GLOBAL EXOTICISM

This is a project work that I did last year as a part of my coursework. I was so happy working with this that I wanted to post this on my blog.

This is an old sea-side bungalow which was to be converted to a Holiday Home. A place which should transform the moods of the guests constantly and instantly. I very much liked the phrase constantly and instantly and so keeping this in mind, I decided to make this something unique and interesting. It should keep the guests wanting to extend their holiday weeks after weeks. Before I begin explaining, I would like tell you a litttle about the name of this project. I called this place "GLOBAL EXOTICISM" , which means exoticism of globally different places which can be experienced under one roof. Global Style of decor reflects Culture, Heritage and Ethnicity of a particular country or region. Colours play a very important role in all cultures and on each one of us.

I feel that to break the monotony of just seeing blue seas and skies, it would be adventurous to add a palette of various colours from warm analogous to striking complimentary hues in this home which not only enrichness the feel and mood of the guests, but also sets the right mood in for the different themes chosen. My idea of this home is to make the guests experience a palette of feelings under one roof which would enliven the experience of staying in this home and also make it the most wonderful experience for a lifetime.

TITLE OF THE MOOD BOARD: TANZANIAN (AFRICAN) TRIBAL THEME - LIVING ROOM

My idea of this room is to give the visitors an experience of staying in a tribal home but with the comforts of a five star holiday. Surrounded by unique textures, patterns and colour, encouraging harmony with the environment is greatly enhanced by free roaming of elephants, hippos playing in shallow waters, antelope and zebra coming in for a drink, giraffe feeding on the acacia and lion prides lounging in the shade. African tribal decorating offers an appealing approach to any home design with its blend of African influence and European Old World style. This compelling, tasteful lifestyle emphasizes relaxed living, offering the overall effect of a natural and comforting environment most desired by any traveller. This theme conveys a mood which is overwhelmingly attractive, with its abstract and organic works of art, mixed with rugged timber furnishings and fine fabrics, creating a seamless blend of the natural along with the luxurious. To achieve all these, I have chosen the following:
FLOORING: An orangish yellow terracotta tiles for flooring.
WALLS: Roughly plasetered walls in glacier texture with a few coats of bright mud colour will be used to amplify the effect of a true mud house. While on the one wall a few artificial and real plants will be planted which stretches from one corner to the other, there will also be an articial water fall amidst these plants with lighting from the floor to enhance the mood.
COLOURS: Earthy tones such as browns, rusts, maroon, burnt oranges and sunny yellow are predominant throughout this tanzanian theme. Colour schemes tend to mimic the scenery of the African region itself, with savanna golden browns and deep reds worn by local tribes. Furnishing this room with island antiques from different periods of history, decorating in traditional colour schemes such as yellows and reds and orange reminiscent of breathtaking sunrises and sunsets, all evoke the splendor of the land.
Furniture and Fabrics - I wish to place a few Bamileke stools (chair) which are remarkably carved from a single piece of wood. It is a superb carving and exemplifies the skill of the Bamileke artisans. Intricately carved TV shelf, book case and a chest of draws will hoard the home theatre and the necessary gadgets for a luxurious holiday. In addition to these, some straw plates, handpainted wall painting depicting animal prints, tribal costumes, bronze and clay pottery will complete the look. Traditional hand-painted fabrics, woven wools and cotton textiles serve to complete an impressive look. Scattered cushions and throws in bright tribal prints and designs will add to the decor of the scheme.I would like to use fabrics with a wide array of weaves, textures, colours and designs with vibrant geometrics and bold golden accents. African decor also offers appliqued cloths and embroidered velvets used to decorate furniture and bedding.
Accessories - African wall hangings, such as masks, animal skins, & hand-forged copper works, Colorful and patterned African fabrics on pillows, bed spreads and as wall hangings, Leather trunks and crafts, African candleholders, matchstick and incense holders, Leopard, Tiger and Zebra print rugs and furniture throws, Stained glass bottles, African tribal designs displayed through masks, drums and spears, Wooden fruit and water bowls, Animal figurines and statues of giraffes, elephants, monkeys, zebras, cheetahs, leopards and tigers, Ivory horns, Candles depicting animal skins of zebras and tigers, African styled pottery, Colorful palm weaved Zulu straw hand woven baskets, Gye Nyame, giraffe Book-ends, some beautiful hand painted decorative African gourds, Decorative combs, Lampshades , Musical Instruments, Carved wooden doors and frames, African Raffia, palm trees, jacaranda, frangipani, avocado, banana enhance any African decor to give the feel of living in a forest atmosphere and a tribal home.
Lighting - For this theme, I choose to adda a beautiful iron candelabra as well as pendant lamps with motifs. Similiar wall sconces placed indoors on all walls will offer a soft and inviting glow. Creative Forged Iron Twig Chandelier with 4 Lights which is Rustic black forged-iron bundles of twigs with a Laced Rawhide Chandelier Shade. Some hand made pendants lamps fashined with motifs like a moose, trout, bear, deer, elk, duck, horse, buffalo etc are also added here around the cornersto match the theme in an antique copper finish and the lensing behind the design comes is in in either colored glass. Special floor lights will be places near the plant area to give it a special effect. This will also include some sound effects of the perches of animals.

