Design, I say is an overused term. Also often misunderstood. Design does not belong in the high end shelves of exclusive libraries and neither is it restricted to the classy wardrobes of the rich and the famous. Design is the filler. The filler between changing life styles. It is not a choice it’s a near necessity. From the exquisite crystal piece adorning your centre table to the basket your vegetable vendor stocks his goods with every morning, from the simple “tiffin dabbas” on the streets to the elaborate pieces of statement jewellery locked away in your safe . It’s all design. All real design.

Design, is a way of being, each element of everyday life crafted in order to suit the use and the user. For instance an auto rickshaw driver does need a watch to keep the time but offering him a la Cartier is plain ridiculous, the nurse does need a white dress but her profession doesn’t appreciate the frills on your Prada! The corporate busy- bee does need a pair of smart shoes but hoping for her to navigate the world in 7 inch stiletto heels is an absolute no brainer. Design is an idea, its application and execution makes life easier. Way easier. It’s also just as dynamic as its creator. But what does the designer really do if needs already decide the requirement?

To think of it, one doesn’t even need a designer to tell your taste or your liking. Am assured we all know it pretty damn well. At age six you knew what you wanted to wear to your best friend’s birthday party, at thirty six you are sure to know that you and the color orange are a bit of a mis match! But hold it! Ive been through a bunch of extremely expensive courses and 4 years of sleepless nights to learn my job! My job isn’t to make curtains to only shield you form sunlight, it is to make curtains that make you want to stand by your window. My job isn’t to merely dress you up for an evening, my job is to make all those looking at you go wild with envy. My job isn’t to do build your house; my job is to make it look like yours! And no sir, my job isn’t to tell you your taste; my job is to explore it for you. That’s what makes me your designer.

Much love!

Shrey Ajesh-(Interior & Soft Furnishing Designer at Kriya)

Hardware in the kitchen is what transforms cabinets into usefull and efficient storage space. And you have reason to rejoice if you always liked the fancy hardware at the Italian/German kitchen showrooms but the price tag on the kitchen killed your enthusiasm to order one!  we now have available in the market  hardware from hardware brands- Blum from Austria, Hafele & Hettich from Germany as well as high quality offerings from indian manufacturers such as ebco. And its not like you have to search very hard to find them, most reputed hardware dealers now stock these high quality hardware. What does that mean to you? you can now get a stunning looking kitchen ( if Designed by me  ), high quality hardware that is used by veneta,friuli,hacker etc that ensures everything moves and fits right, all doors and drawers close smoothly and softly and you save on space with intelligent storage systems. You then have the option of selecting to  manufacture the kitchen at site by trained carpenters or in a modular kitchen manufacturing unit (very easy to find). So there, so easy style and convenience dont have to come at the cost of big companies making lots of money, you just have to make intelligent choices!

Orange has a sense of humour, It exudes joy,warmth ,and vitality. An injection of orange is like a breath of pure oxygen. As frank Sinatra once said,  ” Orange is the happiest color, Orange laughs out loud” .

Color psychologists beleive orange releases emotions, eases feelings of self pity and bolsters self confidence. If you are stuck in a rut, orange forces you out of it, Orange is also said to shore up the immune system and help the body fight infection! (no doubt from the vitamin C in oranges)

In burnt shades, orange reminds us of the sun baked earth, these shades feel warm, vibrant and down to earth.While terracota and amber go with a global Africa-meets mexico look, when orange is combined with chargoal greys, bitter browns and off whites, its comes off as fresh, suave & modern.

As with yellow, orange looks different depending on the type of light that falls on it. I suggest you live with a sample of it for a while before you choose the right shade for you. Using orange in your living room can be very welcoming ,encourages conversation and can look very chic. If your style is contemporary , paint soft apricot on the wall,instill depth with charcoal grey sofas & black lacquered sideboards. You could also create a bohemian earthy look with vibrant oranges,ornate lanterns,antique tea chests and sari-covered cushions. Bright oranges & yellows however should be used with care in bedrooms if used at all, being places of relaxation, the stimulus in the color has an undesired effect. Good luck with orange!

