Musicians talk about the decor of their special spaces

Musicians talk about the decor of their special spaces 

Music rooms and home studios have a special place in the heart of all musicians. They provide the necessary ambiance and inspiration to hit the right note.

>> Merlyn de Souza, Music composer "Family photos add a very personal touch to my studio and they add a sense of warmth too. I love flowers and they brighten up the room with their colour and fragrance. The balcony window is full of potted plants and is very green and refreshing to look at. The music room is in off-white and completely sound proof. It is unique in the sense that I can feel totally engrossed in my musical compositions and go into the balcony for a whiff of nature. I have colourful stools in the studio which are from the NGO Akanksha. The corridor leading to my studio has a lot of artifacts and paintings depicting element of music. Since my son Rhys-Sebestian plays the Saxophone and I play the piano my friend gifted me a painting which is a blend of the two instruments. My music room is very warm and inspiring."

>> Anup Jalota, Singer "My music room is spacious and open. The off white walls make it look bright. The flooring is in cream tiles and the music area has polished wood.
    I have a home temple close by with a statue of Krishna, who is a great flutist himself. I have a thick maroon carpet and some colorful cushions. Potted plants add a bit of greenery to the room. There are also photo frames of me and my wife Medha. The room also has a tabla and harmonium. My awards and trophies are spread all around the house as I like an uncluttered space. There is ample space for my other friends and musicians when we are practicing or playing for the sheer pleasure of music."

>> Amaan Ali Khan, Sarod maestro "Our music room is a very special place in our life. The flooring is of wood. The off-white walls provide a neat backdrop for the numerous paintings all connected to our music. We have portraits of our forefathers and the oil canvas is of my grandfather, the Sarod prophet, Ustad Haafiz Ali Khan. The sound is just perfect due to the wood work and the wooden flooring. We also have images of our childhood and also some of Abba's highest civilian awards. This is the room where a legacy that has generations of nurturing, caring and preserving behind it is passed on to students, disciples and offsprings."

>> Remo Fernandes, Musician and singer "My recording room is where I live and that is where I spend most of my day and that is where I am most alive. So my recording room is cozy, warm and happy. I have sponge painted the walls in a sunny yellow and orange. The floor has a green carpet, the colour of fresh grass. The ceiling has bright colourful saris hanging across like a veritable rainbow. Arabian colored glass lampshades add to the fusion of colours. Personal curios are perched on wooden beams. Most important, my room has three windows; each one looking out to greenery - one to a chikoo tree which almost enters my room on which I see monkeys, parrots and even bats. The other gives on to a creeper with yellow buttercups in our interior courtyard; and the third one, in front of my recording desk, opens up to coconut trees and rice fields in the distance. The most wonderful aspect is that each of these windows, bring in natural sunlight into my room."

>> Nandu Bhinde, Singer "The flooring of the music room is carpeted and the whole room is in various hues of yellow and brown. As there is a lot of wood used in the wall paneling and on the roof, we have maintained this color scheme throughout the studio. The color scheme goes a long way into creating a warm, friendly ambience and is soft on the eyes. The walls are sound proofed and full of glass wool. My music room is sound
proofed with 'floating' ceilings and walls. This is to keep extraneous sounds out and keep the sound in the room as pure as possible. Yellow light is used to give a warm glow and it also helps to cool the room and maintain it at 24 degrees at all times. It sets the mood for some good music."