MASTER BEDROOM : THEME CHOSEN : Luxurious Ethnic Tent of a North Indian Raja (King) in a Palace Style

Before I explain the design elements, I would like to give a small synopsis on the reason behind choosing this theme. Rajasthan is a fairly big state of north India which is known for its traditional and colourful art. The block prints, tie and die prints, Bagaru prints, Sanganer prints, Zari embroidery are major export products from Rajasthan. Handicraft items like wooden furniture and handicrafts, carpets, blue potteries are some of the things you will find here. Rajasthan is a shoppers paradise. Rajasthan is famous for the majestic forts, intricately carved temples and decorated havelis. Rajasthan is very famous for its Thar Desert also known as the Great Indian Desert. Although today, Rajasthan is a very well developed state, there are a few tribes still existing and the culture of them is still very evident and can be seen everywhere throughout rajasthan. For this room, I imagine to bring in the feel of a typical rajasthani tent in thar desert with the comforts of a king of rajasthan. Imagine your guests experiencing the comforts and delights of a raja or a king of rajasthan but on a desert amidst the ethnic rajasthani tribe ambience. For the flooring, I propose to use square vitrified marble slabs in pink alongwith small green marble motifs amidst every marble intersection resulting in a palace flooring pattern. A part of the flooring will be carpeted. Panels of hand carved wood will be specially imported from Rajasthan to act as a center piece on the ceiling. All the walls will be colourfully painted by wall murals depicting scenes, men and women of the local tribes and the normal daily life scene. All these will be colour co-ordinated to match the colour scheme. To add a 3 Dimensional effect, I would like to use plaster of paris for some portion of the murals. As Colour scheme, i choose to use a slightly darker shade of pink or ruby to be precise alongwith its complementary colour Olive Green. For the furniture, a beautifully hand carved wooden cot with carved canopy frame, a trunk to store all the bed linens, antique wine cart, bed side tables will be inlaid with brass work, camel motif Jharokahs will be used to decorate this room. I would like to use Raw silk and silk in shades of olive green and ruby pink for window treatment and just to mellow down the effect a little bit, I would like to use a rawsilk in a neutral offwhite for bed covers & linens. Accessories include puppets of local tribes, jootis (or shoes which are now a style statement), lamp shades depicting local tribes, vases, bangles, silk wall mounts, stone jewellery, red flowered cactii and many more. Traditional bangles will adorn one side of the wall. For the Lighting, I would like to display a huge crystal chandelier at the center alongwith some brass finished flushmount ceiling fixtures and matching wall scones.

MASTER BATHROOM (ENSUITE) - THEME CHOSEN – A fusion of Moroccan ambience with Indian Fixtures.

Since it is the ensuite, I decided to make use of the marble bathroom fixtures which are a popularlity of Rajasthan (theme of the master bedroom). While I was woking on this project, I realised that morocco and Rajasthan have a lot in common. This is basically in terms of the architecture. I observed that Mosaic tiles are a speciality of both these places. Therfore, I decided to experiment with this. I was more than impressed with the vibrant colours used in both the countries that I decided to go in for a bold and contrasting combination of Aqua green tiles with velvety wine colour(or candy pink) to form a pattern for both the walls and the floor. For the ceiling, I would like to use some white gypsum tiles which imitate the look of marble with patterns on them matching the marble fixtures. Pure white satin shower curtain and window curtains will be used here to subtle the effect of the bold colours. To enhance the elegance of the marble, i decided to give some layers to it as well. The main colour scheme will be Aqua green with velvety wine(candy pink) colour. To subdue the vibrancy, i choose to keep the fixtures and accessories in pure white. Some Fixtures include a marble bath tub depicting a lady pouring water into the tub, an antique marble duo wash basin counter, a candy pink indian mirror, a small wall mounted fountain and a marble carved water closet. Marble bath accessories, aroma candles, a bowl of green and pink beads and mosaic add to the moroccan delight, highly scented flowers will be a part of this list. For the Lighting, some vintage aqua green pendant lights that go very well with this scheme and by using dimmers and with a touch of moroccan and indian music fusion, the mood of this bathroom cannot get any better. Other fixtures include recessed ceiling lights and wall scones in brushed brass finish.

