A wide canvas for property seekers
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The Hindu-PropertyPlus exhibition, Living Spaces - 2007, has got off to a colourful start. The show will cement new trends, says RANJANI GOVIND
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PHOTOS: BHAGYA PRAKASH K.
ENCHANTING: Bath accessories and Malaysian wall frames are a big draw at the Living Spaces-2007 at Koramangala Indoor Stadium which is on till February 25.
As soon as the ribbon was cut and the lamp lit by P.R. Shankara Raju, Regional Manager, LIC Housing Finance, to flag off Living Spaces - 2007 at the Koramangala Indoor Stadium, the property-cum-home-exhibition from The Hindu-PropertyPlus had a newly-wed couple jostling about the aisles "to quickly get an overview of the projects that builders and developers have in their kitty, and study the loan options available."
The early birds Amit Chopra and Suman, employees of the BPO sector, wanted to pick and choose in peace before surging crowds tossed them about begging for space. "We are on the look out for a three-bedroom living space with some exciting amenities. The best thing is the middle/upper segment income that the builders here are catering for, and not pampering only bountiful pay packets. As we are just heralding our home life, kitchen cabinets, wall enhancers and some modest furniture are also on our cards. Hoping to get a hold of our requirements in Living Spaces, we'll have a toast for our new home this weekend!" said the beaming couple.
Eco-conservation
Just about an hour later, it was Arathi Chikkodi and Aparna Rao, home project agents from Malleswaram, who were studying the features of eco-friendly homes offered by Bio-diversity Conservation (India) Limited (BCIL). Arathi and Aparna take up home projects from plot owners wanting to raise structures, or take up interior and exterior maintenance to ease harried professionals of their precious time for a fee. "The eco-homes by BCIL are amazing. It gives us an idea of what nature-friendly houses are made up of. It also aids our profession to know about the sewage treatment plants and waste water management," say the home project agents.
And to get the eco-mood going, if homely termites are handled with aplomb by Pest Control of India, the people at the stall go a step further to explain their `Termiseal Service' where the comprehensive management takes one through pre-construction and post-construction treatment features. "We give up to 10 years of warranty in pre-construction protections undertaken, such is our meticulous approach towards pests," says an employee of PCI.
Waste water has to be tackled, and the engineers and researchers at Enzotech Solutions who have come up with solutions are on the cutting edge of recycling water, taking parameters like space cost and power consumption into account in their process.
But what really attracts your attention is the geo-thermal cooling system that BCIL has adopted in its buildings to keep the bedroom cool in the city. "In this method we suck the existing air and pump it 15 metres below the ground, with the vents coming out on the walls, all tucked into shafts. And the mud-finished walls too add to the fresh feel. You don't need fans, let alone air-cons at home," quips Anand K. of BCIL, adding that they have completed four earthy dwellings in the city.
Colour your home
If that explains the green concepts that were so much a part of Living Spaces - 2007, come into the world of colour where Asian Paints Royale Play simply had the moving crowd stand still with their live demonstration. Their special effects on translucent washable emulsion had a comb to get a combing effect while a metal blade came up with spatula effect right at the stall.
"We have four more in this category which are visually rich. It is used to highlight certain portions at home where you want people to notice," says Sridhar Lakshman, Unit Head, Home Solutions.
At Berger Paints stall, `The Lewis Berger Home Decor Painting Service' aims to provide consumers with a single source solution just on phone - from estimation and design to post-painting clean-up. "Surely people prefer our company guarantee instead of individual painters," said one official.
Choices are galore — cement, paint, distemper, plastic emulsion, luxury emulsion and designer finish. The cost ranges from Rs. 3 to Rs. 25 per sq. ft.
Brick and mortar
Housing projects in the city are showcased by Gopalan Enterprises, Aishwarya Homes, Renaissance Holdings, D.S.Max Builders and Developers, Hygrevar Home & Hearth, Fortuna Group, Home Land, Nigama Developers, Nandi Housing, M.R.S Builders, HARA Housing, and Saket Engineers and Manjeera Constructions from Hyderabad.
The presence of banks and finance institutions like LIC Housing Finance, Canara Bank, Punjab National Bank, Bank of Baroda and IDBI ensure that spot loans and fair deals would be part of Living Spaces - 2007.
Says Shankara Raju, Regional Manager, LIC Housing, "We have around 150 approved projects in Bangalore alone right now. We expect to sanction around Rs.25 crore of home loan here, as our concessions on floating rate and processing fee will be the attractions."
Accessories and furniture
While Bally Ceramics, Nestel and Lujo Bath Solutions have an array of contemporary additions to the shower area, it is bean bags, solid teak wood creations from Ekbote and Thailand furniture that added the lifestyle additions. Malaysian Frames lost no time in wooing most women as the imported wall motifs are made up of jade and metal floral motifs.
The three-day exhibition, on till February 25 — in association with prime sponsor, LIC Housing Finance, Event Managers, iCare Communication, and Radio partner, Radio City — is a forum bringing together builders, buyers, financiers and home accessories sector under one roof.
Home seeker, hope your weekend is free?
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