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intimateinteriors

A T i m e s o f I n d i a P r e s e n t a t i o n , B A N G A L O R E , M AY 2 3 , 2 0 1 4 T I M E S P R O P E R T Y

Heritage pieces add warmth and character to a modern home

AN EXQUISITE LIVING
Colonial style homes have one feature in common they are all grand.
Heres a look at how you can transform your interiors to make them
look stylish and luxurious, writes Aditi Sharma
PHOTOS: VINOD KUMAR

TRADITIONAL,
YET MODERN
When it comes to designing your home, its never easy settling
on a theme. Murtuza Kapadia gives you the lowdown on what youre
in for when you make the choice

PHOTOS USED FOR REPRESENTATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY

he past is always glorious, isn't

it? While we continue to walk uphill towards a modern future, we
love reminiscing the past. The old practices, eras-gone-by, enigmatic lifestyle
of people; it's a happy flashback. Colonial architecture, decor and styles that
once dominated most homes, gave the
interiors a sense of richness and
panache.
Antique furniture, wood furnishings
and British designs can transport one
to another milieu from a bygone era.
How would it be if you could relive those
times, all over again. Giving your home
an old-world charm isn't all that impractical. Here are some suggestions on
how you can go about it.

PHOTOS COURTESY: NEERAS DESIGN STUDIO CREATION

Colours have the ability to tell the tale

of any home. In this case, it is all about
walking through the corridors of time
and bringing back designs that are long
lost. Capturing the warmth and charm
of colonial interiors can be best done by
choosing the right hues.
For colonial homes, walls don't necessarily have to be all white but preferably
of lighter shades - sea tones of pale green
or blue look great against dark wood. Reflective colours work best for such homes.
"Paints can be neutral tones like offwhites and beige colours, else one can

TH
E

Happy feet and fabrics

'Detailing', 'specifications' and
'grandeur', the British style homes were
designed keeping these aspects in mind.
In terms of linens, embroidery, colonial style influenced homes are simple,
yet, have a certain boldness to them.
The elements, finishing and intricate
work woven into the upholstery designs, bedspreads, etc., all make up for
inspirational living. These homes are
cosy for those who reside in them; these
also have an aspirational value attached
to them.
Elaborates Preeti Rao, director of an
interior design firm, "In colonial designs, the modern appliances such as
TVs, music systems or washing machines are replaced with antique and
classical material like self-dial phones
or vintage music systems. Use of candle-stands, trays, centre-pieces moreover adds a rustic colonial feel. There
is an abundant use of whites in wooden trims, walls, floors and furniture.
The use of linens, rattan, cane, homemade quilts can also enhance the feel
of that space."
Another important aspect of British
colonial style homes is the flooring.
When one speaks of vintage designs,
dark wood flooring tops the list. For
some homes, where wooden flooring
can be an impractical choice, one can
juxtapose styles in terms of necessity
and use-create stain or painted dark
floors.
Inside, outside
The English love drinking tea with
some crackers on the side. Indians too,
have a strong affinity for tea. It is a time
which is best enjoyed in the garden,
terrace or porch.
"The English loved their tea. Gardens and terraces may have been accented with fine porcelain tea sets
and beautiful tea chintz or a blockprinted tea cosy, tablecloths and table
linen. Crystal chandeliers and bell
jar chandeliers were popular lighting fixtures," says Aarti Jesrani, cofounder and creative head of an home
decor firm focusing on unique Indi-

A
eP

IA

re rich bold furnishings and dark

colour tones your style? Go the
traditional route. Do you like stylish and decorative design but also want
function? Go the modern way. If you're
into mixing and matching both traditional and modern styles, contemporary
should fit your taste. With options aplenty, it can get quite confusing to choose
between the different themes. Hence, it
is important to distinguish between
your stylising options.
Best of both worlds

"I find that the cotemporary design

that we see today is just a derivative of
traditional and modern design elements.
For example, if we take something like
a central courtyard, which is a prominent feature of contemporary design,
it is basically an adaptation of the traditional 'aangan'," says Pooja Girish, an
architecture student.
Sadhana Srinivasan, CEO of a design
studio, says, "There is a vast difference
between contemporary and traditional
designing. Traditional decor is homely,
understated and non-jarring. Vibrant
colours are in vogue. Wall colours such
as vibrant orange, yellow, purple and
green are some of the many colours used
based on the ancient art of Vaastu Shastra. India is a country, full of diversity;
so is Indian decor. It is luxurious, attractive and quite diverse with rich fabrics, creative artwork, great accessories
and solid teak furniture. Motifs of Gods,
elephants and peacocks are still used to
add a distinctive Indian feel to the decor.
She adds, "Modern interior design is
hallmarked by clean, straight lines and

IN

Colour me vintage

an and vintage crafts.

