Know the Stylish and Durable Materials For Monsoon-Ready Interiors

Ar. Gagandeep Kapila, Founder & Principal Architect

While devising a high-end residential design, it is crucial to consider the potential challenges that may arise over time, such as seasonal changes. As the monsoon season approaches,let's discuss the installation of materials in your luxury interiors that not only exude elegance but also provide durability against the challenges presented by heavy rains and humidity. When selecting materials, it is wise to prioritize those that are suitable for all seasons, taking into account the specific requirements of the monsoons. By investing in such materials, you can ensure a long-lasting and resilient interior that withstands seasonal changes while maintaining its allure. In this article, Ar. Gagandeep Kapila, Founder and Principal Architect of Workshop For Metropolitan Architecture (WMA) shares some ways to get the home immune to the weather with the help of the finest materials for luxury interiors, ensuring that your spaces remain exquisite yet functional throughout this season.

Natural Stone

Luxury interiors often call for the timeless beauty of natural stone. Opt for materials such as marble or granite for flooring, countertops, and accents. These stones not only appear appealing but also highly resist moisture. With proper sealing, they can withstand the weather, causing no harm to any surface and also ensuring that the interiors maintain their grandeur even during this season.

Engineered Hardwood

For those who desire the warmth and richness of wood, engineered hardwood is an excellent choice for monsoon-ready luxury interiors. Unlike solid wood, engineered hardwood is designed to be highly resistant to wetness. Its layered construction makes it more stable, reducing the risk of warping or shrinking. With a wide range of finishes and wood species available, engineered hardwood adds a touch of sophistication and natural admiration to spaces.

High-Grade Laminate

Laminate is a versatile material that can emulate the look of natural wood or stone while offering enhanced durability and dampness resistance. High-grade laminate is specifically designed to withstand humid conditions, making it an ideal choice for luxury interiors. It is easy to maintain and scratch-resistant, making it a practical and chic alternative for flooring, cabinets, and furniture.

Luxury Vinyl Flooring

Luxury vinyl flooring is gaining popularity in luxury interiors as it offers the look and feel of natural materials with the added benefit of not being reactive to mugginess. Luxury vinyl flooring is available in various textures and finishes, allowing one to create a persona that can withstand the challenges of the monsoons.

Molded Acrylic Surfaces

In high-moisture areas such as bathrooms and kitchens, opt for molded acrylic surfaces for countertops and vanities. These surfaces are non-porous and offer a sleek and modern aesthetic. Molded acrylic surfaces are also easy to clean and maintain, ensuring that your luxury spaces remain pristine even in the midst of heavy rains.

Weather-Resistant Fabrics

When it comes to upholstery and drapery, choose weather-resistant fabrics that combine opulence with usability. Fabrics such as solution-dyed acrylic or performance blends offer excellent durability, fade resistance, and ease of maintenance, allowing you to enjoy your luxury interiors worry-free during the season.

Investing in the right materials owing to extreme weather like monsoons not only ensures the longevity of your interiors but also enhances an overall living experience. So, elevate your interiors with these fad and durable materials, and let your luxury spaces shimmer brightly even amidst the drizzles.

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About Author

The intrinsically talented, artistic and dexterous, Ar. Gagandeep Kapila grew up finding a semblance between creativity and technicality. This persuaded her to find a middle ground and realize her true calling – Architecture. As naturally as it came to her, she recognized that it takes a design-centric approach to establish an unmistakable identifying stamp in the industry.

She began her career in the capital city of the country- New Delhi in the 2000s after graduating with a degree in Architecture from the TVB School of Habitat Studies. She cofounded the firm Workshop for Metropolitan Architecture aka WMA, with a dedication to extreme design excellence and sophistication in construction technology. Cultivating a healthy and collaborative culture in their studio, they paved the way for their team to find innovation paired with imagination, unflagging in their attempt to set a design language and typology that would define their works and the firm for years to come. Enthusiastic and determined to bring comprehensive fruition to their projects, she believes in constantly evolving and learning new things by being significantly involved in channelling more efforts as the architect duo grows together in the industry.

She firmly believes, “Simple is more complex”, in the sense that it is always more laborious and time-taking to work out a solution for a simple and straightforward design than it is for a complex one and requires the most advanced thinking. This belief also reflects in their designs which intend to create minimalistic modern luxury spaces that bring the essence of elegance and sophistication. Their designs aim to showcase seamless materiality, unravelling the warmth of every material in a space.

She has interwoven the principles of WMA to be a well-renowned multidisciplinary firm known for its expertise in high-end design-oriented projects. The team at WMA believes that the way ahead in architecture can only be materialized by an efficient fusion of contextual design cues and sustainable practices, creating an assortment of experiences for our clients. The lineage of this prestigious practice has witnessed over a decade of designing meticulous spaces.

From high-end residential spaces and commercial spaces to boutique retail spaces, architect and interior designer Gagandeep’s portfolio is extensive and diverse. Taking the high road on opulence over minimalism, she endeavours to design classy, suave, and trailblazing spaces that feel natural and mild in essence and do not feel forceful when you enter them. Playing with heights, volumes, mass, and light is what defines their architectural approach to putting together a piece of art. Blending the built environment with what mother nature presents to us by maximizing decks, balconies, and terraces, blurring the lines between the exterior and the interior spaces, she strives to create spaces where people want to return again and again, feeling as fresh and energized as they did the first time they came in. Her passion, coupled with her aesthetic sensibility, has resonated and marked its way to WMA’s high-end clientele, making their firm a benchmark-setter in the architectural and design industry.

Gagandeep has been featured in multiple magazines and platforms like Good Homes, Realty Plus, IFJ, Commercial Design, Times of India, Surfaces Reporter, Hindustan Times, Financial Express, India Today Home, Construction World, Society Interiors & Design, and many more.