Efficent kitchen design will focus on usability ,comfort ,style and not only on external appearance. A kitchen WILL be used everyday and ergonomics is of very high importance. Safety and ease of movement while juggling with those exotic dishes can often be overlooked, the kitchen should be a space for you to show off and show off in! 

Ill take you through a few pointers to keep in mind when designing your new kitchen.

Primary and most important is using zones to demarcate different functions and then group them together for best possible work flow. Any kitchen can be broken down into 5 zones, ie- Consumables, Non-consumables,Wet zone,Preperation zone and cooking zone. I should think the naming is self explanatory! the 5 zones need to be arranged in the order listed above for best work flow, this order would change marginally if you were left handed, so keep that in mind.This will minimize distances, lessen cooking times and make your daily meals easier!

Plan your storage items in ergonomically correct levels keeping often used items in easy to access pull outs under the work counter, and the 1st level of the top cabinet area. Less frequently used items above or below the regularly used area and rarely used items in the bottom level of base cabinets.

Adjust work top heights to your height (you being the user!) a good thumb rule would be when your standing with your arms bent, the distance between your elbows and work top should be aprrox 10- 15 cm. this will support a healthy posture and save effort.

Avoid shelves in the base cabinets!, shelves make it very difficult to find items since you dont have an overview of the entire cabinet contents, you will have to quite often bend ,stretch and wiggle every which way to get something out.Select full extension drawers so that you can see & access the contents all the way to the back.This alone can increase effective storage by 20 %.

Make sure you plan for enough work space, the preperation zone between the sink and the hob is where all the magic happens! a large open workspace with sufficent lighting will have a definite positive effect on your home made gastronomic experiences,  recommended width is 90 cm (3 ft)

Use these tips and design a kitchen that puts a smile on your face everytime you walk in! oh and you can thank me by inviting me over to dinner some time

A very important point in interior design that most people overlook is the effect of texture in interior design. so I’ll try to break down how best to use texture! Texture is the visual and tactile surface charecterestic of a material,every surface has its own texture,  Roughly divided into smooth & rough.It is important to use texture & pattern  to balance color and design a harmonius environment. Combining rough and smooth textures and contrasting them with each other creates balance. Picture this in your mind-a stone sculpture with a green leafy fern beside it, a cane coffee table with a glass vase of fresh flowers, or an antique copper etching over a brick fireplace. All subtle examples of contrast in texture.

Examples of Rough textures –  Unpolished rough hewn stone, natural pebbles, molded textured glass,  handmade wallpaper, wool patterned fabric, timber, brick, carpets,wicker work, coir & sisal, suede, linen,fur -these elements help create a rustic, warm homely feeling. All these elements have a strong natural connection work together to create that inviting soft ambience.  On the other end we have the SMOOTH textures- Glass,chrome ,plastic,lacquer paint finish,high gloss paint,aluminium blinds, polyester and blended fabrics.These instantly convey feelings of hardness, crisp formality,cold reflectiveness. You instantly notice these element have a greater finishin & machining component to them, making them more man made that natural! The smoothness of these materials also make them reflect light and sound to a large extent,making the space bright and professional. These textures are employed unkowingly in the design of any modern home. But just because they look so good in pictures doesn mean you’d like living with the stark cold feeling everyday! along with the look and color, texture plays the next important role in giving a space its charecterestic feel.

Many a time, people use the terms “interior designer” and “interior decorator”  interchangeably, as if they were the same. And while both may have the ability and talent to create beautiful rooms — as well as roles that often overlap — the two are NOT synonymous.

