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Supraja Rao

What is it that first strikes one about a house or a commercial complex? It’s the architecture and elevation, of course!

But there is something more than that which impacts and captivates one as one steps into a house. It is the décor, selection of material, furniture, its placement, artefacts and little knick-knacks that add character and style, in short it’s 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 for which every one would love to seek an exact answer. There is no set pattern or formula, says Hyderabad-based interior designer Supraja Rao of ‘Designer House’ who had 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 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 and the 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 the latest material and furniture trends. 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, one’s taste and style — contemporary, ethnic or fusion of both.

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 interior designing as a profession is “when people started living in the present rather than the future.” In the past, one did everything for children, compromising on one’s aspirations. But high incomes and changing mindsets encourage families to realise their dreams and spend on their own lifestyles.

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 its own ideas about its room and integrating them with the design makes the child feel good about the 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.”

“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 they should be a relic of their 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 the house owner to change the look from inside.

“I add colour to perishable things such as sofa fabric as it is an easy way of refurbishing, giving it a new look.”

“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.”

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 the 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 furniture décor, retaining ethnicity and 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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