Express Hospitality
November 14, 2006

"Design can be an art. Design can be aesthetics. Design is so simple, that's why it is so complicated". Preeti Kannan analyses the future trends in interiors and designs

Over the years, hospitality has carved a niche for itself in India owing to the renewed thrust in tourism. While it has slowly moved into the limelight, there has been an obvious shift in the kind of interior designs, architecture and décor of the entire hospitality industry, be it in restaurants, hotels, resorts or other related ventures. It is widely known that lines and forms, colours and textures, designs and spaces - all make the aesthetics of a hotel, each one contributing in its own way to the ambience, a hotelier wants to create. Hotels have always been the threshold for understanding designs, observes, Sarabjit Singh, principal designer, FAB Interiors, New Delhi. "It becomes a window to the society," he says.

If it is to be believed that change is only constant, then the hospitality industry would be a perfect example to stand testimony to this age-old adage. For, the industry has been exposed to constant modification and experimentation in design characteristics. Lines have been redrawn, forms reshaped, colours changed to suit the varying moods and seasons to suit the whims and fancies of the guests.

The most intriguing bit about design is not about how it looks and feels, but how it works with guests. It has evolved from an art to a science, with various permutations and combinations, depending on the function of the set-up. The Indian scenario makes for an interesting case study since it has witnessed so much change across various aspects including architectural structures, lighting, furnishings and the kind of material used artistically and functionally. Market demands, competition, Western influences, international trends, foreign investments and architects with a global exposure, elegance coalescing with utility - the reasons are manifold for this continuous transition in the industry. Like fashion and history, design also recurs and reasserts its presence in several ways like old wine in a new bottle.

A flashback

A few years back, heavy, dark-coloured furniture, huge decorative artefacts, false ceilings, intricate designs and carpets adorned lobbies, guestrooms and restaurants, while chandeliers welcomed guests into the hotel. This was classicism at its best. A lot of attention was paid to coordinate wall colours with furniture. The lobbies were large and the hotel larger than life to give a feel of grandiose and splendour. There was a lot of European influence in Indian hospitality from the 1950s through the 1970s.

A lot of thrust, in this period, was on detailing, carving, moulding, cornices, pilasters, heavy panelling, decorative columns, heavy ornamentation and motif designs. The colonial designs reflected the culture and the weather of the British. Hence, the architecture was weather-based, where loud and warm colours were used to shelter from the cold outside. Deep balconies, glass and wooden louvered shutters, and small windows helped avoid light and sun from coming in. There was a fusion between the Indian and the European thoughts.

In 1950, when Jawaharlal Nehru commissioned the new city of Chandigarh to reflect the new nation's modern, progressive outlook in 1950, Swiss-born French architect and planner, Le Corbusier was roped in to design the city. He brought in the use of concrete in different forms including fluid and curvilinear, among others. Therefore a lot of concrete styling was introduced into the country, which replaced the British arches.

"When Dave Keller came to India in late 1970s and designed the amazing Hotel Sheesh Mahal in Madya Pradesh, it was an eye opener for Indian architects," says Singh. "Different bangles were used for the entire hotel. The restaurant and coffee shop called Madhuban used earthen pots and madhubani art. Designers realised that even a bangle or an inverted earthen pot with lights can look beautiful," he says. This triggered a thought that the country had enough materials and artefacts of its own that could be imaginatively put to use.

As India's exposure of South Eastern Asia increased, minimalism started coming in. Modern designs and minimalist details were in vogue in the 1980s. A notable landmark was Chandu Chadda revamping the opulent Oberoi Hotels in India. He gave an entirely refreshing touch with his smart, trendy designs, which became a reference point because of its chic, simplistic style.

Then came the Mediterranean style with its casual, rustic look. Over the last few years, the trend has been definitely towards the nouveau and minimalist.

Current scenario

Globally hotels have assumed new dimensions with trendy designs, freaky ideas and creative utilisation of spaces to make it thematic and artistic. This trend has inevitably percolated into the Indian hospitality industry too. The guest of today is a discerning traveller, who has traversed the globe and has finer tastes and greater expectations. Not to mention better spending power.

Hoteliers now understand that it is no longer about selling only a room or food to its guest, but an experience. In the confines of private spaces, rooms and even bathrooms are getting customised to suit the mood of the guest. This is where technology comes into play where lighting is exploited to give the desired ambience and effect.

Great lighting can create magic and enhance the experience of the guest in private and public spaces. Lighting has moved away from its conventional use and can be adjusted accordingly. Similarly natural elements like water are being so innovatively used to give a sophisticated look, heighten the effect and transform a hotel from a mere utility space to a visually attractive place of stay. Thanks to the imaginative hoteliers and restaurateurs, there are musical, colourful, dancing fountains, water flowing below glass surfaces, weeping walls, water curtains and cascades dotting different parts of hotels and restaurants.

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