Art consultant Nisha Jamvwal lays down her rules of style in home décor

The style blurb is out! Solitaires are passé; it’s about moving onto better conquests. Silver ornaments on coffee tables, painted furniture, oppressive upholstery, crystal pieces in showcases have been relegated to the era of the dinosaur.

1. Lighten the space, the new look is big and bold. Use a few ornaments and one focal point; this is a home, not a showroom. Do away with passé clocks, a profusion of coloured vases and blown glass ashtrays. 

2. If you must have all the masks in the living room, then group them together. Clutter is out, focus on the showstopper piece, one dramatic collection or one single big piece.

3. Think bright; dramatic off-beat colours are in vogue. Like the bright sun in a clear blue sky, a flash of yellow on a wall is all you need to wake up a room. Contrast daubs of high intensity saturated colours with liberal amounts of white or pastel mauve.

4. Covers, cushions and throws are a style statement for the home. Dashes of brightly coloured jewel shades, dramatic sequin embroidery, monochromes et al, resonating against each other offer an exhilarating experience.

5. Use furnishings with less busy prints but rich bold colours, glowing copper rag rugs and throws around your conversation spots.

6. Place antique focal point chandeliers or funky star shaped glass lamps on tables or as pendulum lights. Whether a disco-inspired design or a tulle creation, an original lampshade is very chic.

7. Clusters of candles, twinkling on a console, mounted upon gilded Portuguese stands against altar ornaments can make any evening look celebratory.

8. Rich paisley patterns are back says Donna Karan, lush patterns and decorative fabrics create a sense of splendour. 

9. Warm spice colours like haldi, red chilli, marigold on cushions with antique coin sequins give the exotic tent-like feel. 

10. Antique brocade on a curvilinear chaise cannot but create a regal mood for a space, echoed with brocade bolsters and different sized cushions on chairs and a couch in the same area covered maybe in aubergine or teal.

Carolina Herrera’s embellished silver not good only on dresses but looks stunning on throws and cushions too.

You don’t need a big budget or a complete makeover to revamp the look of your home; just a metaphoric brush stroke here and a frill there — you will have livened up the space. Start small, but think big and bold.