By Minakshi Jaiswal
Interior Designer & Sub-editor
Interior design has played a vital role in property pretty much since man began living in caves. The eternal debate between art and design could of course rear its' head again, however when caveman decorated his cave interiors with scenes from hunts and feasts, surely these can be seen as enhancing the interior!? From those early days on we've been party to from every walk of life decorating property with materials from all round the planet, with antique furniture and contemporary furniture, luxurious interior paints and tiles, fantastically modern fixtures and fittings, kitsch doilies and from glamorous plantation shutters to interior designed bespoke shutters… The list is truly endless! This is a year with all the queries. 2012 brings forward old ideas remodeled according to new trends, effortless elegance, vivid colors, striking and out of the ordinary combinations and contrasts. Technology and beauty haven’t always gone hand in hand, but in today’s infused world of style and function, it is now more expected than ever-even in home design. Cutting edge technology is enabling design oriented manufacturers such as to produce stylish products that are also durable and easy to use.
Be daring to handle & celebrate neon shades, using fluorescent green, yellow or pink, delivering thus new accent elements to your freshly decorated interior. Since these powerful colors tend to draw attention, combine them with neutral shades such as white and gray that will soften the visual impact. The striking atmosphere thus achieved will definitely be one of a kind. This year, we should all embrace colors that we wouldn’t normally associate, combine intense shades with balancing tones and think out of the box, giving our home a brand new personality.
Many Architects & Designers, HD had talked to ever, like Ashish Karode, Raseel Gujral, Sita Nanda, Sushil L. Karer, Manit Rastogi, Anjali Goel and many more - they all have emphasized that a pre-design process is very important for every space. So create a Palette of Materials & Colors/ Mood Board before you decide on their selection & combination.
Why Create A Mood Board?
Before handling your paintbrush, take the time to create a mood board. It's a great way to check that your scheme works beautifully before you commit to the work and expenditure of everything you'll need for your room.
How Does A Mood Board Work?
A mood board is a representation of all that you want to use for your space. Interior designers create them when they're planning new looks, and it's a method that will help you, too. By combining your proposed paint color, samples of wallpapers, fabrics and flooring, and pictures of furniture and accessories, you can see the elements of your room in one place, try out alternatives, and check your favorites all work together perfectly.
How to Make a Palette/ Mood Board?
To create your mood board, you'll need to start with a plain piece of board - A3 is perfect, and bigger if you prefer. Then collect examples of everything you might want to use in the room. Buy tester pots for paints, and get samples of wallpaper, fabrics and carpet or other flooring from suppliers. When it comes to furniture and accessories, cut out pictures from magazines and catalogues. You might want to take your own photos, too, of items you see and like, as well as of the parts of your existing room that you're keeping in the new scheme.
Be Realistic
If you're cutting out pictures of rooms that you like from magazines, ask yourself whether a similar scheme would work in your room. Are the proportions of the rooms similar? Would the colors work? Is your natural daylight as good?
Various Aspects of Latest Design trend
Eclecticism = old + new
Modern design meets mid-century interior concepts to create spaces that give us the best of both worlds…old and new. Contemporary design features continue to hold sway, although the move away from minimalism, harsh lines and a clinical ambiance is replaced with a touch of old world warmth. This is the time when that antique piece of furniture can be placed alongside your contemporary straight-line sofas, and not look out of place, and you will get WOW factor in the whole space.
Colors are daring & strong. Green is the dominant color this year. A deeply vibrant green followed by pumpkin orange, bright red-in tones from terracotta to cayenne. Orange, Yellow, Gold-dominating the palette. Deep cinnamon, luxurious violets, turquoise and of course the other color that is hot-Pink-bright and daring.
Metal remains a majorly used feature of design. The only difference is that it is now mixed with other mediums, from wood to leather. Metal laminates are being used on everything. In tones of bronze, burnished copper, gold frosted, nickel and many more. There is a lot of development in this particular aspect of interiors and it’s likely to get more and more creative.
