Jan 30, 2012

Interior Design - A reflection of self rather than a design platter

By - Anoop Jha

Indian homes tell rich stories of evolution and experience.

What is interior design for an average home in India? What is perceived notion of high end interior design by an average city dweller? Is it an extravagant expression of “new rich” in town or an effort of “not so rich class” to live classy rich life? Whatever it is they usually feel proud showcasing their home interior and décor, no matter whether they are rich or not so rich, no matter whether it’s extravagant or modest.



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When it comes to average middle class home interior you will find few similarities, an overwhelmingly stuffed home, because they need and inherit too many things to make their life vibrant and cope with so many rituals, social events, festivals, changing seasons etc.  and they don’t generally discard old household items in India since they have emotional value attached to it like furniture inherited from grandparents, no matter whether they have already bought a pair of PVC chair and an steel wardrobe last festive season on a mega discount offer they will keep the old furniture and items as well. Minimalistic interior is either not their choice or maybe they can’t afford it. You will find multipurpose household items, like the steel or wooden trunk which is used to store many non-seasonal household stuffs along with hardly used inherited and memorial items and which can also be used as TV stand or temporary bed in case of long social visits like couch surfing. You will find same contemporary interior lighting unit or decorative fixture in majority of houses which they all buy from the same neighborhood market. Almost similar finishes, similar wall colors and textures, similar window grill design, similar exposed interior lighting, may be little different furnishing based on little varied choices of occupant. You will sense a fusion of different culture with miniature painting of Rajasthan hanging on the wall to Feng shui wind chime hanging on door. But they seem quite content in their home, that’s what matters! No matter how limited is the space inside home; they have huge space in their heart to welcome you.
                 
What is interior design for rich or even ultra rich in India? They can afford an architect or interior designer. You will find their home lavishly decorated and minimalistic at time, with all those wonderful finishes and concealed lighting, but you know what, story doesn’t end here. When the job or interior design is over now starts the real interior design and decoration process of Indian home. Don’t forget the real architects and Interior designers of Indian households are the lady of the house, who chooses the next big change in the interior layout and furnishing, she decides, where to adjusts, accommodate and place those ever growing inflow of household stuffs and home décor items of which they are very fond of. If the same architect or interior designer who did the interior of home returns after five years to that home he or she will be totally surprised to see how rich and diversified the interior has become in this short span of time, with all those variety of decorative items which have been either received in gift or collected over visit to different parts of country or world. None of which are matching either to each other or to originally perceived interior design. Some of the home décor items are from Japan, some from Singapore or Thailand may be Egypt or south Africa or might have been bought from neighborhood Sunday market, some inherited from generation some preserved from childhood, some ethnic or some space age, though they look wonderful together and presents an ever-changing interior landscape telling story of its evolution and rich experience, its reflection of occupants of the Indian homes.  They don’t just get their interior designed in a go, they create it with their own hand in course of time.     

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