Unwind in your own style

Your bedroom is the only place where you can relax and be yourself. So, why not make it more comfortable? Bindu Gopal Rao tells you how...

Bedroom is a place that reflects your personality. So, it’s natural to have artefacts and furniture that suit your taste and style. The overall decor of the bedroom is preferred to be sophisticated and minimalistic. Lamps are back in fashion as are bookracks. Turning one’s bedroom into a relaxing, spa-like space is the most prevalent trend in bedroom furnishings at present.

“This is why clear, cool shades of green, pear, granny apple greens, emerald, forest, mint and jade are in. Sophisticated shades of red or rose red combined with burgundy and smoky hues are also in demand as these also give a warm, calming yet aesthetic appearance to the bedroom,” says Suminder Pal Singh, GM of fashionandyou.com. According to Meet Sawhney of Meet Sawhney & Co., Gurgaon, “The furniture market is re-experiencing the demand of solid wood, traditional furniture. People nowadays prefer traditional beds with thicker mattresses. A floor rug has become an essential part of the bedroom as well.”

Straight lines and minimalistic look is  in. Wing chairs are hot-sellers this season. “A new concept in bedrooms is using high upholstered headboards with coordinated wall papers and blinds. Flooring is either wooden, tiles or marble,” says interior designer Meghna Mirchandani.

Naturally accessories are a big draw for the bedroom. Says Indrajit Kembhavi, Chief Architect, Kembhavi Architecture Foundation, Bangalore, “The trend right now is essentially an electric fusion of minimalistic lines with opulent accessorising. A medley of wood, straight lines enhanced and made lively through colourful rugs, crafted artifacts, vibrant fabrics and carefully chosen works of art. South Asian tropical design is seen as the major emerging bend in home design across the country,  wherein the enclosed bedroom envelopes are being opened up to recreate seamless interface between the outdoor and indoor spaces, recreating an aura of Zen-like space within a garden setting.”

Make a statement

Quirky items that lend a different and artistic look to the bedroom are in vogue. They help in making the bedroom a reflection of one’s individual style and personality. Anju Kumar, an interior designer, says, “Indirect lighting in terms of tall terracotta floor lamps or table lamps dramatically change the look of the interiors. The walls can be made interesting with a backlit mural. Wall lights could be simply done in louvered wood or interesting terracotta light or in bamboo. It actually doesn’t cost much to make one’s house unique and beautiful, one needs a lot of creativity.” Anjum Jung, the managing director of Morph Design Company, adds, “Instead of settling on one fixed look, nowadays,  people opt for a versatile neutral base and use big-impact accents to easily change their décor. “Thanks to social media, the lifespan of a trend has been cut in half. We’re all a little overexposed. Vintage and one-of-a-kind pieces are now highly sought after. Black and white is a classic home décor palette, but for 2014, the aim is to use it in such a manner so as to give a softening effect for a cozier feel.”
Furniture trends reflect a certain shift,   while individuality reigns supreme and acquires a bold expression in decor and design. “With people achieving a level of wealth and exposure that allows them to purchase and live with the finest of luxurious furniture, artwork or furnishing, the established brands and manufacturers with custom capabilities are working to enhance their collections, so they’re not only functional, but also decorative,” says Chikita Mehta of Kiaana Kiaana.

Do the new

In 2014, use neutral schemes, all-white walls and bedding. Create slight colour accents using blankets, vases or benches. “Tans, creams and grays will also make appearances in 2014, keeping the entire bedroom calm and easy to switch out with smaller and less permanent bright accents. 2014 will also be the year of mixing textures to add pizzazz to the rooms. Metals, various textured and stained woods, glass, upholstery and marble will all be found in 2014’s bedroom décor,” says Ramachandra Shastry, the director of Rumors Fine Furnishings, Ascent Decor Private Limited. Wallpapers and wooden panelled walls to add texture to the bedroom, adding accent walls will give a personal twist to the trendy neutral tones.

Adds Sanjay Puri, Principal Architect, Sanjay Puri Architects, “Turquoise and brown, beige and brown, turquoise and pink are some of the combinations that are currently being propagated by design houses internationally and these trends were visible in the Salone di Mobil, 2013, the largest annual furniture fair in the world.”

As with the 2014 bathroom trends, designers anticipate the bedroom becoming a luxurious space in the home. “Accented to resemble a hotel suite, a bedroom can be a space where homeowners can relax. Expect to see softer lighting, pronounced angles and classic and modern furniture, with a larger, comfortable accent to top it off. Another key piece in the hotel-suite trend is the addition of greenery to bedrooms. Adding fresh flowers is a new trend that enhances colour and happiness in ways that can easily be changed and updated,” adds Shastry.

Space matters

The idea of optimising space of the bedroom involves soft colour palette for furnishings that aesthetically match the rest of the elements in the room. “One can create an illusion of unending space with lot of mirrors to the wardrobe or in other positions. Use of white and light colour as painting schemes with only one wall having a rich or darker colour expands the space of the room and avoids it from getting claustrophobic,” says Ashwini Kumar of Nitesh Estates Ltd.

Choose a bed size proportionate to the bedroom size, with efficient storage space underneath. Rahul Jagtiani, Founder and Managing Partner at PlushPlaza explains, “As spaces shrink, bedroom furniture designs are shifting from ornate to more contemporary, and the sizes and the profile of the furniture pieces seem to be shrinking as well.”

Some of the new trends we are seeing now is an increased demand for multifunctional furniture. According to Anuj Goel, MD of KDP Infrastructure, “The choice has shifted to well-decorated and furnished rooms and painted in pleasing shades of design prints of oil bound to make it an impressive wall finish. Customers follow a well vaastu-compliant situation and cozy atmosphere to ensure a deep sleep and comfortable homely love to get up fresh in the morning.”

The propensity for what is natural has increased but is not a new trend, yet, this too has been increasingly diluted with lesser emphasis on the material and more on colour. “Some of the trends include the return of stark colours as well as the continued usage of muted or neutral colours, the application of custom-made wall papers, rooms that are technology or gadget-friendly, emphatic highlights,   and most of all ensuring that the occupants don’t have to move out once they’re in to get something, even if it’s in the next room. The bedroom has become a home within a home,” says Richia M Vidhani, of The Home of The Traveler, an online shopping store.