DÉCOR “ AestheticAlly yours o nce you move to a new house, there are very high chances of you buying a new set of furniture according to the new space area. It is sensible to coordinate different pieces of furniture in the house with a theme -if the aesthetics of the house are contemporary then buy modern finish furniture and artifacts, if you desire a traditional touch to your house then use solid wood or conventional looking pieces in the décor, complemented by ethnic soft furnishings. Most important factor that plays a vital role in doing up the house is the budget. Usually when you have moved into a new premise, budgets are already stringent attached to home ownership. Budget allocation is the first most important thing that has to be sorted. Then is the space planning and requirement followed by a theme that you like to run in the house. One does not tend to change furniture every now and then so a good deliberation must go into making furniture purchases. Factors to influence your purchases- 34 suburb life | November 2011 Furniture in the house makes a statement about your personality and complements the layout of the house. Basically a soul to your house. ” Create A Personal Style Determine the Space Constraints You must clearly know what you need in the house as a décor and what is the space area you have; it’s not always a good idea to follow only the trends ignoring the floor plan of the room. If for instance big broad sofas or beds are in fashion and you end up buying them and later find it a hindrance to maneuver in the house then surely it is not wise. Budget your purchases according to the time period you would be using that piece. If you are buying a crib for a child then you can budget it less than a sofa or a dining table that you would be using for many years. Fix a budget and stick to it. Our India homes are prone to dust and to keep them spic and span all time is a hard task. Contemplate and buy furniture that does not accumulate or attract too must of dust- it is just not about buying expensive furniture it is about purchasing appropriate pieces that gel with your house and lifestyle. For Kids In the House If there are kids in the house then avoid getting furniture with sharp bends and ends. The furniture should be able to withstand to kids’ wear and tear. Get furniture material such that can be cleaned easily. Using sofas with fabric stitched or lighter tones in pieces of furniture might give you tough time to maintain. It might not be a great idea to have glass in the furniture when children are young. What looks nice in your neighbour’s house might not look good in your set up. Do not go by what others are doing, create your own statement for your house which is extension of your family and makes the inmates of the house comfortable. Broadly you can choose from going in for modern or contemporary finishes in the house or doing a global set up, casual looking setting or you would like to stick to ethnic décor in the house. According to the line of your choice now you pick up the furniture also. There is so much of variety available in Indian market now that it is difficult to make choices. There is lot of furniture coming from Malaysia, China also, know down furniture is available too. Many brands have set up their furniture units who are doing customized furniture also. Do a recce and then pick up what you desire and of course there are consultants available to help you do up your house. Prioritize Your Purchases Think what you need urgently. You might not able in a position to buy all the furniture items together. If beds are your priority then do up your bedrooms first, A SUBURB READER CONNECT INITIATIVE buy beds and side tables to complement the look. If it’s your children study and cupboard then seek participation your children before finalizing the set up. Keep in mind their age and of course a horizon of at least three years must be taken when you do up kids’ room. Dressing area of kids should not be like that of an adult; size of cupboards and mirrors has to be proportionate to their age and height. Do not buy single pieces without planning your rooms. Ad hock purchases of furniture pieces often make the house look cluttered and devoid of taste. Furniture, flooring and walls in the house should gel to make a statement. Décor must be well coordinated with furniture, soft furnishings, flooring and walls, so plan your décor and go step by step to do up rooms of the house. Good furniture pieces should be selected to highlight corners in the house. When you are making purchases do ask about a warranty period, delivery time and other terms and conditions involved.Many furniture stores provide after sales service also of the items you have bought from them. Many a times furniture gets chipped or cracked in transportation so a proper understanding should be reached with the seller before you order your stuff. If you have ordered a product from a furniture catalogue then make sure that all deliverables as per the specifications are met at the time of delivery also. If a label mentions only one wood, all surfaces must be wood, if there are veneers, the label has to say so and if it is glass item keep a track of the thickness of glass that you ordered on a table. Decide the furniture pieces that you want for entertaining guests and other pieces for everyday use. Furniture accentuates the feel and space in the house, go ahead and do planned purchases. Anjula G Rai The author is an independent design professional working in the NCR for over a decade. As an entreprenuer she opened a lifestyle store called Home & Beyond which specialised in lifestyle products and furniture. Since then she has been working on several home design projects.Her expertises lies in space planning, home designs and custom- made furniture products. E: [email protected], W: www.designbyanjula.com November 2011 | suburb life 35