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Supraja Rao

But there is something more than that impacts and captivates one as one steps into a home, reflecting the character of the house.

It is the décor, selection of material, furniture, its placement, artefacts and little knick knacks that add character and style, in short its interior designing. But then it is easier said than done. While some homes look appealing even with their minimalist furniture, others with all their ornate décor, fail to exude that aesthetic appeal. What is the secret that makes some homes just stand out and make a statement ?

This is one question that every one would love to seek an exact answer about. There is no set pattern or formula, says interior designer Supraja Rao, who has decked up residential homes and designed commercial spaces across the country.

Every one need not be endowed with an artistic insight or an aptitude to transform their interiors. One simple tip is not to buy anything and everything just because it is in fashion, emphasises Ms. Rao.

The design and décor should be in tune with the personality of the owner, size of the house, she insists.

The services of an interior designer are sought for aesthetics, utilising every inch of space and to know about latest material, furniture trends which the professional interior designer would keep track of.

Interior designing as a concept grew in popularity only in the recent years. In the past, one rarely thought of discarding old furniture while moving into a newly built house but now the preference is to buy everything new,including kitchenware that suits the house, ones taste and style, contemporary, ethnic or fusion of both, she says.

The change has been mainly due to changing lifestyles, attitudes in India and international exposure which enables one to imbibe novel ideas, furniture and décor. The change that has fuelled the interior designing as a profession is ‘when people started living in the present rather than the future’. In good old days, one did everything for children, compromising with one’s aspirations. But disposal incomes, changing mindsets encourage families to realise their dreams and spend on their own lifestyles, she explains.

Ms. Supraja says people choose to make statements through their house. A designer’s job is to understand the preference of the client and translate it into design and décor. Sometimes even a child may have own ideas about his or her room and integrating their desires with the design makes them feel good about their room.

“We get all kinds of clients, those who give the designer a free hand; some come with clarity and some confused. It is for the designer to understand their requirements,” she says.

“I love it when a novel idea of mine is greeted with a blank expression. It tells me they have not seen it anywhere else. It is a beautiful experience interacting with people, helping them achieve the look they want,” she adds.

But Ms. Rao is not for creating something that’s out of sync with present times. “Why build Rome in 2008”, is her philosophy. Buildings outlive men and it should be a relic of its era. Against demolition of buildings for renovation, she says a building has life and it should be built well to last its life while interiors can be redone as per the taste and preference of house owner to change the look from inside. “I add colour to perishable things like sofa fabric as it is an easy way of refurbishing, giving it a new look,” she shares.

“Design is person specific, property specific and of course budget specific and there are no blanket rules. The basic tenet for interior designing according to me is don’t over do it. Lights, walls, fixtures, are only for dressing up.”

A frequent overseas traveller, Ms. Rao, a graduate in B.Sc Home Science with a diploma in interior decoration says India is at least 15 years behind in architecture styles. But Indian market is fast waking up to the trends abroad. Hyderabad is among the top five or six cities to source all kinds of designer material.

Exhibitions help in introducing new concepts, materials, trends and awareness. Indianness should remain at the core of any contemporary furniture décor, retaining ethnicity, native use of technique, as noticed in Japanese or Italian furniture/décor, says Supraja who likes to work with eco-friendly material.

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