"To create a colonial style set-up, the
terrace area and the lawn can be enhanced with marble or stone fountains
and statues. Large sandstone or marble
gazebos help to create an outdoor entertainment space. The dome of the gazebo
can have chandeliers supported with engraved pillars. A black and white photograph of the family history tree can be
used as one of the wall treatments and it
can yet become a conversation starter at
any party or gathering," Rao suggests.
Evoke an exotic vibe inside your homes
too, by using elements and pieces that
spell splendour.

Colonial style furnishings and decor

elements such as folding desks, furniture made of mahogany, depth of colours
and otherwise contrasts splashed over
the home, give the interiors a certain luxe
feeling. The new day colonial style homes
are a combination of many sensibilities
- the exotic influences meshing into a
new- world adventure and old-world romance with British practicality.
Cane furniture, black and white photos from another era, opulent crockery;
all make a home into colonial styled interiors. "Conventional shutter windows
and curtains are an essential part of the
colonial look. This look is carried in the
entire home either in the kitchen, bedroom or living room," says Rao.
Adds Jesrani, "A lot of the local craftsmanship was embraced by the British.
They also received a lot of local artisanal
gifts such as carved silver and wood or
hand-woven textiles like pashmina from
local royalty." Decorated with rustic and
some primitive decor elements, a home
can be transformed into a colonial paradise. As Jain puts it, "If furniture is prose,
accessories/curios are poetry. You can
live without them, but then, where's the
fun?"
The past can be relived and revived.
By using quaint relics, arbitrary engravings, symmetrical patterns, vintage
upholstery, one can transform the home
into a colonial abode; one which is simple, yet, stylish.

ES

Sit back, relax and time travel. High

quality, state-of-the-art designs, attractive accents and impressive detailing; vintage style furniture can
transport one back into the colonial
world of elegance. Pale hues and dark
furniture are usually reflective of
British colonial style homes. Aesthetically, these interior designing choices are the ones that give a definitive
character to your home.
"If the whole home or room is
themed vintage, one can stick to a particular style - Victorian, art-deco, gothic, etc. If it is a modern home, a few
heritage pieces would add character,
warmth and heritage. Also, well-chosen pieces stand out very well with a
modern set-up," says Rajkumar Jain,
director of a home furnishings firm.
Timeless designs and styles can be used
sporadically or evenly in all corners or
rooms of the house.
Raadesh R Shetty, founder and owner of a custom-design furnishings firm,
says, "Hand- picked furniture pieces
represent the colonial era like a chest
of drawers, four-poster beds, rocking
chairs, etc. These are the perfect furniture choices for doing up a bedroom.
Ornate dining tables with carved chairs
are a highlight. Use vintage crystal
chandeliers over the table to put it all
together."

Pretty things

Lap of luxury

also play with wallpaper for accent walls.

Wall paneling is another way of making
a place look colonial. Add interesting
cornice designs to add to the look, you
can even paint cornice with a contrasting colour," says Shetty.
To add a bit more brightness to the
home, one can use contrasting patterns
on some sections of the walls by using
bright blue, orange or coral highlights.

TI

Everyone would like to surround

themselves with charm, tradition and
luxury. Colonial style homes invariably
spell opulence and class. A home owner who designs his home with sophistication of colour and texture has a decidedly eclectic taste for the extraordinary.
Manjit Wadhwa, vice president (retail) of an interior furnishings company, says, "Colonial style homes define an understated elegance with history and uniqueness through various
cultural and regional influences. Colonial styling can be both, rustic and sophisticated, depending on what you
choose it to be. This styling has a lot of
personal touch to it; from hand-carved
furniture, pastel, elegant, floral, nature inspired upholsteries to uncluttered spaces even with abundance of
ornamentation and beautiful colours
captured in accessories and wallpapers."

PE

Past perfect

an uncluttered look. It uses colours such

as neutral tones of grey and brown,
blacks and whites in flooring, furnishings, lighting fixtures and textiles."
Contemporary gets popular
She also explains the design philosophies for either style, saying that traditional decor is calm, orderly and predictable and lacks a sense of chaos and
wildness. This is a stark contrast to contemporary design which is known to be
unpredictable.
When it comes to applying either style
today, V J Srinivasan, managing director of an interior decor and furnishings
company, says, "Contemporary style is
gaining popularity nowadays. Glossy
materials, glass walls and use of steel
in furniture and fittings are becoming
the norm. All these elements closely follow what we see in western design."

Availability and modern twist

And what of each design style's availability and economic stance? "There are
more items available for contemporary
than traditional design. Contemporary
decor is more cost-efficient and easier
to maintain. However, traditional Indian motifs have excellent craftsmanship
but limited availability and involves
greater maintenance," says Sadhana.
While traditional style gives way for a
rich, beautifully unique decor, the contemporary style, which involves modern elements, matches form with function. What you will eventually see in
contemporary style nowadays is a derivative of the traditional. "Rammed
earth and bamboo as materials are getting really popular now. These were traditional methods of design. Now they
are enhanced a little to fit the current
trend," explains Pooja.