How to live smart

Interior designer Ahmed Hazari has been in the industry for the past 35 years. He is known to have transformed many offices, houses and showrooms. Today he tells Maryam Sultana and Darshani Nene how one can make their home look better

Furniture

Furniture not only adds to the aesthetic beauty, but also determines the comfort of your house. The kind of furniture you choose reflects your personal style. Nowadays large chunks of furniture have been replaced by light and simple yet elegant designs. Mod­ern Italian furniture with Bohemian design style is in these days. In contrast to this, ethnic carved furniture can be used in the bedrooms. Outdoors, fine cane furniture, commonly known as ‘Ratan’ furniture goes well.

 

Walls and floor

The most integral aspect of a house is its walls and floor. When choosing colours for walls, do opt for light shades as they accentuate space. The walls at your place can also sport wallpapers of different textures; the recent ones being metallic, bold floral, geometric and oriental. The need of flooring differs from room to room. And don’t forget to deck your floors up with some modish rugs!

 

Vaastu

Stick to basic vaastu principles, as it provides an immense cosmic energy and opens the doors to health, wealth and success. Those who live in vaastu-compliant places get benefits from Panch Maha Bhoots, which is abundant in nature in the form of gravitational force, solar energy, lunar energy, spiritual energy and cosmic forces. Use geometric lines in designing your house, as it adds sharpness to the house and makes it look more spacious, and less obstructive.

 

Accessories

Liven up your living room by adding decorative pillows and throws on the sofa set or couch. Deck-up the display area with artefacts, statues, vases, etc. Beautiful paintings with ornate frames make great wall décor items that add a unique dimension to the room. Do not forget to flaunt your collection of artefacts, that’s the coolest way to jazz up your house.

 

Eco-friendly techniques

Indoor and outdoor gardens help absorb heat and keeps the house cool during summers. Rainwater harvesting, energy- efficient lights, solar heaters, etc are a few techniques that contribute to a responsible and smart living.

 

Blending styles

Remember the old households with a huge courtyard in the centre; well you can incorporate one such in a modern house too. But if you’re worrying about the heat and rain coming in, worry not! Have a glass pyramidal structure over the courtyard. That is the best way to blend the modern and the traditional.

 

Lights

Tube lights are passé! LED lights or CLF bulbs is the preferred choice, as they not only consume less energy, but also give warmth to the house. However, LEDs are quite expensive, as it is a new technology. You can also pep up the setting with lamps, or to make it look more regal, you could hang crystal chandeliers. The placement of lights and light effects should be planned aesthetically.

Tags: accessories, decor, eco-friendly, floors, furniture, Interiors, lights, Vaastu, walls

Category: Decor