Texture - (the feel of a substance)
Texture touches every feature of design - on walls, in fabrics, in wood finishes, in flooring concepts. Flooring shows increased use of carpet tiles, and carpets that focus on tones and weaves rather than motifs. In tiles, ceramics are out, porcelain is in. Glass continues its reign of supremacy and is being used in a lot of creative ways. Not just for functionality but also for embellishment.
Furnishing fabrics are dominated by textures and weaves that focus on the in-built beauty of natural fibers. Fabrics with metal woven into them, tones and thread work, embroidery and quilting are all making a comeback. Prints are back in action but the motifs are eclectic and the colors very bold.
Roman blinds remain popular as do drapes in contemporary styles. Top treatments bring back a sense of grandeur while retaining the clean lines. Metal, leather and suede are all being used with linen, cotton and silks. Artificial fibers are no longer visible. Handwork and detailing bring in the elegance to the earlier minimalist styles. Embroidery, printing and ethnic styles create their space after a long hiatus. They are now getting used in versatile forms & functions.
Lighting…..again, clean lines, simple shapes. A new feature in the lighting market is the use of motion sensors instead of manual light switches. Every manufactures of Light have a new trend book flowing around. Offices still use fluorescent light but the attempt is to soften the edges a bit and create light that is easier on the eye.
In terms of the material used, metal still rules the roost. But it is metal that comes in a wide range of finishes from hand painted texture finishes to burnished and oiled tones of copper and bronze. Shiny brass is completely out, although brass may be used and finished in a metallic shade. Hand painting is welcome, but in a manner that develops tone and texture…not motifs. They are considered to be a part of system adding lot of positivity to the space.
Kitchens are focusing as much on exteriors as interior accessories. Hardware and fittings acquire much more prominence. Moldings are more detailed although they are kept reasonably small. Open plan dominance keeps the focus on more natural light. Glass is being used in many innovative ways in interior design. From flooring to walls, accessories to fittings, mirrors have rekindled their appeal.
In homes, with the dominance of the open plan, the trend is to remove isolated areas and boundaries and create a place where one area flows into another and there aren’t that many rigid definitions. Essentially, our lifestyle choices are reflecting the way we think.
After a long runway of research & survey, HD concluded some bullets, you would be able to observe all seasons this year.
1. GREEN ACCEPTED AS HEALTHY
The emphasis on green continues to gain momentum. While most people are well aware of the built environment’s impact on our planet, less is known about how it relates to human health. So as they are maintaining their space organically for their own better self.
2. SMALLER SPACES / STUDIO LIFE
Functionality is a substance and small spaces are designed in such a manner that they cater their owner to use it at its best. Gone are the days of cheaply produced mega mansions. Today design is about smaller, well planned spaces made with quality materials that will last a lifetime.
3. DOMINANCE OF ART
No more people want to cover the large extent of their walls, but a light colour wall with a brilliant piece of Art. Now the artists are considered a part of this trend. They have moved to walls & Ceiling from the canvas board. Lobby of Taj Hotel, in New Delhi owns a huge art of M.F.Hussain. He took many months to finish the work.
4. QUALITY MATERIALS DOING MORE WITH LESS
Now Leather looking Tile can’t be predicted till the time you don’t touch it but it’s easy to maintain like a tile but gives a fabulous look of leather. That’s how many materials have been developed and getting launched this year too. Higher functionality & low cost and time maintenance.
5. THE COZY SPACES
Leathers, tweeds, flannels and canvas fabrics are popping up all over furniture. Icons of high style like, and have turned their attention to interiors. Everything from master bedrooms, media room and living rooms, both indoors and out will be dominated by fabrics traditionally seen on large basis
The beauty of interior design as a subject and interest, there are no boundaries, form and beauty can meet in function, as long as we're talking of items for the home or workplace, which serves to fulfill a function, interior design, meets its needs. So please read these pages and we hope you find inspiration and ideas for your interior design project. Don’t forget to ask our experts for any advice or if you would like us to feature a particular subject to do with interiors.
(Minakshi Jaiswal can be contacted at Design Atelier Urbis, B-24/II, Lajpat Nagar II, New Delhi - 110024, India. Tel.: +91 11 4100 9927-28, Email: info@da-urbis.net )
