Chennai
Young people in Chennai are increasingly experimenting with the look of their homes using furniture that is a mix of traditional designs with modern pieces.

Matching is no longer the keyword in design lexicon. With mix and match experiments taking over, mixed furniture is now adding glam and glitter to homes. From living rooms to bedrooms or even the dining room, furniture trends are now a blend of the old with the new, the contemporary with the classic which add a touch of class and speak volumes about the personality of the owner. Mixing furniture is all about breaking away from the traditional ideas of planning the interior for your home that people a generation ago fretted over.

It is about different pieces of furniture coexisting in your home complementing each other with its diversity. While mixing it up has been in vogue for a while, it is not trend specific, say furniture designers. “Young people in Chennai have become very conscious of how their homes should look,” says Roopa Shetty of Asharaa, a high-end home décor store in Chennai. “They have travelled a lot and got exposed to ideas on the internet. So they are open to new ideas and are willing to experiment. Here, people usually prefer a mix of contemporary styles and traditional designs which does not necessarily follow a particular trend,” she says. For a designer, it is a creative challenge to come with an eclectic mix that suits different groups.

The trend is not to look at the West anymore. People want a throwback to tradition and are exploring designs that incorporate our heritage. In this scenario, everyone is a trend-setter, says Shetty. “We were on our way to Kerala and found this little coffee table made of driftwood in a small outlet,” says Samita Raghavan, a homemaker. “It stands out as an accent piece in our living room. Our dining tables and chairs are also a mix where we have alternated between stools made with dried-up tree trunks and chairs that match the table,” she says. “People are now increasingly looking for a classical-contemporary mix. A Victorian arch, a French console, a gilded mirror, or a traditional Indian arm chair, gives a unique and personalised touch to the room,” says Aparna Philip, chief interior designer at Spacewise, an interior design and home furniture store in Chennai. However, mixing furniture could be quite a tricky process and if one is not careful, their home could resemble a furniture market. “One should be careful to avoid bunching up too many pieces of heavy furniture or having too many accent pieces in one room,” says Shetty. A clutter-free look suits any room the best, according to Philip. “One should not have more than two to three accent pieces in a room and the colours of the fabrics should complement each other,” she adds.

Pairing modern pieces that are similar to vintage designs is a good option and a central theme is important in a mix and match scenario, say experts. With some intelligent planning and placement, even a simple piece can transform your room completely by complementing the existing pieces of furniture.

Source: Times Property, The Times of India, Chennai