For the charm of bamboo

You may have heard that the bamboo plant brings in luck. But did you know that it can also double up as an interior decor accessory? The humble plant has snuggled into living rooms, dining rooms and kitchens, bedrooms and even bathrooms across the world in varied forms.

Indeed, bamboo in its various forms, including furniture, blinds, poles and artefacts have won designers’ hearts and are beautifying homes and offices. It has garnered immense popularity in the interior design world, but there are still some misconceptions that exist.
Bamboo sitting snugly in Asian, Zen or Feng Shui decor rooms is obvious.

Although best combined with rattan, wicker, cane or wooden furniture, today bamboo has been designed to fit into any decor theme - even contemporary and minimalistic ones! From floors to blinds and dividers, bamboo has made its presence felt in a myriad ways. Even bamboo fabric has debuted in interior decor, being woven into sheets and rugs! Only, ensure that the other interior decor items suit the warm look that bamboo imparts to any living space. And, fear not, all bamboo decor items are treated to be insect-resistant.

Bamboo scores over other hardwood furniture and interior decor items in that it’s low-maintenance material and eco-friendly, too. It’s a renewable resource since it grows very fast. So, go ahead and beautify without that burden of guilt. Being hard, flexible, lightweight and durable, bamboo is a dream decor material. And unlike wood, you don’t need to wrap it up in the monsoons, as its waterproof nature takes the rains in its stride. Little wonder then that it’s considered ideal for bathroom decor. The bamboo furniture range is amazing - living room furniture like sofas and daybeds, kitchen cabinets, countertops and shelves, dining sets, kids’ furniture, beds, recliner chairs, bar counters, dressing tables and more!

Its water/moisture-resistant nature renders it the appropriate material for kitchen flooring, too. As floor covering, bamboo offers a range of options to choose from – natural, tinted, carbonised, and the like. Go for one of these if a warm and cosy feel is what you desire for your living space. With proper maintenance, it lasts for a long time. But, do take care to dry up the drenched area immediately. For, letting the water remain on the spot for long helps it to slowly seep in, thus weakening the floor. Potential for other kinds of damage include impressions left by heavy furniture, scratches caused by sharp objects and some discolouration when exposed to sunlight.

Lighting, luck and more

Bamboo panels used for covering the ceiling exude elegance. Bamboo panels and wallpaper can be used to cover up walls. Poles painted black can provide an excellent contrast to a bathroom with white colour-scheme or gel into a warm one. Use it on the wall around the mirror for a lovely ambience.

Bamboo poles, painted or otherwise can be placed in a pattern or randomly planted in a container on the floor in crisscross fashion to spice up an accent wall. Coupled with creative lighting, the result can be simply magical!

Bamboo window treatments are also available. Horizontal and vertical blinds come in both its natural hues and artificial tints. Curtains that can be rolled up can work wonders. Room-dividers made of bamboo poles can be either opaque when placed closely against each other (and hence functional) or sparsely arranged for an aesthetic effect.

Again, derive an exquisite appearance from the latter through creative lighting. For a decorative room-divider, plant a pole each in vertically cubical glass troughs arrayed in a neat row or in random fashion in a long but shallow wooden trough. Arranged in urns, they make for unique decor items. The poles can be recruited in their natural colour or painted in deep colours like black with streaks of red. Tall/shrub-sized bamboo plants also enhance aesthetics indoors.

Blended with cotton, polyester or linen, bamboo acts as a versatile and durable fabric. Blankets and bedding material made of bamboo look classy owing to their sheen.  Bamboo decorative pieces like letter trays, baskets, bowls and basins also spruce up any room’s appearance.

As for the lucky bamboo, consult a Feng Shui expert to learn about the right number of stalks and location of the plant. For each wish to be fulfilled (like love, wealth, happiness), the number and spot differs. Indirect sunlight is best for the plant. As far as the representation of the five elements is concerned, the plant’s stalk itself represents wood and the water it grows in takes care of the water element. Grow it in rocks to represent earth and in a ceramic vase with a coin in it to represent the metal element. Tying a red ribbon around it accommodates the fire element. Change the water periodically. Fertilise it once in a while.