So then, what’s the difference between interior design and decoration? Webster’s defines interior design as “the art or practice of planning and supervising the design and execution of architectural interiors and their furnishings.” But, under interior decoration it states, “See interior design.” No wonder so many people are confused :)!We’ll take a brief look at both and then try to clarify the differences between interior designers and interior decorators.

The Internation Interior design Association defines an interior designer as a “Professional who is qualified by education, experience, and examination to enhance the function and quality of interior spaces”.  Essentially, interior design is the art and science of understanding people’s behavior in order to create functional spaces within the structures that architects design.

Interior designers are responsible for a wide variety of tasks including: organizing a space to suit its function, managing the construction and installation of a design, selecting and specifying fixtures, furnishings, products, materials and colors to be used in the space. An interior designer charges his/her professional consultancy fees as a percentage on the project cost or on design work done.

An interior decorator on the other hand is more concerned with surface decoration, in India this means woodwork (wardrobes & kitchen) ,furniture, paint, False ceilings etc. An interior decorator needs no formal education or qualification and relies more on his/her project & labor management skill. Creative input from a decorator is very minimal and it is not in their brief to look at the project from a holistic point of view.A decorator will charge as an interior contractor would for all work carried out.

Interior designers and interior decorators both perform important jobs — but it’s important that we don’t continue to confuse the two. To do so is a disservice to both of professions. So next time you see your local interior designer or decorator — make sure you call them by the right title!

Understanding some basic principals of color psychology can help us create interior rooms to suit the moods that we want to create. An example wouldbe  using red to make a cosy study, warm deep enclosing red or brown walls work well here. 

The reds, yellows & oranges on the color wheel are referred to as the warm colors, these colors give the effect of creating more adrenaline,  increasing your rate of breath and therefore increasing your temperature, making you feel warm. Obviously, the stronger the color the more intense the effect.Using this affect in interior design will help us create the kind of feeling you want in a particular space.

The greens & blues of the color wheel are referred to as the cool colors; these slow our heartbeat, relax our muscles and lower our temperature, making us feel cool,calm & relaxed. Violet can appear warm or cool depending on the proportions of the parent colors. With a larger proportion of blue it would appear cool, and with a larger proportion of red , a warm appearance.

There are variations of each hue, as we know from the addition of black and white that produces shades and tints, the lighter a hue becomes, the cooler the effect.  A good understanding of color and its effect on a space and its occupants is what an interior designer uses to create the right ‘ feel’ for a space, so next time your at a well designed office/restaturant/hotel, pick up your cues on how color was used to give the place its feel!

Contemporary design style uses clean lines ,striking contrast colors and new age materials to engage your senses while you spend time in the most demanding of all spaces- your kitchen! Lacquer,stainless stell, aluminium panelling come together to create movie like slickness. Hob & chimney manufacturers aren’t to be caught behind in the race to cater for contemporary kitchens. Glass is a widely used material in contemporary architecture and is now making its presence felt in kitchen appliances.Glass hobs are the de fault choice these days for anyone looking to have a new age kitchen. The installation advantage of having the hob flush with the stone countertop makes maintenace & cleaning easy . Stone edge meeting the glass looks absolutely fabulous and sleek.Design finesse finally meets cooking finesse. If shopping for a glass hob in india,make sure you verify the installation thickness of the hob (ideally should be less than 20mm)this is  beacuse the thickness of granite countertop’s normally used in a kitchen is 20 mm. You wouldnt want to cut in further to the carcass of the woodwork/drawers to install your hob. We’ve faced this problem in one of our projects because the client ordered all the kitchen appliances on his own. If you plan to do the same, keep your designer posted on all dimensions so that you dont end up wasting precious time & money!

Consulting with an interior design firm is not about imposing ideas and personal taste onto a client. It is about client and interior designer coming together to create a unique space. Its about helping the client develop their vision while analyzing their interior design requirements. In the end ,the interior designer is responsible for creating a flexible, functional & aesthetically pleasing environment that optimizes your space and relates to your personality,clientele, business and image.

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