Room Therapy That will Charm Your Senses
When she started doing interior projects on her own, she realised there was limited choice in home décor. “I just couldn’t find nice pieces to put things together. Disappointed, I started Room Therapy in a small studio at my house and opened my first store in Hyderabad in 2014,” says Sona Reddy, founder and creative head of Room Therapy.
Nestled in Hyderabad’s prime area of Jubilee Hills, the 3,000 sq ft store is a visual treat in itself. “When I first designed the store, the first thing that came to my mind was how to make it connect with the senses – a space that smells good, feels good and overall, a visual feast,” explains Sona, who worked as a field engineer with Robert F Kennedy School, Los Angeles. With an aim to provide exceptional quality and exquisitely designed products at affordable prices, Room Therapy is inspired by the strong belief of making a big difference with small accents. It could be a combination of colours, carpets, paintings, vases, armchairs and many more from a global repertoire of elements that adorn a space that make you want to spend all your time in that blissful mosaic of visual treats for the eye and the soul.
Says Sona, “We all need a space we can call our own and not everyone is fortunate to emulate in their homes – the grand design styles. I come with a belief that small changes and clever accessorizing can make a big difference and create a look one aspires for. With my passion for design, travel and food, I bring forth ideas for home décor – both outdoors and indoors.”
A quick glance at the store and you notice numerous feature walls – each done with distinctive elements that make a statement. The main chandelier at the entrance is made of mesh and 300 bulbs- not only is it striking, it also exemplifies what Room Therapy stands for.
“Textured fabrics, warm neutral tones and splashes of color enhance the eclectic look of the store. I have tried to create an experience – a walk through concept showcasing different accent pieces that can spruce up any home,” says Sona, an interior designer, a curator and a business woman.
Crafted to suit distinctive needs, the store has decorative accents to flaunt across varied categories. There are a variety of wall décor pieces, candle holders, figurines, art, functional décor, vases, plants and garden accessories, which can blend well with any décor style. For the floor, you will find rugs that are available in varied styles and designs – contemporary, weaves and traditional. Amidst the furniture category, are chairs, consoles, coffee-tables and chests that can give a classic touch, while keeping it subtle. All these products are mainly designed and manufactured in various parts of the country along with selected destinations abroad.
Read More : Indian Express
Handmade Decor
Room Therapy in Hyderabad is more than just a home décor store. It’s a destination in itself, says Suvasini Sridharan
I say hello to the biggest blue door I have ever seen as I push the handle decorated with dragonflies and enter Room Therapy. Light, space, height and colour all seem to converge harmoniously.
This home décor store in Hyderabad is a melange of mirrors, paintings, vases, cushions, photo frames, clocks, trunks and furniture. Then there’s the unique wall with drawers nailed both vertically and horizontally on it. They form shelves for the various products the store offers.
Underneath this voluminous chaos though, there is unmistakable order, and each piece retains its identity.
Credit must go to the owner of the store, Sona Reddy, who has arranged the displays.
An interior designer, Sona not only handpicked each item, she also designed the store. “What you see here is my architectural style,” she says. A rustic chandelier, designed by Sona, catches my attention. Its black frame holds together light bulbs of different sizes in customised wooden holders. The free-flowing space we find ourselves in after entering the store leads into rooms of different heights. “I wanted to relate the space to different rooms in a house,” says Sona.
One room is filled with dining tables; another has a colourful bed. The interior walls have areas of exposed brick, and each section of the store has different flooring —tiles, wood, cement – separated from one another by black and grey pillars. “As there is so much colour in the products, I wanted to keep the store simple,” says Sona.
Room Therapy, spread over two floors, has products curated from across the country and the world, which Sona has picked up from Indonesia, China, and Europe. There are bookends from Indonesia sharing space with painted, wooden artwork from northern China.
Sona doesn’t believe in trends when it comes to home décor, but admits to a certain fascination with birds and the colour turquoise at the moment. That explains why the store is peppered with bird paintings, bird cages and turquoise-coloured curios and vases.
Another striking aspect is the eclectic furniture. From cupboards, side tables, and consoles to chairs, they are designed by Sona and made by local craftsmen. Striking pieces include a cane-and-wood chair upholstered in plush pink-orange fabric; a carved, mock-antique cupboard; and a simple metal-and-wood stool. My personal favourites are the tables with bone inlay. Sona talks of how the craftspeople cut the pieces of bone and glue them without any measurements. The work is intricate and made more beautiful by the minor flaws that come with handmade products. On one table, for example, the bone inlay is stained purple, giving it the unintendedly refreshing effect of a water colour.
Room Therapy is more than just a retail store, with part of its top floor turned into a space for exhibitions. In design and décor, it also serves as samples of the interior design solutions that Sona offers. “Here,” says Sona, “you can pick up furniture in different styles; nobody will know it’s all from the same store.” Besides, no more than two pieces of the same design are made, so you get the added advantage of exclusivity.
Prices start from Rs. 400 for smaller decorative items to a few thousand rupees for customised furniture. Find it at 885, Road No. 45, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad. Or log on to www.roomtherapyhome.com.
Read More : The Hindu