There is this impression that most software
companies look almost the same, the cubicles make it look like a sweatshop.
What do you think about that?
Yes,
the cubicles and tubular furniture do give the impression of a sweatshop,
but the designer can make all the difference. He can make it look
like a cubbyhole or he can make it look spacious and pleasing. A
lot depends on the client’s attitude…what is the environment
he wants. And a good understanding has to be there between the client
and the designer. The client may just hire some designer for the
sake of it and be overbearing, in which case the designer has no
control. If you are in tune with the client, you understand his
needs and he gives you a free hand...so a good partnership between
the client and the designer can make all the difference.
When it comes to costing, what are the major
spends in Interiors?
Air-conditioning, networking, cabling. But the major portion goes
into furniture.
For Chennai, are there any peculiarities that
you have to keep in mind when designing? (For instance – the
heat)
For
interiors, there are no peculiarities as such. When you talk of
architecture, yes. There is a separate study called climatology
when it comes to architecture, but for interiors there is nothing
peculiar. Air-conditioning and lighting is standardised across cities,
unless you are doing an office in Shimla, for which you will not
need any Air-conditioning. Probably the tonnage of Air-conditioning
might differ from city to city, and that’s about it.
What percentage of new homes in the city is
actually hiring Interior Designers to do up the new place?
Well
its difficult to put down a percentage, but its growing every day.
The awareness is increasing. Particularly after the opening up of
the economy, the awareness levels have improved and so has the availability
of disposable income. Not that we were a poor people before that,
but we never gave interiors a serious thought. Today, people have
become increasingly exposed to trends abroad, as more people go
abroad nowadays and vice versa so many MNCs have come in. So people
want to showcase their homes and offices. Even if it’s a two
bedroom flat, people want to do it up, they want to give it a 'look',
which was not there previously. So the numbers are growing each
day. And there seems to be a good future for interiors in Chennai.
What will homes in Chennai look like in the
near future?
Its very difficult to say what Chennai will look like, but I can
certainly say that it will look good. Because there is no such thing
as this style or that style when it comes to interiors, like you
have in Architecture… the Gothic style, Byzantine, Indo-Saracenic
style etc. Because architecture has been around for centuries, and
interior design has only recently evolved. You do have the traditional
Indian themes and then the modern themes, which can be fused or
used whichever way you want. Then again it depends on the client's
taste, what he wants and what look he prefers.
2:27:27 AM 
Yes,
the cubicles and tubular furniture do give the impression of a sweatshop,
but the designer can make all the difference. He can make it look
like a cubbyhole or he can make it look spacious and pleasing. A
lot depends on the client’s attitude…what is the environment
he wants. And a good understanding has to be there between the client
and the designer. The client may just hire some designer for the
sake of it and be overbearing, in which case the designer has no
control. If you are in tune with the client, you understand his
needs and he gives you a free hand...so a good partnership between
the client and the designer can make all the difference.
For
interiors, there are no peculiarities as such. When you talk of
architecture, yes. There is a separate study called climatology
when it comes to architecture, but for interiors there is nothing
peculiar. Air-conditioning and lighting is standardised across cities,
unless you are doing an office in Shimla, for which you will not
need any Air-conditioning. Probably the tonnage of Air-conditioning
might differ from city to city, and that’s about it.
Well
its difficult to put down a percentage, but its growing every day.
The awareness is increasing. Particularly after the opening up of
the economy, the awareness levels have improved and so has the availability
of disposable income. Not that we were a poor people before that,
but we never gave interiors a serious thought. Today, people have
become increasingly exposed to trends abroad, as more people go
abroad nowadays and vice versa so many MNCs have come in. So people
want to showcase their homes and offices. Even if it’s a two
bedroom flat, people want to do it up, they want to give it a 'look',
which was not there previously. So the numbers are growing each
day. And there seems to be a good future for interiors in Chennai.
