Quick tips

The designers were unanimous in their top tip -- accessorise.

Keep the basic tone of the house neutral and play around with the colours of the furnishings, etc. This way, you can change the look whenever you like, without any construction work.

"Floors and ceilings should be simple. Don't spend a lot on that part of the house. The basic feel comes only after accessorising," says Saijal Goenka. Sussanne Roshan shares her secret: "I believe you should accessorise with soft furnishings." This means paying attention to pillows, upholstery, rugs, curtains and other textiles, which adds to the atmosphere. This also allows for variety and experimentation. You can change the look as often as you like, without affecting the basic construction.

Krsna Mehta advises accessorising with coloured soft furnishings to make a room come alive. Kiran Salaskar talks about choosing "simple, clean-lined pieces of furniture in solid wood." They needn't all be of the same style as long as you coordinate the colour of the polish or fabric on it to give the room a complete look.

Suchitra Ayappa Mehta sums it up. "Keep it simple. It's always hip!"