How to Infuse Your Living Room With Heritage Elements
Whatever your decor, ethnic accents and elements can root your home in timeless tradition
Vaishnavi Nayel Talawadekar
11 March 2018
Houzz India Contributor. Internationally published architecture, design and art journalist. www.mangomonk.com
Houzz India Contributor. Internationally published architecture, design and art journalist.... More
Ethnic elements can fit beautifully into any decor, contemporary, eclectic, minimalist or traditional. From layering an old-world living room with pieces of history to adding punch to a modern den, ethnic accents and embellishments can punctuate a living space with vibrancy and style. If you’ve been searching for ways to incorporate heritage in your home, this design guide offers a fresh look at some techniques used by homeowners.
Add a faux fabric ceiling
A flush-mounted ceiling can make a dazzling display in a minimalist room. Divide your faux ceiling into quadrants and dress opposite squares in identical embellished fabric sourced from an upholstery shop. Pick two complementary fabrics before you begin. This will provide visual stimulation, especially if you have a starkly clean space, like this one here.
Tip: Suspend an antique brass chandelier to complete the traditional aesthetic.
A flush-mounted ceiling can make a dazzling display in a minimalist room. Divide your faux ceiling into quadrants and dress opposite squares in identical embellished fabric sourced from an upholstery shop. Pick two complementary fabrics before you begin. This will provide visual stimulation, especially if you have a starkly clean space, like this one here.
Tip: Suspend an antique brass chandelier to complete the traditional aesthetic.
Frame a fabric
Scour your local bazaar for a fabric that meshes in style and colour with your decor. Then, order a custom life-size frame and have it mounted.
See how a peacock-green canvas becomes a focal point in this grey-toned living space. The ethnic theme is accentuated by the freestanding cut-out panel near the window, which displays ogee arches reminiscent of Mughal architecture.
Scour your local bazaar for a fabric that meshes in style and colour with your decor. Then, order a custom life-size frame and have it mounted.
See how a peacock-green canvas becomes a focal point in this grey-toned living space. The ethnic theme is accentuated by the freestanding cut-out panel near the window, which displays ogee arches reminiscent of Mughal architecture.
Bring in a carved daybed
A time-worn divan or daybed can bring back flashes of sunny siestas and chai-scented evenings. Pick one up at an antiques store or settle for a replica if you’re on a budget.
The carved daybed in this Mumbai beach house is flanked by little pieces of India. Pan from left to right and you’ll see an intricate pillar console table, marble columns topped with capitals, connected by a carved frieze, and ornate stone sculptures.
A time-worn divan or daybed can bring back flashes of sunny siestas and chai-scented evenings. Pick one up at an antiques store or settle for a replica if you’re on a budget.
The carved daybed in this Mumbai beach house is flanked by little pieces of India. Pan from left to right and you’ll see an intricate pillar console table, marble columns topped with capitals, connected by a carved frieze, and ornate stone sculptures.
Opt for ethnic upholstery
Have an old armchair that’s begging to be dressed? Look to locally crafted fabrics like royal patchwork, hand-embroidered cloth and handlooms. Picking the right material at this stage can have a lasting impression on your furniture.
A lone piece of ethnic furniture in a contemporary space can lend personality and local flavour to your space. See how this cherry-red seat adds a pop of colour to the plain room while also injecting a primal, folk vibe.
Have an old armchair that’s begging to be dressed? Look to locally crafted fabrics like royal patchwork, hand-embroidered cloth and handlooms. Picking the right material at this stage can have a lasting impression on your furniture.
A lone piece of ethnic furniture in a contemporary space can lend personality and local flavour to your space. See how this cherry-red seat adds a pop of colour to the plain room while also injecting a primal, folk vibe.
Embrace jali handiwork
There’s something about the hide-and-seek nature of jali that makes it a magical addition to any room.
This room has all the quiet cosiness of a hearth room, albeit minus a fireplace. The warmth comes from the glow of the backlit jali screens that enfold the room in a cocoon of soft cheer. A great example of contemporary decor with a twist: with the addition of the latticed woodwork, the ruggedly understated decor has the ambience of an intimate family room. The tall double-door jali hides a small study and the latticed unit overhead works as a storage compartment.
There’s something about the hide-and-seek nature of jali that makes it a magical addition to any room.
This room has all the quiet cosiness of a hearth room, albeit minus a fireplace. The warmth comes from the glow of the backlit jali screens that enfold the room in a cocoon of soft cheer. A great example of contemporary decor with a twist: with the addition of the latticed woodwork, the ruggedly understated decor has the ambience of an intimate family room. The tall double-door jali hides a small study and the latticed unit overhead works as a storage compartment.
