“A home is a reflection of who we are.”
This is the first thing we tell our clients. This is also the first thing we ask our clients.
Who are you? – As an individual, as a family. How do imagine your dream home to be?
Many times, the client has already imagined their dream home, they are ready with the brief, and wants us to convert their imagination into reality. Most times the clients undergo a process of discovering who they are as the project grows.
In both the scenarios our moto remains the same – ‘A home is a reflection of who you are’
We have always felt that the first interaction is the most important interaction of the entire project. It is at this point that the design gets its concept. The concept can be anything. It can be a colour, a mood, a personality of yours or a design style.
During our first apartment project, the client was very sure about the word ‘white house’ in our first meeting. His want was of something unique yet practical, which also fulfils his needs of a home. He was ready to experiment, take risks and immerse himself in the design process to make things possible. The end result was bold and beautiful, with a touch of white. His drive for his wants, his effort truly reflects in his home. It truly is a part of them.
The same concept holds to say – as no two individuals are the same, no two designs can be the same. They might have something in common, but it cannot be exactly same. One’s persona reflects so much on their home that even the same design may look wonderful in one setting while may look out of place in another.
Many times, our clients tell us how they really like their neighbor’s house or their relatives’ house, and how they want something similar. Alternatively, in this PINTEREST world, the client already knows ‘what’ he wants.
They want our help with the ‘how.’ – How will it be done?
Usually, the ‘how’ can be done is in multiple ways, what is required, is to identify which of these ways will suit the client best.
For example, a request for a Study room in Bohemian style. This request caters to the premise – the ‘what’. For the ‘how’ there are certain sets of questions, which need to be answered first. Questions like, how many people will be using the study room at one time? Are you going to store books here? How many books? You need an informal study space as well? Do you need any indoor plants? Should the study table be interactive with the outdoors? Such questions help us answer the how.
Finally, we need to answer the ‘Why’. Here we try to understand from the client, ‘why’ a bohemian theme or any other concept which is there in their mind. We try to educate them around the Bohemian theme – Do you like jute; Do you like a lot of indoor plants? Do like to travel and collect souvenirs? If their answer to all of these is yes, then it is a go ahead with Bohemian. However, if it is a lot of ‘Ifs and buts’, we try to mix n match. According to the client’s personality and requirements, we tell them that they can have a blend of this and that, because at the end it is not about the theme, it is about your reflection in the space.
Interestingly, as we move from one room to another, from the public realm to private realm, different inputs start pouring in from different family members. Or at times one family member would take charge and would come with a set of different requirements for each of the rooms.
This culmination of all the personalities of the house in the form of requirements for their space in the house, is a like a song or an art piece, specially curated for the client. The end result may be similar to the concept or idea we had started from or it may be something completely different.
But,
It is your reflection, and it is a mark of your existence and personality.
And
That’s how this house now becomes your Home.!!