Anant Maloo, CMD Timbor Home in Business Standard article on

Bedroom must have's for Teenagers

Adolescence is a trying time - for both parents and their teenagers. On the verge of adulthood, this is the time when teenagers; whether boys or girls, need their space and a subconsciously searching for their individuality. While getting your teenagers bedroom decor and furniture - the most important thing is to include them in the whole plan. A few tips:

Whether one has a separate study room or not - a teenager's room must have a study desk - even if no studying goes on - it will be a place to store their favourite books, magazines, etc. and hopefully serve as a table instead of eating on the bed with the places placed under the bed!!

Engage your teen while selecting decor and colour options, furniture, furnishings, etc. - but don't go overboard. So many of us have had those years where we wanted to paint our walls black or blood red, get multiple piercings and what not. Keep the shades light on the walls - compromise - leave one wall blank for graffiti, the preferred colour. You could even opt for wallpaper on one wall.

In terms of false ceilings, try not to go for plaster-of-paris (POP) ceilings, this is especially bad for those suffering from Asthma. Wood ceilings are the best options.

A soft board is a definite must have for the bedroom. Allows your teenager to put up photographs, notes, and what not.

Try not to go for white furnishings - printed, solid and bright colours with textured accessories are attractive and inviting.

A teenager's room is also a place where they entertain and spend most of their time - a bean bag or two creates a casual and social vibe. If space allows, a plush sofa or even a sofa-cum-bed would be ideal for sleepovers and last minute cramming sessions.

Music plays a great role in a teenagers life - the study table would also probably play host to the speakers.

A night lamp on a corner table is a good addition.

Having wall shelves and cabinets helps a lot as atleast all the oh-so-important stuff can be stored away without creating a mess in the room.

A small potted plant in the bedroom, placed near the window is another option for those without pets. It's a wonderful feeling to see green shoots appear, a flower bloom and in a way is a lesson in responsibility too - if you don't water your plant, it dies, but nurture it with love and you shall be rewarded.

Overall, a teenagers bedroom should not be too complicated. Favourites become hated in an instant and vice  versa. Allow for growth and include storage options. The bedroom will grow and evolve alongwith your young adult.

The magical properties of the Neem Tree!

Azadirachtc Indica, or more commonly known as the Neem Tree is native to India and Burma and has become a treasure over the years for all of its medicinal properties. It is from the same family as Mahogany; and the most intriguing part about the neem tree is that every part of it is used to cure illnesses; from root to fruit!

Neem wood is now becoming a popular option for furniture manufacturers. The advantage of using this is that it is a strong wood making it durable and giving your furniture a long life. Secondly, due to the pest repelling aromatic properties of the wood; it is termite free and you would never have to be concerned about pests if your furniture is made out of neem wood; making it the best option for cabinets and cupboards to store clothes!

Solid Wood, Particle Board, Plywood, MDF, Veneer....What does it mean? Should I really Care??

Ever go to a furniture store and have the salesperson tell you, "This table is made from solid wood!" or "You can also opt for a veneer table top, maybe MDF cabinets?" To a layman, wood is WOOD! One nods and smiles and chooses the preferred furniture piece in the end. Here are a few basics as to exactly what these terms mean:

Timber can be classified in hardwood and softwood, though when it comes to furniture, hardwoods are the most preferred, specifically due to the strength, density and thus durability.

Since wood is an expensive material, solid wood products tend to cost more than their counterparts. Wood, with its natural warmth, give's ones home an up-market feel and is definitely a lifestyle product.

As the price of timber increased, in-expensive and more affordable options came into play. These options, though look good at first sight, do not last and are nothing compared to solid wood.

Getting back to the point:

Particle Board:

• As the name suggests, it is a type of manufactured board made from wood chips or 'particles' that are glued together, compressed under heat in the shape of a large board and then sold.
• Mostly found in large pieces of furniture like table tops, desks, etc. since it saves costs as opposed to gluing two pieces of solid wood together to achieve the same size.

