Designers! Why invest in them?

How a designer designs a place using small elements that co-ordinate with each other

Ever wondered why do you prefer that particular restaurant around the corner over a dhaba? I know, many will disagree. Dhaba food is more delicious, isn’t it? But you still prefer that restaurant for a birthday party, date night, anniversary celebrations, promotions or just a casual meet up? Easy to guess - good taste and good ambience! We don’t prefer celebrating our major life events with just good food, we need our comfort, warmth and coziness.

So why do we end up spending large portion of our lives on just good food and no warmth?Every average house in the neighborhood is loaded with different type of so called “necessary furniture” placed at the same location for years together. A random affordable couch, set up exactly in front of the age old TV unit with an ultra-modern LED TV placed on it. A mediocre shoe-rack, yes because we have too many pairs of them, with an unmatched laminate standing next to the door. A heavy false-ceiling design to accommodate all the wiring (and hey, also cause we think it’s cool!) holding a real fancy chandelier covered with lots of dust and a very expensive recently bought center-table (because we can manage spending that small amount) placed right below it.

We live in these houses and we love them. No, I am not judging anyone’s choices. But ever thought of having that dreamy living room that you just saved on your Pinterest? A bright colored Sofa with a royal chair besides and a sleek metallic glossy center-table in front of it. A contrast colored easy to maintain art work on the wall with a pendant light hanging in the corner that needs no extra efforts for cleaning. Already sounds better, right?

We spend on buying branded clothes, visiting fancy cafes, treating ourselves to world-class medical facilities and even investing in cranked up residential spaces in the heart of the city. But we will be misers when it comes to investing in arranging a space where we live 24X7. Why pay a designer when you can get the job done from a local furniture-shop? So what if he messes up the dressing table by not providing a plug for your straightener or a blow-dryer, we will adjust! Oh he forgot to conceal the speaker wires, we will adjust! Ah, probably that laminate looks too dark, we will adjust! Only if he would have told us about the latest market trends! Umm, how come our neighboring apartment looks more spacious?

And now we hopefully understand the difference between a dhaba and that high priced restaurant. Let us not slog for our lifetime and end up in a dhaba everyday.

“Invest in a designer!”

- Designer and Architect: Supriya Dharma-Joshi

-Idea Credits: Gaurav Desai