Home is office, and office is home, thanks to coronavirus. So what’s the best way to give your sacred space a makeover, and distinguish that work corner from the rest of the house? Interior designers and architects share interesting ideas.
KRSNAA MEHTA, FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT INDIA CIRCUS
How: Multi-use spaces are the need of the hour. Right now, your home is your office, school for your kids, fine dining, gym, play area, and more. So, focus on creating a dedicated space for each of these activities. Make a nice little sanitisation zone at your home entry point, where there is a pretty looking sanitiser dispenser, a tissue box, a footwear sanitising mat, and a UV box to sanitise everything that’s being delivered or brought from outside. For a workstation, since the pandemic has restricted our ability to travel and experience things we love, why not just bring in a reminiscence of your favourite place into your workspace? This can be through wall art or a souvenir of your last vacation. Also, add some vibrancy to your desk space with some cute desk organisers and paperweights.
Do’s and dont’s: Interiors are the soul of your home. Don’t use bold colours in low lit rooms. For living spaces and rooms where there is ample natural light, one can go for bold cold colours or pattern on patterns, while for low lit rooms, one can go for light colours as they bring more light to space.
Accessories: For WFH, colourful laptop trays, and lap trays for times when you feel like working from your couch, and ergonomic chairs. Table accents and figurines to add a lot of colours to your workstation.
SANJYT SYNGH, INTERIOR DESIGNER & STYLIST
How: Start with rearranging your furniture. This has to be the easiest way to bring freshness into your space. Secondly, you can move some of your plants inside. Paint your own art. If you can manage and have the skills, take over a large wall and paint a mural. If not, painting art would be fabulous. For large spaces, you can move your dining area around the house, build a corner to have a cup of tea, create a home office for yourself, create an activity corner for your family. Cushions, throws, and candles can suddenly change your small space, plus without a lot of investment and work, you can bring a new life.
Do’s and dont’s: Don’t set your targets too high and make a mess of things. Start small, start slow.
Accessories: With only limited deliveries happening, ordering some nice planters would be a good way to add some jazz. Fragrances and candles can uplift your mood.
Where to buy: Small online businesses.
RICKSON D’SOUZA, CEO & CO-FOUNDER, BONITO DESIGNS
How: Bringing the outdoors inside is the key to quarantine makeover. Introducing indoor plants and rearranging the furniture are some things that can be explored to revitalise the home surroundings. The idea for small spaces is to always creatively make them look bigger. White walls and mirrors can be used extensively to help reflect more light in the room and make it look spacious. For large spaces, we should draw the eye up to experience the full effect. Large-sized shelves that go up to the ceiling or light fixtures like chandeliers can help refocus the eye, and make the room look grander.
Do’s and dont’s: Before undertaking any home makeover process, it is highly imperative to understand the scope of the makeover by the size of the space that you are planning to remodel. Instead of spending money on new items for home redecoration, it is always a good idea to recycle, reutilise, rearrange, and redesign existing elements to make a positive difference in the setting.
Accessories: Adding colourful personalised artefacts or handcrafted DIY items along with indoor plants will make any home makeover unique.
Where to buy: A lot of you may also use items that you may have picked up from your international or domestic travel tours. Indulging in the creation of new handmade crafts could also be a fun activity that one could undertake along with their families while in quarantine.
PRIYANKA KHANNA & RUDRAKSH CHARAN, FOUNDERS AND ARCHITECTS OF 42MM ARCHITECTURE
How: Mixing up the furniture and exploring different combinations is the best way to start a makeover. Traversing through various layouts can help add new corners and functionality to your room. For example, carving out a reading corner by the window, creating a work den in your bedroom or a coffee spot in your balcony all are simple ways to enhance your space. Changing the colour of throws, adding fabric on the table, adding a pop colour to curtains and bed are simple ways to elevate the overall vibe of the room. Attaining efficiency is the key to transform a small space. Utilising every square inch of the space with innovative ideas for storage and seating, and decorating with light colours and indoor plants reduces the visual weight of the room, and makes it feel larger.
Do’s and dont’s: Create an overall story to the décor you plan to create and enhance the essence of space by adding new functions. Secondly, organise each element to compliment others within the space. Do not clutter or combine too many elements, and also do not compromise on the efficiency of its use.
Accessories: DIY is the new mantra to creating a unique look. Decorating with self-made artwork and accessories adds a storyline to the room. Photographs and collages also contribute to the uniqueness.