Plywood:

• Manufactured board made from layers of solid wood veneer, which is usually around 3mm thick.
• The layers inside are usually made from cheaper wood while the outer veneer layers are made from expensive timber, thus giving the board a nice wood-grain appearance.
• Mostly seen in school furniture - desks, tables, panelling.

MDF or Medium Density Fibreboard:

• Similar to particle board. The major difference being that particle board is made out of larger wood chips whereas MDF is made out of very very fine wood dust. 
• Mainly used in cabinet making and is usually covered with a laminate and sealant. This increases its visual beauty while also preventing the fibres from getting loose and flying around in the air.

Veneer:

• Very thin wood, that is approximately 3mm or even less.
• Used to cover particle board or MDF. Also used in plywood to make one's furniture look good and appear high quality.

These are some of the alternatives to using solid wood. Each has its own benefits and dis-advantages. More on that coming soon......

Furniture Care Tips for the Rainy Season

Furniture is an important investment in one’s home and is an item that goes through a lot of daily wear and tear. Regular maintenance ensures that one’s home does not look grubby or worn out and guarantees a long life for one’s furniture too.

The following are a few considerations one should be aware of when it comes to wooden furniture:

• With respect to wooden furniture, direct exposure to sunlight for extended periods makes the finish fade while damp spaces or a place with excess moisture is not good for furniture either.

• There are special finishes available in the market specific to whether it is indoor or outdoor furniture since the latter is usually what is exposed to the elements.

• Cleaning and polishing should be done regularly.

• Using a soft cloth to clean furniture such as sofa sets, tables, chairs, etc. every day reduces dust accumulation. Dust attracts moisture which can build up and soften the finish on one’s furniture.

• In order to remove scratches and abrasions from furniture one needs to touch up or polish the particular piece. Using wax would highlight the shine (finish) on the furniture.

• For wooden furniture cleaning, polishing (varnishing) and waxing are the primary methods of maintenance.

• When it comes to laminates such as a study desk, cupboard, shutter or door – using soap and water removes marks and makes the product look bright and clean.

• Glass is a bit tricky as one needs to first clean with liquid soap and then dry/wipe with a soft dry cloth and polish with a newspaper. This makes glass/mirrors looks crystal clear.

• One needs to remember that there are innumerable finishes and materials used in furniture. For example, an oil top wood dining table would need to be polished with oil such as linseed and not polish.

• For a table with a walnut finish, using walnut polish when it looks a bit faded is the right option. Repolishing makes sense when the furniture is faded or scratched as it covers all the marks and gives the product a newly finished look. At times, just using wax on the furniture is all that is needed, especially if there is not much wear and tear.

• A wooden bed with a PO matte finish just needs to be wiped down with a damp cloth. For scratches and wear and tear, repolish the product. Using wax is optional, depending on one’s preference towards the type of finish.

‘Bring Home Good Vastu’ Seminar at Timbor Skillvarsity

Remove Clutter, Balance positive and negative energy says Dr. Amaresh Mehta during seminar on Vastu at Timbor Skillvarsity

TimborSkillvarsity organised a seminar, ‘Bring Home Good Vastu’ on the 8th of July, 2012. The seminar was held at the Timbor Home showroom with almost 100 attendees. Dr. Amaresh Mehta, the speaker, started off with an interesting thought. There are many individuals that change their doors, add walls, remove rooms, etc. according to vastu principles. But, explained Dr. Mehta, changing or moving things around cannot change what is meant to be. A person with a bathroom in the North East direction (not supposed to be good) will die one day, as will a person with a bathroom in another direction. The most important thing is balance. One does not need to renovate or refurbish an entire home – just use certain measures to balance out the positive and the negative energies.

Dr. Mehta spoke at length upon energy dynamics and the importance of de-cluttering. De-clutter your home and your mind! Many of us clean our entire house during Diwali or such festive occasions, but the waste is usually just hidden away in the attic. We should try and get rid of such clutter. While doing so, if one has elderly people or infants in the house; the clutter should be removed gradually as opposed to in one go since they are more in tune with energy and thus a sudden removal of clutter bringing in good energy could cause them disturbance. Case in point being be people that are used to drinking normal water, when exposed to purified water could get diarrhoea.

