A wardrobe’s journey through our Odhav workshop
From a cutting list to a finished shutter: the steps and days behind a floor-to-ceiling wardrobe.
Choosing laminates and veneers in daylight
Why a sample looks different at home, and how to choose finishes for kitchens, wardrobes and living rooms.
Our studio library in Navrangpura has about 400 samples of laminates, veneers, stones and fabrics. Choosing among them is exciting and also where clients most often regret a decision later. A few rules help.
Look at samples in daylight. The warm lights in most showrooms make wood tones look richer and whites look cream. We keep our sample table by a north-facing window for this reason. Then take your three favourites home and look at them in the actual room, morning and evening, on the floor where they will sit.
Know what each material is good at. Laminate is a printed sheet bonded to plywood. It is hard-wearing, easy to wipe and affordable, and suits kitchens and children’s rooms. Matte laminates hide fingerprints better than gloss. Veneer is a thin slice of real wood. It looks warmer and every sheet is different, but it needs polishing, marks more easily and costs about twice as much. We often suggest veneer for a living room unit and laminate for kitchens and wardrobes.
Think in large areas. A small sample of a dark walnut looks elegant; a whole wall of wardrobes in it can make a bedroom feel smaller. Colours look stronger over large surfaces, so choose a shade lighter than you think. Ahmedabad homes get strong light and dust, so very dark and very glossy finishes show dust within a day. Finally, limit the palette. Two wood tones, one or two solid colours and one stone are usually enough for a whole home. More than that and rooms start to fight each other.