SECOND BEDROOM -THEME CHOSEN : Luxurious Ethnic tent of an Egyptian Pharoah (King) in a Royal Style Imagine experiencing the luxury and the royal feel of an Egyptian Pharoah in a Bedouin desert tent. This is what I want to create here. I would like to reassure you of the idea that we are aiming at, creating a paradise unimaginable or a heaven on earth. The beautifully draped, four-poster-style raised bed becomes the focal point of this spacious tented suite. Adding to the ambience are Persian rugs, wall hangings, images of sand dunes and palm trees. A life-size King Tut sarcophagus adorns the wall and acts as a door to the deck. Would it not be the best place to escape from reality and enjoy this desert fantasy?
For the Flooring, I prefer to keep it completely carpeted in a shade that reminds us of the desert sand. I would also love to use some persian rugs and runners near the bed and also on the floor wherever appropriate to kindle the true feel of a sheikh's tent. The Walls will be hand painted with scenes from the desert. The murals will picture some travellers resting with camels and horses near their tents, some desert cactii, lost camels, weary bedouins etc., To add a 3 dimensional effect, I would like to use plaster of paris for some camels and cactii. Most of the ceiling will be painted in beige colour. In addition to this, a false ceiling with panels of brown velvet fabric will adorn the ceiling to achieve the authenticity of a true tent like look. For the Colour Scheme, I choose to use a contrasting scheme of shades and tones in Blue violet and Yellow. I prefer to use 2 calm tones and 2 fresh shades for this room. Furniture includes a lovely sheikh bed redone with layers of cloth hanging down to give the look true to its sense. A few ottomans, stenciled bedside tables are some of the main furniture pieces. In addition to this, I decided to create a small corner for a wine evening with hookah. For this I decided to use a wooden table and attach it to the wall itself. This also serves as a TV center with the LCD TV fixed to the wall. To achieve an opulent effect. I choose to use a 3 layered curtain style that brings in the soft elegant look as in a palace but have inner curtains in a juty cotton material that looks like those used in tents. I would love to have swoops and swags and also hang the curtains slightly too long so they pool on the floor. The outer curter will be a brown velvety one, while the middle will be a blue violet shade linen curtain. To achieve the rough look, the juty off-white cotton curtain will be used. Accessories like a King Tut Mask, a matching trunk at the foot of the bed to store linens, Painted doors as wall mounts and window frames, mirrors, floor lamps in egyptian motifs will look best here. As a part of the Lighting, I choose to use yellow amber beaded chandelier in antique finish specially made to order. The brass is painstakingly hand-punched in tiny workshops and the beadwork is completely hand-strung by a group of women working in their homes. All of the brass is also given a warm antiqued finish. Other fixtures include Large Egyptian Mosque lanterns with frosted white glass in a dark coloured frame which has been oxidised to give a rusty finish. Some wall scones in multicoloured glass, perforations give the desired look to the whole room.

BALCONY (SEA-VIEW DECK) - THEME CHOSEN – Indonesian (Bali) Inspired Decor

Most of us dream to have a holiday on an asian beach. Would it not be a pleasurable experience to stay in Bodensee but experience the feel of Bali, which is the capital of Indonesia. The culture of Bali is unique. People say that the Balinese people have reached self-content. It is not an exaggeration that when a Balinese is asked what heaven is like, he would say, just like Bali, without the worries of mundane life.
Imagine offering the freshness of tropical flora, fauna and decorated ponds on this sea-view deck of this holiday home. Would it not be more pleasurable to smell the freshness of the banana shrubs and the orchids and enjoy a summer bath in the jacuzzi on the balcony under the shade of the huge traditional indonesian umbrella with scented candles, orchids and fresh fruits on the one side and watching the waves of the sea with rubbling sounds on the shore.
Keeping in mind the vast expanse of the sea and the sky which is in blue, I decided to choose a contrasting colour scheme with orange. Accessories include orange candles, traditional hand made balinese wooden vases, orange zerbera flowers, blue orchids. The furniture includes traditional handmade cloth hammocks, jute swings, cane beds and cane sofa sets. I was highly thrilled by the banana shrubs and so decided to keep them as a border from one end of the balcony to the other. Most of the fabric inludes linen in the same hues. Lighting will be mainly the wall scones or torch lights as I call it. This has minimal ornamentation and pure lines for a peaceful, Zen-like appeal. The soft glow and texture of the linen glass add a special warmth to the outdoor of your home. To go with this, I would like to use some floor uplighters to give a cool effect to the whole place even during nights. This will provide for a place of true relaxation with beds, hammocks and swings for any type of rejuvenation.

