Design Style Take A-Ways

To achieve the look of traditional India you need to be thinking along the lines of rich warm colours, spicy shades and jewelled tones.

Intricate patterns are fundamental, these can be shown in fabrics and curtains, luxury bedding and fret work. Be bold with pattern and strong colours, mix red, orange,lime, yellow and purple in one room, with accents of gold and silver to make the room shimmer and catch the sunlight.

If you don’t want such bold colours you can always tone things down a bit by using more muted colours, soft naturals and inject just a hint of bold colour with a splash of turquoise or lime.

Indian interiors are all about colour clashing not coordination, however to make the scheme work it’s best to stick yo just three different colours. Combining patterns is also key to this style of interior, use damask and flocked fabrics combined with soft floaty voile curtains to bring different textures into the room. Look for fabrics and duvet sets with embellishments such as sequins, embroidery and panel of contrasting fabrics which include lush velvets and gorgeous satin or organza.

Modern Indian design style

If you want to bring the look right up to date rather use ornately carved furniture use modern light wood and pile on the colour with bedding and curtains. Use antique brass curtain poles to hang a single curtain at a small window and sweep to one side for a dramatic effect, beaded tie backs would add the finishing touches in keeping with the Indian theme perfectly.

Look for classical Indian curtain material online, hang swathes of fabric at your windows or use them to drape over the end of your bed. Contrasting cushion covers trimmed with sequins will also add to the look. Use paisley and geometrics together on walls and if you don’t want to use wallpaper hang curtains on metal curtain poles as wall hangings.

Add further touches of Indian style by using fretwork mirror and picture frames which can be in dark stained wood or painted in bright colours to blend with your colour scheme. Use accessories which reflect Indian style such as statues of elephants and imagery of Indian gods in gold or silver frames. If this is too fussy for a modern Indian theme use peacock feathers positioned near to the window to enable the light to catch their natural iridescence.