A small demonstration wherein a participants Chakras were checked with a machine had the audience entranced. Dr. Mehta even showed how, with chanting specific words, one could change the colour of that respective Chakra, albeit for a temporary period.

Many of the participants felt the seminar ended too soon and had innumerable questions. The discussion session was enlightening with some interesting points highlighted:

•  It is advised not to sleep with one’s head in the North. One would tend to sleep uneasily or wake up tired. The reason behind this can be related to magnets. A north and a north do not attract. Similarly, our head can be considered the North and when in the direction of the North, our body tends to work overtime. Instead of using the sleeping hours to rejuvenate, the body works on harmonizing internals.
• If one enters a house, and the dining table can be visible from the entrance – that indicates that one shall always have too many mouths to feed.
• A staircase right at the entrance of a home or office is not advisable as it takes all the energy out of the area. One can try and put two vases at the foot of the staircase or place wind-chimes above so as to stop the energy from going out of the space.
• It is not suggested to keep clocks/watches that do not work. This indicates stagnation in one’s life. Even if unused, watches need to have their batteries checked and should be working.
• An ideal wall clock would be one with a pendulum since the constant movement of the pendulum circulates energy in the house/office.
• Newly married couples should not have a bedroom above the kitchen. Neither should young adults – this can cause aggression.
• For those with Asthma, Plaster of Paris (POP) ceilings should be avoided – wood is one of the best options.
• The kitchen the most important part of the house and if one feels that there is strife or difficulty – keeping the kitchen clean and without clutter will improve things.
• While sleeping, laptops and mobile phones should not be near the bed. Avoid using the mobile as an alarm. If the phone/electronic needs to be charged, it should be done on a table that is not touching the bed.

Divya Bhaskar (City Bhaskar) Page 2 - Bring Home Good Vastu

Print Coverage of 'Bring Home Good Vastu' Seminar at Timbor Skillvarsity. Dr. Amaresh Mehta, speaker on the 8th of July, 2012, Sunday at Timbor Home Ahmedabad Showroom.

Affordable Furniture Design Trends of 2012

Today India is one of the largest markets for different kinds of furniture. The demand for furniture has seen such a rapid rise that industry experts predict a growth rate of about 30-40% over the next three years itself. Gone are the days when people stayed in their ancestral homes where furniture was passed down from one generation to another. Nowadays, traditional and ethnic furniture designs have given way to modern and sleek designs. 

Affordable, stylish home furniture needs to be both space as well as budget conscious. Says Anant Maloo, CMD of Timbor Home, "A bigger house does not necessarily mean a smarter house." Trends for this year indicate a preference for furniture options that do not take up too much space, but instead keep things organised and focus on efficiency from sleek shelving to boxes and cabinets.

There has been a complete revolution in furniture designs with respect to trends, innovation, outlook and patterns. Modular furniture is an emerging segment and this trend is here to stay. When it comes to affordable, quality furniture, the market today offers a multitude of options. Opting for modular furniture is a good idea for the budget conscious as it offers the option of customisation and since the manufacturing costs are low, consumers do not have to shell out too large an amount.

Furniture sets arranged properly can divide a room into zones for various activities suitable for today’s smaller spaced homes. Clean and minimalist designs are definitely in vogue. Timbor Home’s design lines complement the modern lifestyle and home; be it a small apartment or a large house. Our contemporary furniture designs meet the chic look incorporating efficiency to make the most use out of any space. 

With the increasing consciousness regarding the Earth, environmentally-friendly furniture is a trend that will be a universal trend. Keeping this trend in mind, Timbor Home is FSC (ForestStewardship Council) certified which is a highly respected international standard, meaning that products follow a chain of custody from forestry till end product. 

