How to Infuse Traditional Indian Elements Into Your Modern Home
Want to bring a bit of India into your decor? Here are five ways to do it
Are you drawn to the quintessential Indian aesthetic and wish to bring a dash of it in your interiors? Or are you a homeowner looking for inspiration to bring in you country’s cultural references into your city home? How we do up our home says a lot about our personalities, tastes, and influences, sometimes brought in from far and wide. So if you want to add a hint of Indian eclecticism to your space then these elements are essential to your checklist.
Nothing says Indian more than jute blinds with coloured borders. They look great on all types of windows, and simple blinds go a long way in driving home the exotic look. Materials like these immediately add a rustic touch and lend themselves beautifully to a diverse range of interiors.
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I have noticed that although most Indians love the deep and vivid colours of India, we are hesitant when it comes to bringing these colours indoors. Choosing wall colours that are unapologetic in their earthiness or vibrancy is another easy way of getting the Indian ethnic look you desire for your interiors. Better yet, try wall papers or paints with traditional Indian patterns.
Tip: Finding the right balance between the modern design language of your home and the traditional Indian infusions can be tricky. Often what yields the most striking of results is when you juxtapose a vital contrasting piece against the rest of the interiors. For example, consider placing an antique Indian teakwood coffee table in between your contemporary seating arrangement and see your living room transformed.
Tip: Finding the right balance between the modern design language of your home and the traditional Indian infusions can be tricky. Often what yields the most striking of results is when you juxtapose a vital contrasting piece against the rest of the interiors. For example, consider placing an antique Indian teakwood coffee table in between your contemporary seating arrangement and see your living room transformed.
2. Wall art
What you have on your walls can give away precious clues about you as an individual and a homeowner. A tactically placed painting or a photograph can magically transform a room. What works even better is when you place a typical Indian-style artwork with all its colours or context to play up against the modernist tone of your room.
Amazing Alternatives to Wall Paint
What you have on your walls can give away precious clues about you as an individual and a homeowner. A tactically placed painting or a photograph can magically transform a room. What works even better is when you place a typical Indian-style artwork with all its colours or context to play up against the modernist tone of your room.
Amazing Alternatives to Wall Paint
Be it miniature Mughal paintings depicting historical scenes of kings and queens of yore, works and imitations from the famous Bengal school, tribal art or newer interpretations by Indian artists, the right wall art is a great way to bring a bit of Indian tradition to your decor. And be assured, it is perfect fodder for a great many dinner party conversations.
Tip: A Kashmiri carpet or a dhurrie typical to India can be framed or pinned up on a wall as a work of art too. It is a quick and an easy way to amplify the Indian look.
Tip: A Kashmiri carpet or a dhurrie typical to India can be framed or pinned up on a wall as a work of art too. It is a quick and an easy way to amplify the Indian look.
3. Temporary structural elements
Very few of us get to structurally renovate our homes. Usually we have to make do with what was there when we first moved in. But all hope is not lost. There are some tricks you can use to bring in local elements that can work beautifully in a contemporary home.
Very few of us get to structurally renovate our homes. Usually we have to make do with what was there when we first moved in. But all hope is not lost. There are some tricks you can use to bring in local elements that can work beautifully in a contemporary home.
Traditional Indian crafts and artisans are much celebrated. Their imprint can be found in every nook and corner of the country – from historical sites to homes in small towns to newer cosmopolitan spaces. An engraved wooden door typical to Indian villages, a faux patterned or intricately carved ceiling, semi-permanent temple pillars are some of the many classic representatives of Indian culture and its design ethos. These can be sourced from antique stores or your local chor bazaar and placed strategically inside the home or in outdoor spaces. They will help root a space in the Indian context and will deliciously offset the design language of your home.
4. Materials
If you have the luxury of designing your own home from scratch and are looking for something that takes the notion of fusion a bit more seriously, then consider using unpolished red brick or exposed cement in select areas, perhaps a key wall or a floor area. These are a few of the most often used materials in Indian buildings and homes, and they mould the space adroitly with an Indian aesthetic.
If you have the luxury of designing your own home from scratch and are looking for something that takes the notion of fusion a bit more seriously, then consider using unpolished red brick or exposed cement in select areas, perhaps a key wall or a floor area. These are a few of the most often used materials in Indian buildings and homes, and they mould the space adroitly with an Indian aesthetic.
But don’t let these overpower your modern material palette. If used cleverly, and in the right proportion and places, such additions will influence the ambience of your home and add the right hint of India that you desire.
Tip: Rough exposed cement tiles in the bathroom and patterned tiles with Indian motifs in the kitchen can bring in an eclectic depth to your decor.
5. Accessories
Like art, how you choose to accessorise your home says a lot about you. Candles, curios, mementoes from one’s travels, traditional antiques, knick-knacks picked up from glorious adventures or last-minute purchases are like memories, and render themselves wonderfully towards creating warm environments for homes. They personalise your home like nothing else can. Clay urns, Ganesha statues, Buddha busts and typical traditional Indian antiques inside or in your outdoor spaces, not only add an international, jet-setting flavour to your interiors but are also a guaranteed way of bringing in the Indian connect.
Like art, how you choose to accessorise your home says a lot about you. Candles, curios, mementoes from one’s travels, traditional antiques, knick-knacks picked up from glorious adventures or last-minute purchases are like memories, and render themselves wonderfully towards creating warm environments for homes. They personalise your home like nothing else can. Clay urns, Ganesha statues, Buddha busts and typical traditional Indian antiques inside or in your outdoor spaces, not only add an international, jet-setting flavour to your interiors but are also a guaranteed way of bringing in the Indian connect.
Tip: Stained-glass lanterns or traditional Indian lamps placed in outdoor areas or on centre tables immediately set the right mood.
Our country is known for its luxurious traditional rugs. Their look is unique and often reminiscent of a regal, bygone era. Placing such a carpet in a modern space is a bold decision. If your room’s colour palette and furnishings are compatible to this added style, then it is a risk worth taking.
The secret to successfully infusing these key traditional elements into a contemporary space lies in using them in strategic spots and in carefully measured doses. Once you are able to contrast and balance the strengths of one style against the predominant aesthetic, you will be able to create a seamless experience in your home.
Read more:
Take a tour of a contemporary Indian home
Design musts for an urban Indian apartment
Tell us:
What kind of Indian decor elements do you love? Discuss in Comments below.
The secret to successfully infusing these key traditional elements into a contemporary space lies in using them in strategic spots and in carefully measured doses. Once you are able to contrast and balance the strengths of one style against the predominant aesthetic, you will be able to create a seamless experience in your home.
Read more:
Take a tour of a contemporary Indian home
Design musts for an urban Indian apartment
Tell us:
What kind of Indian decor elements do you love? Discuss in Comments below.
A quick way to add a dash of India to any space is to bring in the colours, fabrics, and motifs typical to its culture. The country has such a rich history behind its textiles and crafts and each region’s indigenous products have their own very unique identity and look. It’s easy to get overwhelmed with the choices that are out there, so it’s better to keep it simple.
Consider using handloom textiles, such as the gorgeous Khadi or the exquisite Tasar silk, to upholster your furniture or for throw cushions. Simple cotton fabrics with classic patterns or timeless motifs like paisley can work wonders too, especially on curtains and bed linen.
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