Home decor items on display on the Exhibition Ground in Bhubaneswar. Pictures by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, Nov. 16: A five-day exhibition, Design Carnival and the Interior Show-2012, was the place to be for one, who wanted to add festive spirit to interiors. The event, organised by Indian Institute of Architects, Odisha Chapter, on the Exhibition Ground concluded on Sunday.

The 60-odd kiosks housed accessories to make every room attractive. The designs of modular kitchen with modern stoves, ovens and chimneys were a visual treat for all home-makers. The sparkling faucets, sauna units and bathtubs also attracted people.

Antiques of all sizes and designs made of porcelain were another crowd puller as were the wall hangings and wall clocks. Many couples were seen contemplating over the wallpapers and ceramic titles put up by renowned companies.

A kiosk selling shoe racks seemed to grab maximum eyeballs. “We have bought a new home. Though the prices are slightly exorbitant, the collection is great. From rooftop sheets to home lighting, it has everything under one roof, we were looking for,” said newly-wed Bikash and Sandhya Mohanty.

While the interior exhibition showcased materials to beautify one’s home, the design carnival required the creators to do some brainstorming. There were series of workshops, seminars, competitions, conferences, technical presentations and discussions on interior, exterior and construction industries in India.

Delegates from across the country took part in the design carnival, a major part of which was organised at a city-based hotel. The event hosted debates on new paradigms of architecture and planning not only from the design’s perspective, but also from usability and functionality. The theme chosen this year was “Inclusive Architecture”, which dealt with the design process to create inclusive products, which everyone can use.

The young architecture award, lifetime achievement award and the architect of the year award were conferred on professional architects on the occasion.