On a Reel somewhere, some intrepid craft enthusiast is gluing two Ikea bread boxes at the base to make a side table. YouTube has a so-easy step-by-step guide to making a table lamp with a balloon and starch-soaked yarn. Some impossibly-polished Midwestern homemaker is suggesting in her videos that you paint everything white. You’re probably saving paper straws in a drawer so you can give your cabinet doors that trending fluted look. In soft millennial pink, what else?
Do hit pause. It’s likely that this idea of “cool” is an interior designer’s nightmare. Three of India’s smartest designers talk us through which viral trends to leave online and which home interior mistakes are directly inspired by social media.
Sarah Sham, principal designer, Essajees Atelier, loves white backgrounds because it lets her play with other decor elements. But all white? “No. A space needs depth,” she says. “Colourful and busy backgrounds are impractical too, especially for a permanent backdrop,” Sham says.
Production designer and interior designer Rupin Suchak finds it hilarious that Indian clients want white decor. “They aren’t thinking of the potentially exorbitant cleaning and maintenance bills,” he says. “It’s good to reimagine the whites with some soft colour breaks, but white-on-white interiors, in reality, look drab.”
Suchak is done with over-glazed furniture. “This style comes from Art Deco. Many don’t even know what this period was about,” he says.
{{/usCountry}}Suchak is done with over-glazed furniture. “This style comes from Art Deco. Many don’t even know what this period was about,” he says.
{{/usCountry}}What’s an Indian kitchen counter made of? “Material on kitchen counters must be looked at from the point of view of our cooking sensibilities, which are way different from European kitchens,” explains Sham.
“White marble counters look so pretty but would never survive in an Indian kitchen, so choose wisely, ” adds Shweta Kaushik, founder and creative head, SKID.
Black kitchen counters are out too, adds Suchak. “They kill the vibe of any good kitchen – why would you want them?” he asks. “You can source more than 200 Indian-origin stones for the kitchen. Kota unpolished is my favourite, and I am game to experiment with beautiful dark shades of kadapa too. Any alternative to boring granite.”
A room without a ceiling fan? Are we mad? This is India, not Iceland! “It might seem sophisticated to not install fans, but it is unhealthy to be in an AC environment all the time. Choose pretty and functionally good fans instead,” suggests Suchak.
Most often than not, glue gun glue loses its adhesiveness and DIY work comes apart. If you’ve bought materials to make a single craft item, then recycled artwork ends up being more expensive than buying new.
“Not to condemn DIY, upcycling and reusing at all, but most home-made projects end up looking like arts and crafts projects gone wrong if the details and finishing aren’t clean,” says Kaushik. Sham agrees. “DIY can be interesting but it can go wrong, so steer clear of it as a decor piece unless it adds actual value to the decor,” she says.
The overuse of marble can be a huge turn-off. “Unless the marble is a one-of-its-kind find with a distinct character, it is overrated and overdone,” says Suchak. “Move on to surface finishes like micro concrete, and natural stone finishes. These are appropriate for the Indian climate and offer seamless floor finishes. Exquisite clay tiles work well too.”
“Jute carpets are dust catchers and I’d avoid them at all costs,” says Kaushik. Sham feels it’s impractical to replicate Pinterest designs because the climate and conditions of the home that is shot could be different from yours. “A furry, shaggy rug is not for the tropics. It is just not practical, so don’t,” she says.
Both Sham and Kaushik love wood. “But it is important to choose wood that stands the test of time,” says Sham. “Use a sealant to protect it and always, always, always use coasters!” Kaushik adds.
Mason jars as decor items were cool back in 2010. Now it’s 2023. Give them a rest, says Kaushik. Use them for their original purpose of storing food.
The overuse of neon lighting is getting on our designers’ nerves. “There was a phase when everyone used neon lights everywhere; we did as well. But that phase is done to death –silly quotes in neon lights are just outdated,” Sham laughs.
The concept of plastic plants all over the house bothers Sham no end. “Either avoid plants or invest in real ones,” she says.