INTERIOR DESIGN
Expat-ready Interiors
M. ALLIRAJAN
29 Mar 2008
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Temp Interiors: Expats prefer
practical and emotionally-neutral
furniture and décor |
Expats stay light. There is no alternative, really, as they move around the world with their families every few years for better pastures. While handling immigration, logistics and real estate have been the traditional services from expat relocation firms, a few have started offering home décor and furniture services, too.
“Our family moved with two children and the décor in their homes made us feel right at home,” says Darlene Armijo, who used Global Adjustment to shift base to Chennai from the US last year.
Aware of the transience of their stay, expats tend to prefer décor and furniture that are not too ornate and yet remind them of home. “For them, interiors are all about practicality,” says Ranjini Manian, CEO of Global Adjustments.
Naturally, there is not much demand for the teak or rosewood furniture with deco-rative carvings. In fact, expats are more fussy about garden and terrace furniture, says Manian. Even among colours for interiors, most of them ask for lighter shades. The east Asian expats seek added features such as an icon of Buddha in a prominent place, water fountains and bamboo arrangements.
(Businessworld issue 1-7 April 2008) |
Sensex rises 61 points in opening trade 
