Adding colour to homes

The kind of fabric one chooses plays an important role in furnishing your homes. There are colours, textures and patterns aplenty.

Atmosphere has launched a new collection of  33 fabrics in its store in various colours and blends catering to all kinds of looks — ornate to minimalist. These fabrics are in different categories including sheers, curtains and upholstery. Says Ami Bhat, Brand Manager of Atmosphere Fine Furnishings, “Furnishing today is no longer just functional; aesthetics is also something people keep in mind. It is now the style statement of a person. Home decor reflects one’s personality. People are willing to spend more to make decor a statement of their tastes.”

Home furnishing activity is very much the flavour of the season and people want to make their home look good with coordinated designs. “Today the entire home furnishing part is very well presented in the form of designs. Essentially it is design and its influence on people and their environment, which is making people look into this home furnishing activity very closely. These days, people are being more experimental and are willing to explore various kinds of materials such as stones, textures, fabrics, wood, glass and so on,” says Guru Prasad, Director, V3 Engineers.

A summer home makeover is all about changing the heavy, dark fabrics and colours for lighter fabrics and colours. A few inexpensive changes in each room of the home will lighten up the home decor and give the home an entirely different atmosphere.
“One can make use of citrus colours like lemon yellow and orange or cool colours like green and light blue in their home decor to bring a feel of freshness. Also, replace heavy fabrics with light ones to give the room a breezy, summery feel,” explains Shankar Suryanarayan, Chief Marketing Officer – Landmark Group.

Trends for this year
Says Thomas Johan, Sr GM, Operations & Retail, @home (Nilkamal Ltd.), “This year brings a lot of light on colours like olive green or apple red. “The latest for bedrooms is to use symmetric designs or florals. Bedside mats too are a great option.” Adds Anjum Jung, Managing Director, Morph Design Co., “Light fabrics, printed or mixed with shimmer, is the latest trend. Shimmer / sequins, embroidery, motifs and fine prints are back. Vibrant colours like wine, purple, turquoise blue, fuchsia pink, bright greens and similar shades are an all-time hit.”

Shweta Gupta – Retail Head, DNM India adds, “The colour palette is picked up from colours from the cosmos and these are accented with tinges of city life. Colours like taupe, ivory, cigar, sand, peridot, acid yellow, lavender, pale pink can be spotted in our showroom this spring summer.” Purple along with yellow, bronze and golden will be in vogue in the coming year.

 “Purple variants like vibrant plums, rich violets and lavender are the colours we can look forward to in the coming years. Purples can be tempered with neutral colours like white black and grey to make them look stylish. The latest in home furnishings is the use of sheers, satins with laser cutting done patch work done on fabrics. A lot of work in semi-precious and precious stones like Swarovski done on curtains, bedspreads and pillows will be more prominently seen this year,” says Ketan Sheth - Founder & MD - Goldmine Project Consultants.

Going green
With everything turning green, furnishings are certainly not being left behind. Eco-friendly furnishings have a positive effect on indoor air quality. Traditional furnishings contain chemicals such as formaldehyde that affect the air we breathe. Eco-friendly furnishings use water-based or bio-based products that eliminate the use of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) that are found in many traditional glues and finishes. All the furnishings for the home environment can also be made in an eco-friendly way from sofas and tables to accessories such as hemp pillows and organic cotton drapes.
“While the idea of eco-friendly furnishings can seem limiting to interior design, the opposite is true if creativity is used. Refurbishing, recycling and re-using materials offer many options for many different kinds of looks,” says Jung.

The latest trends of sofas concern the use of natural fabrics such as cotton and wool. “The use of ultra-thick leathers (from 3 to 3.5 mm) guarantee a long duration, are able to give sensations of extreme naturalism and offer the typical sensation of “lived” material, thanks to imperfections on the grain. In most cases, to the complete lack of chemical interventions during the manufacturing phase,” adds Nitin Bahl, Country Manager, Natuzzi Italy S p A. You can find fabrics that are certified green or look for fabrics you know are all natural.

One hundred per cent cotton or organic cotton is a good choice, as is hemp, silk, linen and wool. “Another ongoing decorating trend is using patterns that are inspired by nature. There is a strong need to bring nature indoors,” says Puja Pusalkar, Design Head, Portico NY, Mumbai.

She adds, “Bold floral, leaf designs, and bright colours are all available in fabrics that have been manufactured without harmful chemicals. Going green is more than a trend; it’s a way of life,” Go organic at home this season and stay cool to beat the hot summers!