This World Interiors Day (May 25), we look at some key trends that have dominated the last five years.

Décor and interiors have become an important part of homes today and there have been some key trends that have shaped the way homes are being designed. Here are five trends that have evolved over the last ten years.

Eco Friendly Interiors

Traditionally, eco-friendly interiors spaces focused on improving the indoor environment quality. As the current generation is termed to be an indoor generation, it becomes crucial to create designs, using materials that focus on improving the air quality, lighting, ergonomics and reduced environmental impact. Consequently, living walls and biophilic designs are becoming prominent in contemporary spaces as millennials lack the connection with nature and vegetation. “Similarly, designers and architects have become conscious about the materials used to create these designs. As a result, the changing market behaviour has given rise to alternative construction solutions. Products such as drywalls and gypsum-based solutions have become the preferred choice of construction owing to its multifaceted properties that supports green building, improves indoor environmental quality, recyclable in nature and energy efficient. Additionally, replacing standard bulbs with LEDs for electricity conservation is another way to go green,” says Sudeep Kolte, VP Sales & Marketing, Saint Gobain India Pvt. Ltd. – Gyproc Business.

Evolution of Furniture Trends

Striking a balance between style and function, the world of furniture design is subject to shifting trends and over the years we have seen more and more interesting trends emerge in response to lifestyles, environment, and technology. During earlier times, there was very less focus on experimentation and more focus on comfort. “Velvet couches and tulip chairs were common within households and living rooms included conversation pits where couches and chairs were set up for socializing and entertaining. A few years later, cleaner and more polished looks that resembled TV shows, catalogues were desired, comfort being abandoned and replaced for style. With the turn in trends, the focus was shifted towards individualized and unique approaches to decorating. Minimalism came in as a trend and simplicity was replaced by bold and bright furniture, Traditional furniture became popular again. The trend has now shifted towards using a mix of materials and forms wherein the composition of a Living Room is no longer restricted to a sofa and side table but comprises of a nest of tables, pouffes, loungers, arm chairs, benches, to complement the sofa and Dining table. Strong contrasts and a mix of colours and monochromes are trending presently,” says Hemil Parikh, Founder, Elysium Abodes LLP.

Personalization for Effective Decor

There is a fine line between home and house as home is where our heart is and where the soul gets peace of mind. A house is where we dwell in luxury but not necessarily with peace of mind. Naturally a home is totally differently crafted. It is tailored to the client’s understanding, sentiments and aspirations. “No two people are similar, then how can their house be? This is a question I always ask myself when one tells me what’s your style of work? And I always answer, “my style is what my clients want their house to look like with my detailing and my planning but I am malleable to what my client wants to depict through their home through certain home decor that I would want them to have.” Personality study as in wants, likes, dislikes must be well understood before designing an interior space. The home decor is purely a depiction of the person’s personality. It is important that the personalization is done to the extreme nitty gritty studying the client’s needs wants and ideas so that the interior is effective and that the person you are designing for enjoys the design which is tailored as per his habits, desires and is a response to a stimulus to his next action,” avers Architect Asumi Rawat, Creative Founder and Principal Architect of Asumi Rawat Desiign.

The Tech Angle

Home Automation is changing the way home décor is being done as technology has become an integral part of overall home design. With big technology players like Google and Apple setting frameworks for the home that are so easily manageable by phone, this is another trend that will be the norm. “Energy management, security and preference management are all activities already being implemented today, which will not only get more immersive but even easier to use. Biometric locks, mood-lighting, ACs and appliances that are set for use before time or to conserve energy are all already part of today’s reality. Technology in home automation is not the only big push; it is in the virtual world as well. Consider that you can walk into an IKEA and see how their furniture might look in your living room now, and this is available today – so the future could be even more immersive. Designing on the fly in virtual environments and locking in choices that can simultaneously be placed on order without any loss of time will also become the norm of the future,” says Architect-Designer, Saket Sethi – Founder of Archilogics.

The Millennial Equation

Millennials believe in minimalism but not at the cost of compromising on aesthetics. Preference for an open floor plan is quite popular with this generation. Architects and designers are coming up with more efficient plans than ever before. “A big open kitchen is still a necessity but it should be able to merge with the dining and living spaces for easy entertaining. Millennials prefer kitchens with handmade ceramic tiles for backsplash, sleeker looking cabinets and built in appliances for a cleaner look. Lighter colours are preferred in the kitchen with occasional pops of colors brought in by a handy-dandy appliance or an artistic décor accent such as a vase or a photo feature,” says Radeesh Shetty, Director, The Purple Turtles. Likewise, millennials make use of every corner of a space, no matter how small. A wall-mounted collapsible desk, for instance, turns into an instant work surface, and is tucked away the rest of the time to save valuable square feet of floor space. Adapting to the urban lifestyle, where spaces are limited and life is fast moving, millennials prefer balcony gardening and plant varieties of herbs and vegetables that are easy to grow and maintenance-free.

This story first appeared in The Tribune dated 25 May 2019 here: