My 20 plus years in interior designing has given me an interesting opportunity. In India, as you have a family doctor, you may have a family interior designer. My encounter with different generations in same family has matured me to be a versatile designer.
In the Beginning of my career, i was busy designing homes for joint families. Various designs like wall hinging dining tables, sofa-cum-beds, maliyas (cupboards touching ceilings), indoor swing type sitting, show cases for displaying crockery, utility oriented big size store rooms, wood dominated furniture, stone flooring, and pooja rooms were signature requirements of, what they call, daddy’s generation.
The same families fragmented in nuclear families, suddenly I find, my creations, designs, suggestions were not as welcomed as it used to be by their daddies. As a professional, I know how difficult it is to adapt to preferences of this gen-next who are foreign educated, have access to world of internet and are more utility oriented than space oriented.
Those vintage styles of wooden windows, frames, lockable kitchens, fat sofas, wood carved surfaces, maliyas no longer appeal them. Their homes are incomplete without stone framed windows / doors, full glass walls, aluminium sections, bean bags, ergonomic seating, metal / PP dominated furniture, vitrified flooring and loads of accessories.
Unlike the oldies, 33 percent of their budget is claimed on accessories, like spot lighting, paintings, souvenirs, indoor plantation, fancy lighting, home automation, recliners, acoustics and soft toys.
Sometimes, i think, it sucks to learn, un-learn and then re-learn. But yes, we are in the profession to comfort world’s most intelligent species, the human being. Our learning oscillates between the generations and it gives us that creative kick.
Whatever changes, but expectations to complete the project “on time and in budget” never changes. It gives me a great sense of satisfaction that, We at Scope Unlimited, have served generations, adapted ourselves to their preferences, and completed all projects “on time and in budget”.
Sincere Regards,
Biren Shah
Senior Interior Designer,
Scope Unlimited