u/Necessary-Art-2440

I think it’s easy to get carried away by Pinterest, Instagram, and all those beautiful home tours.

Maybe you thought you needed a breakfast counter, or a built-in bar would completely transform your home. And then you actually start living in the house… and realise you barely use half of it. 😭

So, what’s one interior feature you were convinced you needed when designing your home, but barely use now?

And in hindsight, what would you have done instead?

Hear me out.

A minimalist home looks easier to maintain because there’s less stuff everywhere. But with clean surfaces, carefully organised storage and light paint colours, doesn’t maintaining that become a full-time job?

Meanwhile, a slightly cluttered home can be… lived in. 😅

So what do you think?

It might not be the biggest room or the most expensive one. It could be a reading nook by the window, or a balcony filled with plants

It's the place that reflects your personality the most, the corner where you feel completely at ease.

I'd love to hear: What does it look like? And why does it mean so much to you?

Could be something big like open shelving vs. closed cabinets, or something small like adding more power outlets, choosing matte finishes, or skipping trendy colours.

Curious to hear the choices that made you think, "Yep, that was absolutely worth it."

Most Indian apartments have a spot near the entrance for a pooja unit.

But our client didn't need one. At the same time, they don't want to leave the space empty. So, we designed a foyer unit.

Now it has:

Good warm first impression.

Place for keys, bags, and daily essentials.

Hidden storage to keep the entrance clutter-free.

In my opinion, a kitchen island only makes sense if you have enough space to walk around it comfortably. Ideally, you should have about 3.5 to 4 feet of clearance on all sides so people can move around, open drawers, and cook without constantly bumping into each other.

The thing is, most Indian apartment kitchens are around 8×10 ft. In a space like that, adding an island often means giving up valuable counter space and storage that you'll use every single day... just to have a feature you might use once in a while.

It can be anything like a foldable dining table, a pocket door or other small things, like painting the wall in a light colour or using floor-to-ceiling curtains..

I'd love to hear what worked for you.

Open kitchen concepts sound fun to hear. But Indian cooking often involves strong spices, frequent frying, and our weather is already quite humid. Even with a good chimney, do cooking smells and grease eventually spread into the living room?

If you have an open kitchen, what's your experience been like? Would you choose it again, or would you go for a semi-open or closed kitchen instead?

Hi, we are elephanto, an interior design firm based in Chennai. We recently completed an interior project for one of our clients. What do you think about the outcome?