Design with a purpose – or let your imaginations run wild! Here are a few ideas to get you started

When you walk in, you must feel ‘at home’. That’s the prime focus of any interior design. Creating beauty where it did not exist is a part of it. Interior designs must also include functionality and comfort. To begin with, select a theme. Especially in India, you have a plethora of options. There are a number of styles and themes that you could select and design your homes with vibrant colours. Moreover, you can add a personality to each room and make it unique. So, you need to add a sense of individuality to the rooms too.

The very first step is to select a theme. You can have separate themes for all each of your rooms or select a single theme that flows through the entire house. Each room can be a variation of the same theme.  Having separate themes gives you a greater scope for designing and you can play around with the right colour combinations and accessories.

Each room in the house has a defined functionality. The living room is for visitors and a place where you can entertain guests, the bedroom is where you sleep and the kitchen is where you cook. So, while you decorate, make sure that you keep these functionalities in mind.

The bedroom
In the bedroom, it is highly essential that you design for comfort. You will need to choose colours that sooth and relax. Select furniture that is comfortable and cosy. Furthermore, make sure that you select furniture that is proportionate and fits your room – as well as leaves the traffic pathways clear and clean. It will be really annoying to jump over a bed to reach the other side of the room or have an obstructed wardrobe door. You can use stencils or wall papers to make your rooms look beautiful without too much clutter.

The living room
The living room is where you entertain guests, so the furniture that you select could be utilitarian. Coffee tables, nested stools and poufs could act as both seating as well as decorative elements. This is the area that you design to ‘impress’! So select your best art work, wall decor or pictures and display them here.

The kitchen
For the kitchen, utility and functionality gain a greater priority than beauty. Make sure that your kitchen fits in with all the overall design of your house and include all the functionality features that are necessary. Taking the workflow into consideration is of utmost importance while designing a kitchen. Make sure that each and every thing that you might require while actually cooking is easily reachable. Storage items could have a separate place.

The other areas
In other areas such as the entertainment area need to be as comfortable as possible. Above all, make sure that the interiors are designed without cluttering too many decorative ideas.

There is no ‘rule book’ for designing. In fact, some of the most beautiful homes in the world are those where the guidelines for designing were completely overturned! Add a little logic and a lot of whim – and creativity and you have a beautiful design for your interiors!