By: Sajal Lamba, Co-founder & Director, Wriver
Luxury today has many meanings, and each meaning is subjective. As far as home décor goes, luxury, among many other attributes, is often about incorporating quality furniture pieces that resonate with your design sensibility, look stunning, and offer comfort. However, more goes into selecting furniture pieces that have a good aesthetic and comfort. Here, the devil lies in details, like the quality and type of materials used, their colours and textures, neat joinery and imperative ergonomics. These aspects collectively play a pivotal role in curating furniture pieces for a luxurious space.
How can we achieve that? No matter the aesthetic and vibe of the space, there are general ground rules that remain unchanged. Therefore, as designers and homeowners invent and reinvent their individual definitions of luxury, here are some furnishing ideas that are sure to make spaces in your home opulent, yet balanced in an understated way.
…the foyer is likely to be a compact space, so one statement piece is all you need to elevate its ambience.Â
1. Furniture for Foyer
The foyer offers the first glimpse into your home, and you know what they say about first impressions. Keeping in mind the functionality, style your entrances with timeless console tables with trays to house keys and sanitiser dispensers. Pair this with a couple of small stools or a small sofa for people to sit and wear their shoes. However, the foyer is likely to be a compact space, so one statement piece is all you need to elevate its ambience.
2. Furniture for Living Room
The living space is usually where you spend most of your waking hours at home, making it crucial for the furniture pieces to be timeless and comfortable. However, contemporary furniture with a minimalist design and a detail-oriented approach is likely to always hold its appeal.
The most essential and used piece of furniture is a sofa. While the shape of the couch depends a lot on the spatial planning and furniture layout, this piece of furniture can demarcate spaces by itself. First, however, it is vital to opt for a timeless design which can be achieved by choosing simple and neutral pieces in whites, greys and blacks. The oomph can be added by streaks of metal featured in the handles and legs. Contrastingly, the fabric and cushioning in a sofa can exhibit unique dynamism through design and textural variations in a monochromatic upholstery, offering understated elegance.
If you are going for a sofa with metal elements, the chair could have them too for a cohesive aesthetic.Â
A pair of inviting chairs usually accompanies the sofas. These can be statement armchairs or lounge chairs, depending on space availability and planning. Since they are relatively smaller pieces in comparison to the sofa, chairs can make a statement of their own through sinuous forms and contrasting colour combinations, like a refreshing teal or a classic cappuccino. If you are going for a sofa with metal elements, the chair could have them too for a cohesive aesthetic.
Living spaces are incomplete without a coffee table and, if space permits, a side table or two. Keeping the aesthetic intact, the table can be a statement-making piece with a distinctive design. While the top has to be flat, a lot can be experimented with in the overall form of the tables. Depending on whether you intend to curate a bold or a minimalistic space, the center table’s stem can have an eye-catching design, or it can be a sleek piece with an elegant metal detail in the body.
The design of the side tables can be in sync with other furniture elements and exhibit clear details in aspects like its form, joinery and finishes. They could be conspicuous through a play in transparency with materials like glass or other intricate details like insets in sturdy pieces made in stone or finished with a classic veneer.
3. Furniture for Dining SpacesÂ
With sleek metal framework and minimalist shelves finished in veneer or leather, an elegant shelving unit can flaunt collectables gathered through travel, your beloved glassware, memorabilia or your books library.
Who doesn’t like to dine in style? While we seek an exciting ambience in cafes and restaurants, our homes can flaunt a similar leitmotif articulated by the dining table, chairs, storage cabinets and bar units.
Depending on the design language and the focus of the space, the table can have a circular or a rectangular top supported by either a solid base or pairs of sleek legs. Exploring the materiality is the key to such a large piece of furniture, which can be a monolithic element in stone or veneer. On the other hand, it can be made visually lighter by breaking it through a distinct play in materials. For instance, the entire table can be in stone or veneer and elements could be added to it in a polished metal finish as a contrasting detail.
Layer your dining area with luxury-defining furniture like shelvings and bar units that exhibit your personality and fondness for the finer things in life. With sleek metal framework and minimalist shelves finished in veneer or leather, an elegant shelving unit can flaunt collectables gathered through travel, your beloved glassware, memorabilia or your books library. Add a bar cabinet in a complementing veneer or metal with plenty of storage to house your enviable liquor collection in style.
4. Furniture for Bedroom
The hero of the space, the bed, should be a piece that offers uncompromised comfort with style. Beds with lean legs and a sleek body create a spacious illusion, which is great for compact rooms. Details like the headboard can be in flamboyant materials like leather, accentuated by metal to infuse elegance through understated luxury.
Complete the setting with a pair of bedside tables, either solid-bodied or sleek pieces standing on legs. The top could feature a veneer or stone for added durability. Extra functionality for storing the essentials could be incorporated by selecting tables that include leather or veneer trays for open storage or drawers for closed storage. Pay attention to the details inside the drawer, which could be in a finish matching to the table exteriors.
5. Furniture for DenÂ
The pandemic has made the den a necessary addition to newer homes, featuring a home office and a personal space to venture in to for quietude. A luxurious aesthetic incorporated with the required functionality is imperative to the space; hence the right pieces should be curated.
Work in style with a state-of-the-art study desk which lulls you to be productive by offering ample comfort. This elemental piece could model geometric forms with minimalistic accents featuring a lacquer finish in a unique burgundy or emerald green. Elevate its functionality by opting for a piece with a pair of drawers for storage. The den could tie in cohesively with the house if the table features a metallic spirit in the joinery or the legs.
Enjoy reading? Exhibit your collection in an eye-catching shelving unit in metal and wood. Pair it with a plush lounge chair, and voila, you have a reading corner of your own.
If space permits, add a cosy daybed with premium quality fabrics.
If space permits, add a cosy daybed with premium quality fabrics. This piece could be framed in a classy leather with stitching details or a sleek veneer, and be supported by metal legs. A bolster cushion could also be included for added comfort. This would make a great TV room and a makeshift guest room when need be.
In all the spaces, curating the right furniture is the key to making a luxurious statement driven by comfort and style. It is all about timeless designs, quality materials and well-thought details that are sure to narrate your unique energy.
Sajal Lamba, one of the co-founding directors at Wriver, a luxury furniture brand, has been in the business of adding a luxurious facet to the narrative of home furniture since 2008. With 20+ years of industry experience, he aims to bring India on the world map of design by skilfully amalgamating his immersive technological knowledge, business acumen and ingenuity of international standards to energise modern living across India. A connoisseur of furniture design, he is often found indulging in a game or two of badminton and travelling.
