| Home furnishing or soft furnishing is the latest trend in | | | | coverings and durries) are Agra-Bhadoi belt in Uttar |
| the business of fashion today. The desire to | | | | Pradesh, Kashmir, Bikaner-Udaipur belt in Rajasthan, |
| redecorate everything around us has lead people to | | | | West Bengal, Haryana, Punjab and Andhra Pradesh. In |
| become fashion centric with reference to the interiors | | | | India, there are 1215 carpet production units recorded |
| of their work place or their home or perhaps it is the | | | | and of that 190 are in the organized sector and the |
| compensation for our hectic life that we generally seek | | | | rest are in small scale industry sector. |
| relaxation through the colours and designs in our | | | | The Mirzapur-Bhadohi belt in Uttar Pradesh stands as |
| furnishings. Generally, we try to please our visual and | | | | the major contributor for the carpet weaving industry |
| tactile senses by the soft and beautiful fabrics around | | | | in the India with nearly 90 per cent of the total |
| us. | | | | production of carpets in India. |
| In the last 3-4 years, people have begun changing their | | | | Panipat has witnessed high growth in handlooms during |
| home furniture like they change their wardrobe | | | | the last two decades with the number of looms holding |
| according to the changing fashions. Lifestyle furnishing | | | | 50,000 are well known for producing acrylic blankets, |
| has become a mix of aesthetics, comfort, colours and | | | | bed sheets, bed covers, tapestry, upholstery, table |
| designs. For instance, brown sofas have become | | | | mats and table covers. There are above 310 shoddy |
| outdated and people now prefer lively colours like blue | | | | spinning units in Panipat having a production of 4 lakh |
| and red. Though brand awareness in this segment is | | | | kg per day and a turnover of more than Rs 600 crore. |
| low but at present the scenario is changing, a few | | | | Panipat also possess a woolen carpet industry, which |
| years ago consumers never stressed on purchasing | | | | is now almost thirty years old, with around 150 units. |
| branded home furnishing products, but now they are | | | | There are about 60 carpet woolen spinning units in |
| aware about new products and brands. | | | | Panipat with an annual turnover of Rs 175 crore |
| The list of furnishings includes bed linen like bed sheets, | | | | making a variety of handloom products such as |
| pillow slips (pillow shams), bed skirts, duvet covers, | | | | durries, mats, table covers, bed sheets, curtains and |
| quilts and cushions; for giving the complete look to the | | | | carpets exported to various countries, including |
| bedroom matching curtains, tie-backs and also mats | | | | Canada, Japan, Germany and Australia. |
| can be included in this list. This bedroom could be with | | | | Benefiting from this booming market and the increasing |
| an attached bathroom making the list even bigger. | | | | new and young homemakers, department stores |
| Towels and floor mats, shower curtains, same soap | | | | make their home furnishings space by creating well |
| cases, toothbrush holders, soap dispensers, mugs and | | | | organized living spaces that sell the products very |
| rugs can offer the attractiveness of a bathroom. | | | | effectively. Many popular companies working with soft |
| Water in this room, evokes memories of sea and | | | | furnishings products in India are Welspun, Gujarat |
| ocean, shells and fish, and hence these are major | | | | (which started first 'Spaces Home & Beyond' |
| patterns in the design making of bathroom | | | | store in Mumbai); Handfab, Panipat; Highness Exports; In |
| accessories. Bed-and-bath themes are also combined | | | | Vogue Buying, New Delhi; Indian Exporters, Kolkata; |
| together by designers. | | | | Shabari International, Kerala; Cannanore; Amber Textile; |
| The bedroom that we are talking about could be that | | | | and Reliance Industries, and there are brands like the |
| of an adult, or a child, or two adults, or two children and | | | | decades-old Bombay Dyeing and just stated like |
| hence the look of every bedroom in a house is unique. | | | | Spaces, Portico, Season's, Yamini etc. |
| The appearance of any room has to be in relevance | | | | Raymond provides the widest range of colours to |
| to the psychological and physical requirements of its | | | | satisfy the various colour requirements of interiors in |
| occupants. | | | | Home furnishings. Home Solutions Retail (India), a 100% |
| Bed sheets aren't just utilitarian things; they make style | | | | holding of retail leader Pantaloon Retail, intends to close |
| statements while reflecting your personality and | | | | its third year of function with about of Rs 1,000 crore. |
| moods. As people are becoming more aware about | | | | Home Solutions is establishing chain of home stores, |
| fibres, fabrics, feel, colour and size of bed sheets, pillow | | | | committed to all things that would be required for |
| slips, quilts, etc, it gives added responsibilities to the | | | | setting up, decorating and furnishing a home. In the first |
| designers and manufacturers to ensure quality supply | | | | step, the company will be establishing six Home |
| of the same. | | | | Towns, the company's umbrella store, in Noida, |
| Cotton is the most favored fabric for bed sheets, | | | | Hyderabad, Gurgaon, Pune, Thane and Bangalore, |
| particularly those with a greater thread count. | | | | which will start by June 2007. Each store, covering an |
