With the Pandemic at its peak, the housing market has undergone a major shift. With the concept of Working From Home picking pace, the fundamentals of the interiors & spaces have changed a lot. The dwellings, that were built to relax and spend quality time with families at the end of a harsh day spent in offices or otherwise, are now striving to be much more. Reading the pulse of the market, Surfaces Reporter (SR) has organised a special LIVE webinar on “Demands and New Needs in HI-END RESIDENCES” to capture the current market changes in the luxury residential market, in conversation with the frontliners of the industry including Ar Bobby Mukherji, Mumbai; Ar Hiren Patel, Ahmedabad, Pallavi Dean, Dubai; Nisha JamVwal, Mumbai, Padmashri Dr Shovana Narayan; Manoj Bathwal, Director, ONGC, Dehradun & Tushar Aggarwal, Director, Paramount Wires & Cables Ltd, Delhi. Among the other dignitaries from the industry, Celebrity columnist, Author and Social media influencer, NishaJamVwalspoke about what changes we must expect in the post COVID- 19 world.
Self Help has become the new norm
Talking about the need of reducing our dependence on the house helps, Nisha stressed on be becoming independent in terms of Household Chores to be healthy and safe. She said, “Self-help has become the new norm because staff, helps, assistants are all going to be at their own spaces. So that brings the need of AI, artificial intelligence. For instance, I always ha a mini robot to help clean up at home because I don't like to impose on my staff.Currently I have upgraded the robotic technology in my home so that it becomes not only more hygienic but also more self-reliant. I think people will have to become more self-reliant and stop depending upon the helps particularly in a country like ours where it is easily accessible.”
Products like Antiviral and antibacterial Airconditioners and air purifiers are the need of the hour. Sanitization especially in the bathroom and toilet cubicles have become utmost important. More and more innovative products are being patented, in terms of preparedness for the future.
In terms of Product Design
Nisha stressed on the need of having everything modular in the coming time. She asserted, “I think everything just needs to be modular, prefabricated product designs. Product design has become very important as on site production is going to become even less. We already have begun to see an influx of prefabricated furniture and modular units. Earlier, you had modular kitchen design, modular office and custom extend living spaces but I am beginning to see a huge desire for home working spaces intertwined with multi tasking; the same den becomes an office entertainment space for people who love watching movie. So I feel it’s all going to become about upgrading your sense of home.”
Need of the hour
According to Nisha, products like Antiviral and antibacterial Airconditioners and air purifier s are the need of the hour. She concluded, “Sanitization especially in the bathroom and toilet cubicles have become the need of the hour. More and more products are being patented, coming forward in terms of preparedness for the future. I have written two books on saving Indian indigenous craft and I really must say that Customisation within an Interior is going to become next to very very difficult and very dangerous, at least until 2021.”
“Also, Stress and anxiety must be avoided under all circumstances. So creating a whole space that is less high maintenance, ornamentation would be most soothing and more comfortable because this is where I'm going to be for the most part, at least until a long time ahead”, she added.
Columnist, interiors Architect, author, brand consultant, interior style consultant -NishaJamVwal's work in interiors, styling, branding, luxury, social causes, Interiors Architecture & design blend seamlessly, converting her passion for the creative and visual arts into her work where all synergise seamlessly. She authors six columns for international and Indian publications as well and does television on design and interiors architecture.
To see the entire webinar, click here