Pratishtha Rana
It has been over a month of staying locked in, and at times things can get repetitive. Renowned architect Ashiesh Shah has been making sure that his routine is a healthy mix of activities so that monotony doesn’t set in. He plans to set up a charitable fund for people who have been severely impacted by the lockdown.
Here, he shares some handy tips to create an efficient work environment at home.
What is your lockdown routine?
I try keeping my lockdown routine quite versatile. It is packed with online masterclasses and reading time – books and magazines. I also squeeze in some time for Netflix and workout while working from home. The idea is to stir up enough change to not let the monotony set in, yet achieve all that you envision to do and more.
Read: This is how people will redesign homes post COVID-19
Are you binge-listening to any podcasts or playlists currently?
I haven’t been listening to many podcasts, but, I do enjoy a daily class on masterclass.com, it’s a fabulous platform on which learning opportunities are boundless. For binge listening, I strongly recommend ‘Sounds of Raw Mango’ – ‘Ghar’, as they call it; it’s a fabulous composition, an unconventional expression of exploration, bound with positivity.
What are you watching currently?
I’m binge watching ‘Tiger King’, which is a docu-series on owners and breeders of large wild cats. It has become a rage on social media. Three episodes in, I cannot wait to see what happens next!
Could you suggest a few interior hacks to try at home?
It’s important to keep yourself motivated and goal-oriented even through this phase. I suggest, keeping your workspace away from your bedroom, and setting the desk in a low-traffic area of your home is key. Also, allow yourself to get a lot of fresh air and light. Heavy furnishings can be turned in for some lighter translucent sheers.
Also, try fusing comfort and effortlessness within your environment. Don’t hesitate to add pops of colours and foliage to your interiors. Lastly, declutter, clean and rearrange. An organised table setting, living room or wardrobe has a meditative quality that is subconsciously, intellectually and creatively stimulating.
How has the pandemic impacted you?
Today, as designers, we have this responsibility and ability to encourage change. We interact with a multitude of daily-wage workers from our industry, and with the resources and power to help, create safe spaces and generate hope, I think, it’s best to focus our energies on a platform that stands for this thought. This is something that I have set out to do through ‘The India Design Fund’, a passion project that will take shape very soon.
Read: The evolution of lndian luxury industry in the last decade
How will luxury consumption in India and the world change post the pandemic?
This period of self-isolation and self-reflection will definitely create a shift in the way we look at luxury. Your surroundings are a narration of your personality, and having spent a majority of time at home, I feel, this would change the perception of luxury into more ‘happy spaces.’ Whether height, volume, sound or light of an interior environment, each design element directly affects its inhabitant. So, to sum it up, happy corners, comfortable settings and personal possessions will redefine luxury.