Upholstered furniture coverings with a focus on texture as opposed to prints are in season for 2012. We foresee a demand for tufted sofas and headboards, which is why Timbor Home has introduced a whole range of beds that have upholstered headboards, keeping consumer preferences and trends in mind. Furniture this year will be lighter with easy movement; Timbor Home has a whole range of affordable accessories from book racks to shelves to room dividers that can be easily moved to create different looks to the same room. Mirrored furniture is another trend that will be quite popular this year. Mirrored furniture can make ones space look much larger and gives a very positive sense of style and stature, which is why we too have designed tables and side tables with mirrored finish glass tops.

Mixing neutral shades with neon colours is a powerful attention grabber, Timbor’s neutral shades of wood makes it easy to complement with bright accessories. Counter that and you have bright colour options from Timbor for the kitchen which can be complemented with neutral shades on walls or flooring as well. Many of Timbor’s dining suites and living room suites are made of a mix of metal, glass, and wood. 

Metal, glass and wood furniture shall dominate this year, with earth tones being very prominent in designs. Natural elements are known to bring peace and calmness in one’s home. One does not need to splurge to have a beautifully decorated home. With just a few touches of bright colours, some interesting textures, well-placed lighting and a proper use of space; one can make a huge difference in the house. 

Edible Furniture! - Milan Furniture Fair

The annual furniture fair at Milan had a very interesting display by Milan-based designers Ryosuke Fukusada and Rui Pereira. The Sapore dei Mobili (Taste of Furniture) is a waffle pan that turns out tiny edible furniture, as a "reflection about the velocity of the contemporary furniture industry and how the consumers are unable to digest the huge amount of new products launched every year." Because how better to make design digestible than to make design that can be literally digested?





Apart from miniature lamps and tables, the furniture pan also molds edible chairs, vases and credenzas, from a mix of traditional Japanese small cakes, baby castella and a Portuguese egg pastry called ovos moles, a culinary mirror of the designers' respective nationalities. But Fukusada and Pereira encourage experimentation: topping the tiny furniture set with jam, sprinkles and powdered sugar. Simply put, it is design in good taste.!








Sources:

Huffington Post
laweekly

Mercedes Benz - From Luxury Cars to Luxury Furniture

The name Mercedes Benz evokes images of luxury and finesse. Mercedes cars are coveted for two reasons: the luxury of their materials and craftsmanship, and Merc's uncanny ability to infuse an inanimate object with so much sex appeal. The German automaker, Mercedes, together with Italian furniture manufacturer Formitalia Luxury Group, unveiled a complete collection of home goods at the Salone Internazionale del Mobile, comprising a sofa, chaise longue, dining room table with chairs, shelf unit, bed, and chest of drawers. Mercedes' foray into home decor and furniture brings luxury, sleek styles and class to one's room, and not just one's garage anymore!.

 

The pieces in the collection feature subtle hints that they were crafted by a car manufacturer such as the abundance of leather and aluminum. The rolling lines and accent stitching lend the luxury furniture line's black leather sofa an uncanny resemblance to a car's backseat, while the smooth streamline of the Mercedes chaise longue has an aerodynamic quality to it. The designs also include a futuristic, finely-tuned aluminum sideboard's glass panel, not unlike a car door, and the legs of a glass table, designed in the same vein as sculpted spokes. The Mercedes-Benz furniture collection was on view at the Daimler Milan showroom, and is set to be available all over the globe from the end of this year.

Links:
Photogallery
Artinfo.com
Gizmag

IKEA Ventures into Technology with new furniture range, UPPLEVA!

IKEA's new furniture range, named UPPLEVA, the Swedish word for experience, integrates an LED TV, a sound system with wireless bass speakers, an internet connection and CD, DVD and Blu-ray players-all in one self-assembly piece.

The TV and other electronics have been made by Chinese manufacturer TCL, while IKEA has built everything around them, hiding the masses of cables that can be a nuisance and tend to make a living room look shabby.

Further simplifying things, IKEA and TCL have combined all the controls into a single remote. The furniture surface is especially designed to allow the remote's signals through, so that the devices can remain hidden from view.

The TV screens are available in four different sizes, from 24 inches to 46 inches. They come in a range of colors including gray, black and blue. Users shall also be able to plug in their iPods or other MP3 music players.

