Spaces to furnish

TRENDS

Whether you are doing up your home for the first time or redoing it as part of a makeover, furniture plays the most important role in decorating a home.

A slew of new furniture designs and pieces are now available in the market. V3 Engineers is launching a new series of standalone wardrobes. The product range starts from a standard wardrobe, sliding wardrobes, corner wardrobes, wardrobe with safes and walk-in wardrobes.

The internals are seeing a lot of change as they are now being planned very sensitively and sensibly and is no more a typical shelf, drawer and hanging space.

Tangent-The Furniture Mall has recently launched its new range called the Neon Leather Recliner Sofa Set, available in a set of 3+1+1 out of which four are recliners.
“A quintessential factor in these leather sofas is not just its colour and look but also its European design and aesthetics,” says Chintan Doshi, Director, Tangent-The Furniture Mall.

Recently, @home has introduced unique products like the laptop pad, relax chairs, couple dining sets, loungers, camping chairs, balcony furniture, living partitions and coat hangers apart from new designs in bedroom, sofas and dining.

Chic spaces

Westwood has also recently launched the ‘Fierro’ collection in India. Designed by experts at their European design studios, Westwood’s Fierro collection is a mix of contemporary
solid fruitwood, German accents and accessories and European designing.

Natuzzi showcases Cambré, Etoile and Metaphora, three new contemporary style models.

Cambré and Metaphora are modular sofas showcased both in linear and angular versions. Cambré offers soft and welcoming shapes with a natural fabric covering in hemp colour and accompanied by stonewashed fabric cushions to provide a shabby chic effect.  Metaphora is a more squared sofa with a leather frame that incorporates the seat cushions and is showcased with a periwinkle leather covering. Etoile, with a light design and perfect symmetry is made special thanks to its covering in ultra-thick Cassidy leather.

Old is gold

In fact the past seems to be the inspiration for the future.

Concurs Joe Ranji, Director, HIndian – Furniture & Interior Solutions, “traditional articles like a box chest, half moon table, nest of tables etc have been created to give a feel of the royal bygone era, and have been finished by hand paint in vibrant contemporary colours with a mix of miniature design art on it.”

The products they design are made in sheesham wood, which is not only most durable and heavy, but also one of the varieties of wood available exclusively in India.

They are then trimmed with brass, iron, copper, leather and marble to provide added richness to the solid wood. Adds Joji Xavier, Partner, A C Francis & Sons, Furniture and Interiors, “straight lines and sharp corners have been replaced with a touch of old world warmth. Modern design meets mid-century interior concepts to create spaces that give us the best of both worlds - old and new. One word that best describes this would be ‘Eclecticism’ - this is when an antique piece of furniture can be placed alongside your contemporary straight-line sofas, and not look out of place.”

 Bosco D’Mello, Director, Turquoise Handicraft says, “classic wooden furniture design is still the most popular and versatile because it provides flexibility when a look has to be changed or decor in the house is being changed. Very stylised furniture, besides being expensive, does not allow for much flexibility because the rest of the decor has to complement the furniture if it’s making a strong statement.”

Eco-friendly choices

With a plethora of new homes being launched and bought, customers are becoming discerning as far as furniture choices are concerned. Says Shyam Daga, Managing Director, Archidply, “the latest trend is that most house owners are opting for low formaldehyde emission materials conforming to Euro I standards.

“This helps keep the indoor air quality healthy and reduces the pollution within the interiors. The trend of laminates with different textures embossed on them is catching up. Trendy and modern looking furniture with a finish like velvet, glass square, high gloss and veneer finish is in.”

The Bureau of Indian Standards has launched an Eco Mark for all environment friendly products and this is the present requirement of most of the corporate houses and individual house owners along with the BIS standard quality mark.

Guru Prasad, Director –V3 Engineers says, “these days we see a mix of various styles in old and new feel with touch of chic Indian style or eclectic way. We also see some influences of trendy European styles with less of visual clutter.”

Eclectic style

The eclectic style is the latest trend in home furniture. “The furniture today is built for comfort and joy, and one should go for specially designed sofas, chairs, entertainment furniture, coffee tables, centre tables as well as recliners and stuffed chairs that offer the maximum ease of seating. With shape, the latest is simple and understated styling.
“For material, wood and leather are some of the most commonly favoured upholstery because of their good looks, durability and longlasting designs,” says Armaan Siddiqui, Joint Managing Director, Westwood Lifestyle Pvt Ltd.

Leather has always been the most popular choice and is used in collaboration with other material. Animal prints are back in the market, and can be used with antique and contemporary furniture.

Colour palette

Nitin Bahl, Country Manager (India), Natuzzi adds, “metallics are hot this year and it shows – furniture takes on a new finish with metallics.

Bright sofas occupy centrestage in living room furniture – out of the picture are neutral sofas with bright throw pillows, in the picture are bright sofas with neutral throw pillows. Curvy couches in heavier styles are often used in black and white decorated living rooms. Look for a couch that you can still use when colour hits the walls again. Gray is the hot neutral to showcase the bright furniture – a twist on the hot metallics for the year.”

Adds Ketan Gandhalikar, GM - Buying & Merchandising (Furniture), @home, “the latest trend is seen in the usage of new shades of walnut (lighter tones) in wooden products. Also elements of metal and textured panels are added with walnut wood to accentuate the lighter tones. In sofas, usage of fabric upholstery with earthen shades like red, brown, olive is in vogue.”

The classic theme with a modern colour scheme with a mix of classic and contemporary is in.

IN, OUT...

- Most house owners are opting for low formaldehyde emission materials conforming to Euro I standards.

- Leather furniture is not new but comes in new colours, designs and look.

- Another new trend is the usage of new shades of walnut (lighter tones) in wooden products.

- The classic theme with a modern colour scheme in a mix of classic and contemporary styles is in.

- Bright sofas occupy centrestage in living room furniture.

- Out of the picture are bright sofas with bright throw pillows, in the picture are bright sofas with neutral throw pillows.

- Gray is the hot neutral to showcase bright furniture, a twist on the hot metallics for the year.

“Leather furniture is not new but come in new colours, designs and look. This furniture is more comfortable and designed universally. There is plenty of good leather furniture in colours and designs that was never seen before in leather,” says Ketan Sheth, Director, Goldmine Project Consultant Pvt. Ltd.

Along with being small, modern furniture also tends to have folding options for easy keeping. Earlier, rooms were adjusted according to furniture but now furniture is being made according to space available. And that’s saying a lot!