More subdued, but just as effective, is this jali shutter that seeks to provide privacy to the living room. Delicate and dainty, it plays to the boldness of the solid wooden rafters overhead.
One way to invite an assortment of jali styles into your home is to have diverse pieces mounted as cupboard panels. This indigo Delhi living room successfully imparts time-honoured jali designs into a youthful, uber-modern space.
Tile the ceiling
Two things that stand out in India’s design legacy are elaborate patterns and the boundless vibrancy of colour.
This eye-catching living room presents just that: the brilliant colours are in the seating, but its most prominent feature is the intricately tiled ceiling tray. With a unique medallion-like pattern hosted in each tile, the overhead frame forms the room’s centrepiece.
Two things that stand out in India’s design legacy are elaborate patterns and the boundless vibrancy of colour.
This eye-catching living room presents just that: the brilliant colours are in the seating, but its most prominent feature is the intricately tiled ceiling tray. With a unique medallion-like pattern hosted in each tile, the overhead frame forms the room’s centrepiece.
Layer with Kashmiri carpets
A Kashmiri carpet can add a wealth of warmth to a stark room. Observe how this gigantic Kashmiri carpet converts the large, mostly empty space into an opulent chamber, while its flat weave still makes it a practical option for rooms that buzz with activity.
A Kashmiri carpet can add a wealth of warmth to a stark room. Observe how this gigantic Kashmiri carpet converts the large, mostly empty space into an opulent chamber, while its flat weave still makes it a practical option for rooms that buzz with activity.
Hang a jhoola
A jhoola can offer a playful edge, while also serving as aerial decor for a home. While you’d probably imagine one occupying a traditional home or courtyard, this eclectic Hyderabad living room is a reflection of how well a jhoola can take to an experimental decor scheme. The pair of pink twin wicker swings are an extension of the neon furniture on the left.
A jhoola can offer a playful edge, while also serving as aerial decor for a home. While you’d probably imagine one occupying a traditional home or courtyard, this eclectic Hyderabad living room is a reflection of how well a jhoola can take to an experimental decor scheme. The pair of pink twin wicker swings are an extension of the neon furniture on the left.
If you prefer a slightly more neutral colour scheme, this home is for you. The modish living room is a confluence of the old and the new, with elements across the ages forming a veritable feast for the eyes. The old-fashioned swing is like the kind you’d find on your grandparents’ verandah.
Go for traditional furniture
There are various furniture clusters you’ll come across when you probe the Indian furniture market. Shekhawati of Jodhpur, Kashmiri wood carving, and bamboo and cane styles are some examples. Shekhawati furniture from Jodhpur, in particular, comes in several kinds of wood – primarily mango, sheesham (Indian rosewood or Dalbergia sissoo), and babul (Acacia arabica).
Tip: Pick a natural wood with the grain and hue that will complement your walls and lighting.
There are various furniture clusters you’ll come across when you probe the Indian furniture market. Shekhawati of Jodhpur, Kashmiri wood carving, and bamboo and cane styles are some examples. Shekhawati furniture from Jodhpur, in particular, comes in several kinds of wood – primarily mango, sheesham (Indian rosewood or Dalbergia sissoo), and babul (Acacia arabica).
Tip: Pick a natural wood with the grain and hue that will complement your walls and lighting.
Play with cushion covers
Slipping ethnic covers over your pillows and cushions can be a quick, easy and budget-friendly way to add India to your home. Pick true-blue designs like paisleys, peacocks and mandalas and choose zippy shades that mirror India’s zest for colour.
This Jaipur living room is a burst of colours, thanks to the fuchsia and turquoise cushions arranged along the length of the striped sofa.
Slipping ethnic covers over your pillows and cushions can be a quick, easy and budget-friendly way to add India to your home. Pick true-blue designs like paisleys, peacocks and mandalas and choose zippy shades that mirror India’s zest for colour.
This Jaipur living room is a burst of colours, thanks to the fuchsia and turquoise cushions arranged along the length of the striped sofa.
Panel a wall
There are few things that evoke Indian sensibility better than traditional motifs. Seek out panels inspired by heritage architecture and have them set across a wall, or just as a border.
An earthy embossed pattern like this one can be a perfect backdrop to an understated room with few complementary accents.
There are few things that evoke Indian sensibility better than traditional motifs. Seek out panels inspired by heritage architecture and have them set across a wall, or just as a border.
An earthy embossed pattern like this one can be a perfect backdrop to an understated room with few complementary accents.
Read more:
How to Design a Modern Indian Home
5 Timeless Indian Decor Elements
Tell us:
Does your home pop with traditional elements? What techniques have you used? Tell us in Comments below.
How to Design a Modern Indian Home
5 Timeless Indian Decor Elements
Tell us:
Does your home pop with traditional elements? What techniques have you used? Tell us in Comments below.
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