also great for outdoor lounge areas.” Afzal adds that the market is flooded with various options like recliners, recliners with massagers, love seats, chaise loungers, day beds, etc available in modern, contemporary and classical themes. There are also designer lounge chairs that are in demand.
Setting the mood
No point in having fantastic lounge seating if you have a staid ambience to place it in. Says Chintan, “When a lounge chair is placed in a room, one can use smart wall colours to complement the chairs or even place the chair in such a place that the person seated gets the best view of the room or the outside scenic pleasures. Select one bold pattern, and use it throughout the space. Stay away from harsh overhead lighting in a lounge.
Place low tables and floor lamps throughout the room to create atmosphere. Attractive carpets, lace curtains and cozy lighting options certainly enhance the feel and ambience of a lounge area.”
Thomas points out that one can also use planters, artificial flower arrangements, potpourris, tall ceramic vases, earthen pots, artificial water bodies, etc. These are especially for outdoor lounge areas. For the indoors, he suggests concentrating on curtains, wall colours, cushions, etc. All of these have to be well co-ordinated with the theme of the house.
Some other ideas from Afzal to add a further touch of relaxation and to make your lounging area more entertaining are to use interesting wallpapers that match the kind of lounge seating you have installed. Also people who have a collection of books can have interesting bookshelves mounted. Other options can be having your entertainment units like television and games, a home bar unit, etc to further enhance the entertainment quotient of your lounge seating.
Getting the right seating and ambiance for your lounge space is all you need to do to get that perfect relaxation space in your home.