Feel at home!

Akshita Sethi

Our home, like life, is made up of a zillion memories and anecdotes. From the secret tear in the living room curtain to the sharp kitchen cabinet corner that we almost always bang our heads into and the staircase railing that doubles up as a slide on particularly naughty evenings, there is history hidden everywhere. But as we get comfortable with a brand new year and resolutions, we also keep an eye out for contemporary trends.

Change is a necessary evil for millennials who do not shy away from a house makeover. This is the perfect time to bid goodbye to the 2010s and usher in a new decade of design by layering the old with the new.

A new dimension

Intrigued by a set up on Pinterest? Dive into it and curate bold corners in yellow ochre, chocolate brown or cobalt blue. Balance it out with swish all-white upholstery or vintage vases in crystal. The décor of our home speaks volumes about our personalities.

Design enthusiast Karan Arora’s Chandigarh-based studio SIMPLIsilly stands for timeless spaces with neat material palettes. Talking about décor trends, Arora says, “It’s the time for patterns with more patterns over more patterns. Dramatic flooring for your foyer or overlapping patterns on fabrics for the living room it’s all here to stay.”

Total upgrade

Refresh the soul of your home with equal depth and drama by opting for a high contrast decor; what will follow is a smorgasbord of statement making pieces and a casual-chic vibe. For experimental millennials, Arora suggests the concept of in-situ furniture made using marble, concrete or terrazzo. “Add to this some smart lighting, matte hardware and indoor plants, you get a home that spells fresh,” he adds.

Future forward

Mumbai-based design curator Rohina Anand Khira vouches for mint and navy trending this year, and adds, “A rise in plant fibres such as jute, rattan, and wicker for interiors and recycled textile fibres in linen will dominate the market.” Khira’s client list includes Saif and Kareena Kapoor Khan, Videocon and Karan Johar among many others. In terms of the future design scape of urban dwellings, Khira says, “People are asking for multipurpose furniture. I would place my bets on Japanese minimalism with a dash of Scandinavian simplicity for a quintessential hygge appeal. I am very excited for Tencel to make a mark in interiors. It is a fabulous fluid fabric produced using recyclable, earth-friendly solvents.”

Chandigarh-based Navdeep Sharma’s firm Design360 abides by fusion of vintage accents and modernism. Sharma says, “The integration of technology while letting it be an invisible element shall be the next big challenge for design curators.”

Warm neutrals

While pale monochromatics, all taupe and grey, are a safe bet; they often lack character. Arora adds that warm earthy shades such as richer browns and camel will form the neutral palette for this year while a splash of bold colours in bathroom vanities, kitchen backsplash and rugs will add life to a space. Both Khira and Arora believe that textured paint finishes have had their time in the design world and it’s probably best to leave it behind in 2019!

A fan of functionality over aesthetics, Ludhiana-based architect Arun Khosla says, “Vivid monochromes add a lasting richness to the décor. It is also imperative that we develop spaces to incorporate natural plants in the house.”

Back to basics

As you redecorate using recycled home accessories, don’t forget to invest in some seriously rich greenery. From bedding and wallpapers to art and furniture, embrace sustainability in every form. As we gravitate towards an eco-friendly lifestyle, Khira advices, “Global eclecticism is the need of the hour. It means taking sustainable forms of art from all around the world and using them in our homes. It’s time to go back to simpler things by celebrating local craftsmen and opting for ceramics such as earthenware and stoneware.”

Invest in

High thread count bed sheets

• A statement rug
• Good artwork
• Lots of indoor plants
• Coordinated towels and bath mats

—Rohina Anand Khira