Today, a home may need to function as a workspace during the day, a place to exercise in the evening and a space to relax or entertain guests later. they are far less typical of contemporary metropolitan construction, where factors such as limited land, multi-story development, modern building requirements, and changing lifestyles influence material choices While traditional mud houses remain part of India’s rural architectural landscape.
Ishika Narang is a Multimedia Writer at the Hindustan Times, with over three years of experience in digital journalism, specialising in health, lifestyle, beauty, and consumer-focused reporting. Her primary coverage areas include evidence-based health journalism, preventive care, wellness trends, and affiliate-driven consumer guides tailored for digital audiences. She began her professional journey in digital media, where she developed expertise in multimedia storytelling and platform-optimised editorial strategies. Over the years, she has worked with reputed organisations such as Park+, Jagran, and Wavel.ai, steadily building credibility in health and consumer journalism. Her work reflects a strong progression in editorial responsibility, combining research-backed reporting with audience-focused content formats. At Hindustan Times, she produces in-depth health and lifestyle features, expert-led explainers, and data-informed consumer stories. She also focuses extensively on affiliate articles, creating well-researched buying guides, product comparisons, and recommendation-based content that balances commercial intent with editorial integrity. Alongside writing, she conceptualises and manages social media storytelling, ensuring content is informative, engaging, and optimised for platform-specific consumption. Her subject expertise includes preventive healthcare, nutrition, supplements, women’s health, beauty trends, consumer awareness, and affiliate commerce content. She integrates expert consultations, peer-reviewed research, verified product analysis, and transparent sourcing. Her strengths lie in evidence-based storytelling, simplifying complex information, and producing reader-first affiliate content that prioritises trust and value. Ishika holds a Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com) in Marketing from Guru Gobind Indraprastha University, which enhances her understanding of consumer behaviour, digital commerce, and audience engagement, skills that complement her specialisation in consumer and affiliate journalism. She is committed to ethical reporting, transparent affiliate disclosures, rigorous fact-checking, and maintaining editorial credibility, ensuring every story upholds reader trust and journalistic standards. As homes take on multiple roles, the way Indians choose interior materials is also evolving. Beyond color, finish and price, material selection can also involve factors such as acoustic comfort, durability, maintenance, moisture resistance and sustainability. This shift is particularly relevant for multifunctional spaces, where materials need to perform without compromising the overall look of the home. Working, studying, and spending more leisure time at home has made noise an important consideration in interior design. Sounds from adjoining rooms, appliances, traffic or conversations can affect concentration and relaxation, particularly when one room serves several purposes. However, he points out that the objective is not necessarily to make a home completely soundproof. Different spaces have different acoustic requirements. A study or work area may benefit from reduced reverberation and clearer speech, while a family room may benefit from a livelier acoustic environment. A material may look appealing when it is newly installed, but its practicality becomes evident with everyday use. Indian homes can experience dust, humidity, cooking fumes, heavy foot traffic, and seasonal changes, making durability and maintenance important considerations. This becomes even more relevant in multifunctional homes. Rather than choosing materials solely based on traditional room-by-room divisions, designers can consider surfaces that work across different requirements in home interior design.
“Special materials that help absorb and control sound must be used in home interior design, including acoustic panels, fabric wall systems, wooden acoustic solutions and many other sound-absorbing surfaces,” says Garg.
