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Give Your Interiors A Touch Of Indian Artefacts

Give Your Interiors A Touch Of Indian Artefacts

Give Your Interiors A Touch Of Indian Artefacts
(Baaya Design)

Bought a new home? What an exciting moment! There must be a desire to make it cool, chic, comfortable -- and all of that on a shoestring! You would search for furniture at various renowned furniture markets in your city, even Chor Bazaar, and maybe now at online platforms.

But, after the basics (the furniture, soft furnishings, and kitchen) what is it that will help you make the place your own, your home? What is it that gives it a unique character?

Undoubtedly, the interior accessories. The add-ons that bring colour and aesthetic sensibilities to your abode. Those elements that take you back to your childhood, your birthplace, your happy moments, and even your travel experiences. In short happy memory markers that connect to your roots.

This is where folk and tribal art and artifacts come in. Folk art by it's very nature captures the way of life in the community — harvesting, flora and fauna, and folk dances. Very often they tell stories that maybe you first heard from your grandmother! Artifacts are stories that take you back to your roots. What if we could bring some of these connections into our homes? Can you imagine a lush and vibrant tree of life on your walls? Or a sparkling Kutch Mirror wall reminiscent of the desert sun?

You can bring alive some of the things that you cherished through a traditional artwork or an artefact or a special furniture piece. You can give them a contemporary look through a clever use of colours and with modified styling if you need to. Let's explore the various areas in your home that can do with an immediate make over.

The entrance lobby: You could place a beautiful umbrella hanger for the monsoons, or a stunning shoe rack. Create it in a playful, artistic style that reflects your tastes and sensibilities. For instance, you can introduce a charming hand-painted Gond shoe rack, replete with lush images inspired by the forests of Madhya Pradesh. Or you can also place a water urli with floating flowers and candles as a refreshing entry statement. You can also opt for a quaint lamp or light that adds character to the space or some hanging bell chimes.

gond nesting table (2)(Baaya Design)

The living room: The living room has many possibilities. Make a customised 'statement wall' with a fabulous artwork made with traditional elements —framed or painted directly on the wall. While using elements of Indian arts and crafts in this piece, you can match it with your contemporary furniture in its styling or presentation. You could also invest in a distinctive art furniture piece or artefact that can contrast or stand out with the other furniture. Mix and match confidently with this one trick- try to keep one element consistent. For instance, if you have straight line furniture, you can opt for an interesting collage format artwork with contemporary, cuboid mounting or opt for a dramatic art furniture that is very different but matches with your decor colours. Don't forget to add lots of elements of interest — decorative lights in corners or on shelves, cushion covers, place artefacts, bowls on your center and side tables, put a centerpiece on your dining table, use interesting curtain rods and even beautiful dust bins.

Gond tree with falling leafs(Baaya Design)

There are no hard and fast rules, use your visual judgement to combine from your traditions into your modern day interiors. Or get the help of designers who can do this for you. Because all said and done, home is where the heart is. And the heart is where our roots are!

This article is authored by Shibani Jain, CEO and Founder of Baaya Design. 

Last Updated: Fri Mar 03 2017

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