Fresh, flexible & futuristic

Shrinking home spaces have largely led to new-age furniture solutions. Technology and innovations have helped in dealing with the problems of new-age homes by introducing compact and multipurpose furniture.

“A sofa-cum-bed is a stylish and versatile choice for your living room. It can be used as a substitute to your regular leather or wooden sofas. It can be easily converted into a bed. So, people who don’t have enough space to accommodate a bed and sofa together, or who can’t afford another bed for guests can safely look at this option. Chesters are also
spacious and stylish with great functionality. They offer a generous amount of storage space for clothes, linen and other essentials in drawers, which have smooth metal runners,” says Sameer Hora, MD, Idus furniture store.

Akshat Bhatt, principal architect at Architecture Discipline, adds, “Reconfigurable furniture and interior components allow for flexibility. While planning a house or apartment, it gives the user flexibility in the long run. In addition to this, well-proportioned furniture with
exposed structural elements hark back to the 70s and 80s in a fresh manner.”

Materially speakingWhen one thinks of home solutions, one thing that must be asked is which material. As building technologies evolve, one material that remains as in-demand as ever is wood. “Wood costs less and is one of the most beautiful, versatile, durable and renewable raw materials available. Its use is found not only in interior and exterior applications, but also for structural uses,” avers Peter Bradfield, technical advisor-Forestry Innovation Consulting India Pvt Ltd.

In fact, life cycle analyses and scientific studies have shown that using renewable resources, such as sustainable wood, help the environment in the long run, when compared with other materials. Aprajita Davar Suri, creative director, Fab-Furnish.com adds, “Use of furniture with wood, metal and glass in the right quantity is the ideal setting for modern homes. The key is to maintain a balance and not have too much of one element. While glass and metal elements make the furniture look crisp, use of wood and fabrics add the right amount of warmth, making for the perfect setting.”

Trend check

A key trend is furniture that is evolving to accommodate the shift in people’s lifestyles. For example, more people are working from home than ever, and we’re constantly going mobile; so our furniture has to account for those changes.

“People also have less time to take care of their homes. And with less domestic help, making things as low maintenance as possible helps a great deal, whether it’s removable slip covers for sofas, or glass-top dining tables that can easily be wiped down. Another trend is about adding more softness and plushness into our furniture. Not just in terms of sofas getting more pillowy and squishy, but internationally, you’ve got cushioned,
upholstered beds, soft padding for desktops,” says Vikram Vishwanath, design research lead, Urban Ladder.

Glamorous room furniture and boho-chic details are some of the new-age
furniture solutions that will make interior decoration more exciting and expressive this year. There are opulent and luxurious room furniture items that delight with their excess chic and comfortable style.

“Modern-day furniture demonstrates all the popular interior trends and simultaneously shows new developments in contemporary concepts that may become major interior trends in home decorating and furnishing in the future. Modern furniture items are not exactly what they look like. Interesting and unusual home furnishings bring bright interior design colours and colour schemes, surprising shapes and contemporary artworks into modern homes,” says Manoj Kumar Singh, chairman, Mangalya Group.

Looking back

Archana Kumari Singh, president, Frazer and Haws, opines, “There’s a colossal revival of design, art and craft in the Indian market that is not only influenced by global trends, but also from our own past. And so it is with home decor and furniture too. Everyone wants a piece of heritage that is dramatic and creates a wow factor, even if it’s a single piece that is given the pride of place in the room. Individualistic is in, even in furniture.

The Mysore table and the elephant centre table concepts are all a blast from the past, but adapted to the modern homes.” Apart from the foldable aspect, furniture has also taken a technological facet. “Countertops have become the new touch screens that allow you to make calls, watch television and cook without the additional equipment of a stove, all within the same surface,” says Sai Vangmayee Sood, interior designer, Sai Architecture Interiors and Saibaan.

Do the new

The new thing about modern-day furniture is that its functions can be changed at different times and in different situations, whenever required. In today’s life, time is a
luxury and setting up a home is a huge time commitment right from acquiring the right furniture to matching linens to harmonising the accessories along with the set up.

“Keeping up with trends and innovative products available in the market is also tough for a home-maker. However, if given a chance where one can get a full package of beautiful looking furniture along with matching furnishing and decor exclusively curated by designers, not only will it reduce the time in putting up a beautiful looking home, but will also help you in fast decision making. Also, with the swap option, an individual can have a beautiful home every year. Getting a curated look for the home is the most convenient solution for today’s homeowner,” says Ajith Mohan Karimpana, founder, Furlenco.

Next to design and comfort, customisation is the new thing in the modern-day furniture. “Depending on the home layout, customers buy furniture. Customising furniture
always demands artistic skill to put it in an elegant way. Such skills demand the furniture to compliment the space in terms of look and feel,” explains Rahul Agarwal, co-founder and CEO, Mebelkart.

As Parushni Aggarwal Gupta, owner and creative director, Studio Creo, says, “Modern furniture design introduces contemporary materials, bright upholstery fabrics and innovative frames that revolutionise the industry and offer beautiful, multifunctional and practical home decorating ideas. Modern furniture designs change home furnishings from visually heavy to light, and bring bright hues to enhance stylish room colours.”