contemporary classics for your home

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NEW DESIGN STORE IS FULL OF EASTERN PROMISE

Yorkshire-born Dipika Makwana has long been the best-kept secret of a who’s who of British celebrities who speed-dial the renowned interior designer to create the wow factor for their distinctive homes.

Now, thanks to the launch of her Leeds-based Elysian Interiors service, Dipika’s signature sense of style and luxury is available to home owners in the region who want their living space – both indoors and outdoors – to reflect their lifestyle and personality.

A property dressing service is key in today’s competitive home selling market, where initial impact counts because buyers can make up their mind to purchase a property in as little as eight seconds.

The bespoke services are an extension of Dipika’s Elysian Lifestyle store in Moortown, on the fringe of the city, which opened 3 months ago and has fast become a destination stop for anyone seeking eclectic and contemporary classics as an antidote to mediocrity and mass-production.

From the outside it’s a rather austere, double-fronted Victorian building but inside the shop there’s a veritable treasure-trove of eastern antiquities displayed with contemporary paintings and coordinated with

timeless pieces on the magazine must-have lists.

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On the international scene Elysian Interiors works with many different and

individual designers including innovative and eclectic furniture and

accessories, from coveted French design house La Fibule who offer a classic and stylish look.  Inthai is contemporary and timeless offering their own designs. Their furniture has a clear multicultural influence and above all, offers elegance and sobriety. Luxury cushions from Clarissa Hulse whose quirky botanical designs are inspired by the very best that nature has to offer.

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Dipika also pays homage to her Yorkshire roots by championing the work of local designers, including: leather goods maker Catherine Edwards, of Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire, who uses techniques taught by shoemakers and saddlers to create practical and durable pieces that will gain character as they age; Bingley-based artist and printmaker Clare Caulfield whose work documents her travels to some of the world’s greatest cities, including New York, Paris and Venice.

Speaking about her own design influences, Dipika says: “I’m a British-born Asian and my signature style very much reflects those two distinct cultures that I have fused together. The best design is very personal and I always work with my customers and my clients to create a vision that reflects their true personality. There’s no point in trying to recreate a room-set that you’ve seen in a lifestyle magazine if it won’t accurately reflect how you and your family live your lives: the fact is, you’ll never truly be comfortable or at home there.

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“I love creating rooms to be lived in rather than simply admired. I’m a great believer in functionality: there’s no point in having something that looks great but doesn’t serve any real purpose in your home.”

But Dipika is keen to stress that creating the home of your dreams does not necessarily have to come with a hefty price tag: “I try to encourage people to start out by selecting one or two investment pieces that will continue to make a statement for years to come rather than buying lots of of-the-minute items that will need replacing within a couple of seasons because they’re out of fashion.

“It’s good to keep a breast of interiors trends but rather than following them slavishly, the trick is to cherry pick one or two key pieces that will update your look.”

With a degree in textile design from Nottingham Trent University, Dipika, 36, built the solid foundations of her creative career during a stint as a bespoke designer at Yorkshire’s Signature Carpets, the UK’s premier designer and manufacturer of luxury hand made carpets and rugs. Her work there – including her unique designs for the private jets of some of the world’s biggest high-flyers – earned her a national and international reputation for outstanding design and an ability to translate her clients’ visions and commissions into reality.

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This natural flair and sympathetic approach is fuelling the popularity of the new Elysian bespoke interior design services as Dipika explains: “Many of my clients are customers who’ve wandered into the shop because they were intrigued by the look of it and have asked me there and then if I would help them to help them put their homes together. They tell me that they feel at home in my shop!”

On offer is a full Interior design service, inside and out.  Elysian will also be offering a full garden service along with her interior design,

 “The garden or patio should be a natural extension of the home but too often it’s outdoor living space that is overlooked, except for a couple of weeks in the summer when the barbecue gets wheeled out. I’m keen to help people take the inside out so they can create extra living space for them and their families all year round”

One-off design consultations with Dipika Makwana start from £150 for more details please go to www.elysianlifestyle.com or contact 07960 794 533