| Exporters have an increasing demand for cotton bed | | | | expense about Rs 14 crore, will be allotted about |
| sheets, though some also demand silk made-ups. | | | | 120,000 square feet. |
| Generally, many export houses are given the designs | | | | To achieve its brand recognized in the big |
| to work on, or they make their own varieties from | | | | commoditised home furnishings market, Welspun is |
| which the buyers put up orders. They emphasizes on | | | | investing in retail stores and increasing its capacity to |
| colour and design. For new born babies soft basic | | | | serve the domestic market. Besides its own brand the |
| colours are used, where as for grown up children | | | | company recently received the marketing rights of |
| complimentary colour schemes with cartoon like motifs | | | | Tommy Hilfiger home furnishing products. |
| are mostly used. There are a variety of prints to select | | | | Welspun is also coming up with the concepts to |
| from. The prints for curtains vary from animals, to soft | | | | educate and guide customers about issues like |
| toys, cartoons and candies; the same is applicable for | | | | hygiene, because most of us are comfortable with |
| rugs, bed sheets, duvet covers and cushions. | | | | replacing our bed sheets once in two weeks. Likewise |
| Teenagers have different preferences like pink which | | | | many families utilize only one towel between |
| is mostly preferred by girls, whereas blue is a | | | | themselves. None of us have ever understood that if |
| preferred colour for boys. Adults chose from a wide | | | | the same towel is utilized the entire family, each |
| range of colours and motifs including traditional Indian | | | | member of the family may get infected. All these |
| motifs to modern compositions. In fact, the selection of | | | | maters will be undertaken through various media for |
| colour and design depends on the fashion trend of | | | | which the company has allocated about Rs 10 crore. |
| today. | | | | At present it is searching for an agency to handle its |
| One step out of the bedroom and you reach the most | | | | communication activities. |
| happening room of the house - the living room. A | | | | As per the company's retail strategy, which is setting |
| combination of huge variety of colours and its relevant | | | | the core of its brand-building practice, in the next three |
| coordinates are particularly made to cater to people's | | | | years they are coming with 125 stores across the |
| physical and psychological desires. Sheer curtains to | | | | country with an investment of Rs 50 crore. Amongst |
| bring in sunlight, heavy lined curtains to prevent it, | | | | the 125, 100 would be standalone Spaces stores. |
| embroidered curtains and valences with lace trimmings | | | | Extended with an area of nearly 2,000 sq ft, the |
| flaunting luxury and a taste for design, make the room | | | | Spaces showrooms would provide furnishings for |
| look more appealing and beautiful. Curtains can surely | | | | each room of the house. Besides furnishing items, the |
| make the room look more attractive. Generally fabrics | | | | showrooms will also provide home décor |
| for sewing curtains are 54 inches wide or extra wide | | | | products such as candles, curios and so on. |
| at 110 inches or 118 inches. Extra¬ wide fabrics are | | | | Recently, Portico, a premium Home Decor & |
| normally made for unlined sheer curtains, and are | | | | furnishings brand introduced its premium and 'Sparkly' |
| intended to be railroaded or run sideways with the | | | | range. |
| selvage at the top and bottom of the curtains, | | | | Besides this, various small players in the market cater |
| permitting the curtains to be made without seams. | | | | to every taste and pocket of the population. For those |
| Curtains with well-designed features like noise and light | | | | who do not need to spend in professionally decorating |
| reduction are being particularly produced for exports. | | | | their rooms, many options are available by India's |
| The dyes used for these need to be sunlight resistant | | | | department chain stores like Ebony, Shoppers' Stop, |
| as curtains receive direct sunlight and might start | | | | Lifestyle, Pantaloons, Westside and even Big Bazaar. |
| looking dull and faded very soon. They are made in | | | | Because of huge demands, many fashion designers |
| combination with the cushions and other furniture in the | | | | have also forayed in this segment. At present the |
| room. | | | | home furnishings segment is considered a flourishing |
| The options are many; curtains are available in every | | | | sector in the textile industry. Domestic and export |
| size, colour, fabric and designs like stripes, checks, floral, | | | | markets are both booming for home furnishings. |
| woven, printed, etc. One can chose the fabric from the | | | | According to experts, to make brand awareness |
| cottons to linens, velvets, tapestries etc. There are | | | | home furnishing companies have to put more |
| many alternatives in decorative accessories: rods with | | | | emphasis on the overall shopping experience. Retail |
| decorative finials, ornamental brackets, and pleats at | | | | ambience, coordinated product ranges; in-store display; |
| the top, holdbacks and tiebacks. The alternatives | | | | point-of-purchase promotional literature on the product |
| selected depend on whether one needs to | | | | features as well as the company's lineage and |
| camouflage the windows or show them off, as they | | | | superior in-store service are some of the primary |