Like most IKEA furniture, the UPPLEVA is purchased in a flat-pack and is ready for assembly at home for the do-it-your-self individuals.

The furniture comes in three designs and will be sold first in Sweden, France, Poland, Germany and Italy in June. By the first half of next year, it shall be available worldwide, with the cheapest costing about 6,500 Swedish kronor ($955).


Source: Times Of India 

Musician, Lenny Kravitz now a Funiture Designer too!

The extremely talented rocker, songwriter and actor, Lenny Kravitz has now added another tag to his creative credentials, that of a furniture designer. Kravitz's two new creations were unveiled at the Milan Furniture Fair, with idolizing fans applauding the projects. Kravitz has created a series of chairs for Kartell based on Philippe Starck's iconic "Mademoiselle" armchair, clad, like, at times the rocker himself, in python, leather or fur. And he also designed black and white tiles inspired by water drops and waves for Lea Ceramiche.

Lenny Kravtiz dates his inspiration to design way back in his childhood, where his drive pushed him to create an environment where he would feel inspired to write songs. Interestingly, Kravitz already has a background in design. He founded his own design company Kravitz Design Inc., in 2003, and has previously worked with Swarovski on a series of crystal chandeliers, designed a luxury recording studio in Miami Beach and conceived the Florida Room lounge at the Delano hotel in Miami, among other projects. The two Milan debuts represent a step toward larger scale production.

Is it only rock stars and celebrities that can become designers or add to their skill set - obviously not! Today, there are multiple courses available, in India and abroad. One just needs to take the initiative, do a search on the web and choose from the varied options available.

Source: Huffington Post
 

Home Expo India (HEI-2012) kickstarts this Sunday

For the first time in India, a four day long product-segmented mega triple show, Home Expo India shall begin this Sunday at the India Expo Centre & Mart, Greater Noida Expressway in Greater Noida. 


This show has been organized by the nodal export promotion body for handicrafts, The Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH). It shall be made up of the Indian Houseware and Decoratives Show (IHDS), Indian Furnishings, Floorings and Textiles Show (IFFTEX) and Indian Furniture and Accessories Shows (IFAS) in which more than 600 Indian exporters shall have their goods on display.


R. K. Malhotra, President, Home Expo India 2012 stated that the most important aspect of Home Exp India is the confirmation from large number of top buyers, buying houses, import houses, chain stores, boutique owners and interior decorators from leading markets like the United States, European Union, Far East, Latin America, Central Asia and African continents to visit and source at this show.

He further added that HEI will  be visited by many Indian architects, interior decorators, hoteliers, On-line buyers, E-commerce portals etc. for sourcing their varied requirements. According to Indian Brand Equity Foundation, India ranks fourth amongst the 30 countries that were surveyed in global retail development index. The projected size of Indian market is estimated at USD 637 billion by 2015.


Source: SME Times

Top Home Décor Trends

Industry experts predict that apart from warm woods and creative colors to memorable murals and tailored textures, this year offers a multitude of options for those interested in giving their homes a fresh look. Many of these home décor trends are quite inexpensive and easy to incorporate as well. Elaborating on home décor trends, home design expert, author and TV/radio personality Christopher Lowell feels that upholstered furniture coverings are being driven more by texture and less by prints. Gone are the times of bulky, stationary pit sofa. These will now be replaced by lower backs and seats along with smaller "footprint" pieces clustered into conversation groups for more flexibility and ease of interaction. A good home décor trend for those that want to add personality and life to their bedroom, living room, or office; a wall mural is a quick an inexpensive way to achieve that. The home décor trends in textures and fabrics for the next year will include iridescent metallic woven within fabric; strong patterns and bold prints; modern floral; tailored woven fabrics like tweed, herringbone, plaid and houndstooth; velvet/velour, sumptuous dupioni silk, and faux fur. Natural fibers such as bamboo, jute, eucalyptus, cotton, silk, wool and cork will remain popular in home décor. Experts also feel that home décor will become more affordable as an increasing number of people will opt for second hand yard sale items that are well made.