KITCHEN -THEME CHOSEN – Indian Tribal Village (Kurumba) Rustic theme

For the kitchen again, I choose to go in for a tribal theme combined with the rusticity of a village folklore. Kurumba is a tribal community, traces of which are still existent in a city called Nilgiris in the State of Tamil Nadu in South India. I particularly chose this tribal community because of the very use of colours with a rustic touch to everything. I would like to bring in here is the ambience in which this community lived and combine with the latest appliances to enable the guests a pleasurable cooking and dining experience. My idea is to simply reflect the desire to retain whatever is available of the ancient heritage. The feel is one of absolute rhythm with nature. The Kurumbas are known to have always lived in an exotic and rare aromatic arena; far from spicing with mere words. They have been known for growing Spices like nutmeg, cloves and pepper which were not easily available at those times. Therefore, to bring in the true feel of this era, I would like to use a portion of the wall for dried vegetables and spices. This will spread the aroma of the spices in the kitchen & dining areas. Flooring will be in a slightly darker red of terracotta tiles with thick grouting.Ceiling will be kept as it is with the Faux rustic barn wood panels which are already there in this kitchen. While two walls are with cabinets, the splashback will have mural tiles with special kurumba scenes. Both these walls will be cladded with travertine multicoloured mosaic sheet. While I reserve one wall for the dried vegetables and spices section. The other portion of the same wall would be reserved for an art mural using tiles depicting the daily life of a kurumba family. I choose to use a very suble green based cream colour for all the walls to go in accordance with nature and to balance this with all the wood that is being used abundantly. The furniture used here is the Dining table set which will be specially designed imitating the ones used by the kurumba tribes with tree trunks and branches. A matching cabinet to store all the hand painted crockery will also be made to order. For an adventurous touch, I decided to keep the best of the country look appliances combined with the old hand usuable grinders like the ones used by the kurumba. This I believe, would be only for pure fun and entertainment of the adventurous guests who want to have some fun cooking. Therefore, a stone hand rotating mixer, a long stick used to beat the husk, and a stone hand grinder will be kept here which can not only can be used but also adds to the decor of this kitchen. For the tile mural wall, I propose to use curtains to give frame like look, as if seen from one's window. This means that a person using the table would feel like as if he is seeing the scene outside of the window. The table linens will be pre-dominantly in off-white colours with checks, plains, flowered designs on them. Some plants like Bonsai jacaranda and jackfruit trees, pepper creepers will look typical to the kurumba life. Accessories inlcude hand painted pots and pans to match the theme, stone pots and pans of the earlier days, some kurumba candle holders, wooden spatulas, cane baskets etc., Lighting would be a Craftsman chandelier above the dining table which will act as task lighting and the focal point of this kitchen. Some wall scones with a rough and rustic feel, raw hide shades will be used for accent lighting. Other fixtures include recessed ceiling fitments & under cabinet lighting.

MAIN BATHROOM -THEME CHOSEN – Moroccan exotic bathroom

I am highly inspired by the irregularities in shape, texture and colour that come from hand-finishings and are typical to moorish floor and wall tiles. Wall tiles are pre-dominantly used in the kitchen and bathroom, as they provide a hygeinic surface that is both waterproof and easy to clean, and offer smoother finish to counter act the rough natural surfaces. Today, bathroom is not just used as a bathroom but has become more of a private sanctuary that is inviting and pleasant to enter. I choose to use royal blue tiles with dark red mosiac tiles are self printed to form a beautiful pattern both on the wall and on the floor. White Gypsum tiles that match the theme will be used here for the ceiling. The Shower curtain is self printed in a´dark shade of red and has a satin finish. A stainless steel pole will be used here as this will not rust and will last a life time. A curtain with rings is used here for easy movement and also as it allows the curtain to slide directly along the pole. A matching window curtain in dark red with moroccan patterns will look elegant and will add a moroccan touch to the whole room. The main colour scheme will be triad with Royal blue, Dark Red & Golden yellow. While I choose to keep the walls and the floor in blue and red, accessories will be in golden yellow. All Fixtures will be in white. I would also like to use a special hand made dark wooden mosharabia screen, specially brought in from Marrakesh or Morocco by master artisans. A specially designed bathtub in white ceramic and chromium legs to match the decor will be the focal point. I intend to bring in a similiar water closet and rinsing set. A red marble wash basin will look warm with a yellow hand crafted mirror. Accessories like aroma candles, yellow moroccan vases and glass lanterns, chromium bath taps and tub mixers, beautiful moroccan motif bath accessories set will be a part of this bathroom. I also found a beautiful yellow trunk which matches the mirror. This can be used for storing the bath linen. Lighting includes special made to order ceiling fitment for this bathroom. That would be a specially designed fitment with 4 attractively cup shaped shades with crackled glass designs. It will be in Polished Chrome and Antique Platinum with incandescent bulbs. I choose to use matching wall scones for the mirror. Matching recessed ceiling lights will be used for ambient lighting in general.