The era of opulent interiors is here. It’s no longer about merely furnishing your living pad with the latest designs from abroad. Innovative minds are ushering in a new trend that adds glitter and shine to home surfaces.
A range of artistic mosaics that are hand-cut, hand-crafted and are an intricate fusion of glass and marble from Italy, dazzling with precious gems and metals, are running the show in home interiors.
Mainly imported from the Italian town of Ravenna, regarded as the birthplace for mosaics, the tiling product is now a medium that expresses fashion, trends, sophistication and denotes the ultimate avant-garde lifestyle.
And to add to the element of high-end splendour, platinum, gold, ruby and silver get leafed and entrenched with the mosaics to create a spellbinding visual impact. Yes, the use of these rare metals and precious stones is expanding beyond jewellery, watches, apparel and accessories to include floorings and walls as well.
And enticing the uber-rich with their grandeur, artistic mosaics that are customised, made-to-order and handcrafted; get priced upwards of a stupendous Rs 40, 000 per square foot. And depending on whether its platinum, gold or ruby that leafs through the mosaic and the customisation involved, prices could go up to Rs 70, 000 per square foot. What’s more, the designs don’t necessarily have to be influenced by the West. They could be anything, from modern, contemporary, classic or ethnic with Jaipuri, Moroccan or batik patterns that are woven with the mosaics.
“Covering the entire range, from classic to contemporary, the curation of spaces is exceedingly refined,” says architect Vikram Phadke.
According to Hameed Khan, co-founder of high-end, luxury design store Keha Casa, the idea behind opulent surfaces is to provide a magnificent experience to customers with curated designs that revere art and architecture.
“The idea is to introduce a new realm of design possibilities like those never seen before. This generates a unique customer experience that is personal and engaging,” says luxury interiors expert Kekin Shah.
But isn’t walking on surfaces laden with top-class Murano glass that sparkle with the lustre of gold or the awe-inspiring Ruby a bit of a risk, requiring heavy maintenance? “World-class products don’t need much upkeep. A well-done installation can last a lifetime,” says Khan, adding that luxury interiors are presently seen in homes and not really at commercial spaces. “Though gradually, luxury interiors for offices would catch on.”
Experts say Indians today are well-travelled and well aware of growing trends and concepts that reign supreme internationally. “Experimentation has given rise to doing something new in ambience. People love indulging in superior designs and styles,” says Khan.
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 "Interiors")
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