| are architecturally special, whether one needs privacy | | | | actions that home furnishing companies must take. In |
| or needs to visually enlarge a small room will ascertain | | | | fact this has to be made in connection with innovative |
| the type of curtain one opts for. | | | | product and brand advertising and new promotional |
| In case you want extra light without spoiling your | | | | efforts. |
| privacy, you can get transom window curtains. This | | | | While some experts believe that as the sector is |
| two-part curtain possesses a sheer fabric at the top | | | | largely commoditised, the main target would be to set |
| and privacy panels below. Tab-top curtains have fabric | | | | the category to constantly develop, which can only be |
| loops on the top to which a rod is fixed. Tie-top | | | | done through customer education. |
| curtains possess fabric on the top of the panel that is | | | | However, some feel that it is a slight too early to |
| fixed to the rod. And, grommet-top panels have metal | | | | introduce new collections each season. While it could |
| eyelets on the top which is fixed with curtain rings. | | | | support in making fashion consciousness in India about |
| Tap-top curtains are a latest trend that is common in | | | | home furnishings, as well as the designs, colours and |
| modern homes. | | | | prints are contemporary, and the packaging and |
| Many traditional Indian weaves and embroideries are | | | | labeling are as per the good quality standards, home |
| being done all over India on the home furnishings | | | | furnishing companies need not be bothered about |
| products. Traditional Indian embroideries like 'kasida' | | | | making more complication in their business by creating |
| from Kashmir, 'kantha' from Bengal and 'chikankari' | | | | repeated changes in their product offering at this |
| from Uttar Pradesh are in demand for bed covers and | | | | stage. In fact, in the next few years, with more |
| curtains. The tie-and-dye methods of Rajasthan and | | | | competition and more demand, it would be essential to |
| Gujarat are also widely used for making colourful bed | | | | introduce at least two major collections per year. |
| sheets and quilt covers. Many of these are available in | | | | We require building up more colour and design |
| cheaper rates in print. | | | | sensitive people to work in this segment. For those |
| Many home furnishing companies are making these | | | | who intend to begin a home furnishing venture, |
| products with handlooms. Normally, high quality silk and | | | | whether for exports or for the domestic market, it is |
| cotton are used for these products. While traditionally | | | | appropriate to begin with just one or two products and |
| curtains were either produced with heavy jacquards | | | | then add on to it slowly. Cushion covers and curtains |
| or luxurious prints, at present a wide range of fabrics | | | | are the more demandable products. If proper plans are |
| covering embroidered fabrics are being used. The | | | | made using appropriate color combinations as |
| attractive display of colours can also be seen in plain | | | | expected in the colour forecast, and ever new designs |
| sofas with striped and spotted cushions or plush | | | | are made, then definitely one will get success in this |
| heavy pile carpets with designs varying from | | | | segment. The key point to note here is that trends |
| geometricals to florals and abstracts. | | | | change fast, so the process of designing and creation |
| Occasionally it is appealing themes instead of sorting | | | | should keep on preventing stagnation and making |
| by room that the designers go for with areas designed | | | | guaranteed success. |
| by mood like femme fatale, eclectic, delicate, timeless | | | | Conclusion |
| and wild. In fact it includes the accessories like rugs, | | | | In the last few years, people have started spending on |
| throws, frames, cushions, etc. Unique linen for the | | | | furniture and furnishings like they perform with their |
| kitchen and other soft furnishings for lawn chairs have | | | | clothing. For them lifestyle furnishing is turning out as a |
| also gained remarkable popularity. Tapestries, chenille, | | | | mix of aesthetics, comfort, colours and designs. Brown |
| cotton and linen prints, stripes and checks, toile, crewel | | | | sofas are outdated; people need lively colours like blue |
| work, plains of all types covering linens, silks, suede, | | | | and red. A few years ago consumers never |
| voiles and muslins, and towels, be it for bath or the | | | | demanded highly branded home furnishing products, |
| kitchen, all are included in this segment. The | | | | but now they are very well aware about new |
| showrooms for soft furnishings provide the customers | | | | products and brands in the market, though brand |
| with a collection of designs to select from. | | | | awareness in this segment is still low. Many companies |
| The Indian home furnishings market is around Rs | | | | are adding two to three products in their product lines |
| 15,000 crore, of which the organised market is about | | | | every year and many are comings with innovative |
| Rs 1,000 crore. Earlier, Bombay Dyeing was the only | | | | concepts in this segment. But, for this segment's |
| leader in this segment. The major carpet | | | | growth still it requires a proper planning or strategy, |
| manufacturing areas (including all types of floor | | | | more efforts and educate to customer as well. |