Homes, invaded by fashion pundits

Designers like Sabyasachi Mukherjee to Varun Bahl are turning their attention to bedrooms and living rooms in a bid to expand their markets. Are buyers enthused?

Designers like Sabyasachi Mukherjee to Varun Bahl are turning their attention to bedrooms and living rooms in a bid to expand their markets. Are buyers enthused?

Bid goodbye to your old rugs, cushion covers, duvets, blinds and vases. Add oomph to your home with the latest in home decor offerings from fashion designers who've turned their attention to bedrooms, bathrooms and even kitchens.

At Rosebys, there's an entire range of home accessories from designer Varun Bahl. From the basics like bedcovers, bed sheets, towels and cushions to add-ons like photo frames, vases, candles, home ware and personal care products, the range has it all.

Varun, a graduate from NIFT, New Delhi ventured into home furnishings to attract non-conformist, avant garde and experimental buyers as he excels at blending the vintage with the contemporary and the antique with the new.

@Home, opposite Forum Mall in Koramangala, stocks luxurious towels, bedspreads, cushion covers and table runners from top notch designers.

Bombay Dyeing has bed sheets, priced at Rs 900 onwards, by Sabyasachi Mukherjee and Wendell Rodericks. Sabyasachi has also launched his signature towel collection with Bombay Dyeing.

u00a0Stores like Michelle Salins and Shimmer stock home furnishings by Michelle and Seema Malhotra, who describe themselves as fashion designers first.

Creativity need not have any boundaries. I think if a fashion designer can lend creativity to a home, it's a good thing. But they (fashion designers) are not getting into the
nitty-gritty. They are basically just doing soft furnishings.
Vinita Chaitanya, interior designer

Anyone with a flair for design is welcome. It could be designing for homes or individuals. Of course one needs to have some technical design expertise too. If one can play with colours and styles, then the medium need not be a restriction. Gold is very in and metallics are in vogue with a lot of sheen. Pastel colours are definitely not in fashion for homes.
Anshul Chodha, interior designer

At our store, stock table runners, duvets and cushion covers. Metallics and sheen is very in with a lot of gold and silver. I think fashion designers turning to interiors is a natural progression. Anyone with a natural sense of aesthetics can enhance a space.
Seema Malhotra, fashion designer

What's hot
Fur has one of the biggest impacts for 2009, and seems to be everywhere pillows, throws, seating, rugs, and bedding. Metal makes an appearance in finishes, fabrics and accessories. Continue to watch for metallic touches in wall, fabric, and furniture finishes for years to come. The must-haves this year are the metallics, the bling or the fur, but don't over-indulge. Trends will date themselves before you know it, so be sure to exercise restraint.