Maximalism: Even if it is a trend towards reduced styles, there is a clear preference for “more is more”. Bet on colors, prints and textures. Make it bigger than life, just find a common theme or palette that holds it all together – like a Sabyasachi store. “I wish people would use less shiny things like metals and brass in their homes,” sighs Gowda, who is not a fan of the exaggerated style.
Terrace: “Terrazzo is clearly going through a moment,” Das says. The colorful mosaics look as if they are made of stardust particles. What they really are are chips made of marble, quartz, granite, glass cast in concrete or a polymer binder. Buildings from the 1930s to the 1950s in Mumbai, Kolkata and Delhi have them on the ground. In Moderna rooms, they are located on every conceivable surface.
Brutalism: Minimalist, heavy, without patience for frills and complications. The post-war style indicates “a nostalgia for the old socialist architecture that alludes to certain values that people believed in, let’s say, that of equality, ” says architect Soumitro Ghosh of Mathew and Ghosh Architects, who designed the Bengaluru Museum of Art and Photography. See his Moderna avatar in Kanye’s Calabasa’s Yeezy Studio.
Wabi Sabi: Memes glorify the ruins. But Japanese philosophy goes deeper and celebrates the beauty of things in their simple, imperfect and impermanent forms. The quality of “living”, as Arun Shekhar Gowda from the Kozhikode-based design firm Humming Tree calls it, is currently evident in interiors and architecture. “Think of earthy tones and softer textures. In the end, everything looked new and plastic.
Cal: These chalky, matte, grainy walls that look like they’re on a composite wall in Greece, but show up in restaurants, showrooms and celebrity homes. The texture softens the glossy synthetic surface of ordinary paints, is antibacterial and resistant to mold. “People are migrating to materials that look more organic than factory-made ones,” says Puru Das of Delhi-based design firm DeMuro Das.
Fluted. An ancient technique of adding a series of shallow grooves to a surface has experienced a renaissance and is evident in everything you can imagine. Pillars? Sure. Walls and ceilings? No worries! Even doors and vases? Wrong…Dan! It adds the perfect touch of fun and captures the light beautifully (even if dusting is a nightmare).
Japanese: Japanese style mixed with Scandinavian aesthetics. Think of wood, soft color palettes, warmth and lots of natural light and plants. Brian DeMuro, the other half of DeMuro Das, saw a change in the choice of”tactile materials”. It creates the calm and cozy atmosphere that everyone wants.
Built-in lights: Fixtures that are built into ceilings and walls, rather than being fixed from the outside. DeMuro and I hate that. “People today treat lamps as sculptures rather than actual light sources because they think all the light comes from those on the ceiling,” Das says. Nevertheless, it is of great benefit. “It’s been around for a long time and it’s not going anywhere,” DeMuro says.
Biophilic design: A chic word for nature, embodied in built spaces. The Greek term refers to the love of living beings. It’s more than the pot monster in the corner. Imagine a house that lets in sunlight and breeze, has stone seating and waterways along the walls. Best for spacious rooms and houses with pets.
Handmade chic: Alexa can take care of the house. But people still show a clear preference for small quantities of handmade items – art, ceramics, crafts – for the home. “People own art for a variety of reasons, but a big reason they own one today is because it was woven, carved, or made with their own hands by someone,” DeMuro says. It is fast becoming the new definition of luxury.
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