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Reimagining Mughal Architecture in Modern Homes
Designed in a bygone style, Mughal accents and elements find room in homes even today
Shristi Nangalia
20 November 2020
Houzz India Contributor, Architect, Architectural Writer and Content Writer. Painting, craft work, pets and good food are my getaways. Cultures and colours always inspire me. Email: shristi012@gmail.com, Business profile: @decoretteindia.
Houzz India Contributor, Architect, Architectural Writer and Content Writer. Painting,... More
The Mughal empire is long gone, but it has left behind a legacy of timeless architecture involving vaulted ceilings, arches, domes, rich murals, intricate stonework and more. Not only in terms of design and layout, Mughal architecture continues to inspire the designers in terms of materiality and representation also.
Remember, you can click on the images to know more about the professional’s work and details.
Remember, you can click on the images to know more about the professional’s work and details.
Rich use of colours, organic patterns, ornate detailing and symmetrical compositions are a few facets of Mughal craftsmanship that punctuate this style.
Let us dig deeper into the many ways and forms Mughal architecture is translated in modern homes. You can take cues from the designers’ works to foster Mughal moods at your home, too.
Let us dig deeper into the many ways and forms Mughal architecture is translated in modern homes. You can take cues from the designers’ works to foster Mughal moods at your home, too.
Check out how this dining room subtly marries two epochs in one frame. While the furnishing and finishing gives a modern spin to the space, the artwork on the back wall, with its generous use of colours and detailed borders, celebrates the finesse and expressiveness of Mughal art. The artwork is a direct rendition of original Mughal paintings, typically characterised by formal portraits, scenes from a court meeting or celebration, with richly decorated borders, which were painted on cloth as wall hangings or on walls as murals.
Take a tour of this Ajmer home here
Take a tour of this Ajmer home here
Pillars and jali railings carved out of stone, foliated and pointed arches, a high vaulted ceiling and inlay work on the floor summon strong Mughal vibes in this residence.
Find a professional on Houzz to help you design your home
Find a professional on Houzz to help you design your home
The home’s bathroom interweaves clean edges with round and ogee arches, wall sconces and screened cabinets.
Check out these 8 Indian homes that wow with arches
Check out these 8 Indian homes that wow with arches
The Mughal-inspired artwork draws the eye and invites an old-world charisma into this room. Do not miss to notice how the traditional carpet reinforces the Mughal appeal in an unobtrusive manner. Mughals used intricately designed cotton carpets like this one as floor coverings, wall hangings and table covers as well.
Look for rugs and carpets on Houzz
Look for rugs and carpets on Houzz
This Mediterranean bathroom sports a pointed arch niche on the wall, inspired from the outline of bulbous Mughal domes, and a fabric awning on the ceiling, reminiscent of the iwan and shamiana of Mughals. The classic elements blend seamlessly with the modern decor by maintaining a consistent colour palette.
The bedroom of the same home crowns a patterned ceiling design reimagined from geometric Mughal jali screens.
See more ways to add jalis to a contemporary home
See more ways to add jalis to a contemporary home
A number of period pieces enrich this bathroom to offer a regal experience rooted in Mughal architecture. The ornately carved doorways and pilasters in wood, the detailing made in the shower enclosure and bathtub with marble, and the intricate work on the wall art and carpet, all come together to give a heritage feel to the space.
Learn about the art of bringing in heritage accents
Learn about the art of bringing in heritage accents
Painting or printing motifs on a partition screen or walls can offer continuity and balance to the interior’s theme. Here, a backdrop of Mughal motifs sits in the lobby area, connecting two bedrooms.
Give your home an ethnic edge with Indian-inspired prints
Give your home an ethnic edge with Indian-inspired prints
Sideboards, cabinets, and other furnishing embellished with classic patterns, motifs or jali work is another quick yet sure-fire way to add a Mughal allure to interiors.
Wondering which traditional furniture pieces go well in modern homes?
Wondering which traditional furniture pieces go well in modern homes?
Axial geometry, channels ending in a water feature and ornamental detailing can be recreated to design a modern garden synonymous to a typical Mughal garden. The straightforward layout allows for easier reinterpretation of the plan in small gardens and courtyards too.
However, a Mughal-inspired garden doesn’t necessarily replicate the said geometry and layout. In this picture, see how arches and pendant lights rightly exude a warm Mughal charm to the small courtyard garden.
Read more:
Mughal-Inspired Spaces That Are Worthy of Your Envy
How to Infuse Traditional Indian Elements Into Your Modern Home
Tell us:
How have you fused traditional and modern aesthetics at your home? Show us in Comments below.
Read more:
Mughal-Inspired Spaces That Are Worthy of Your Envy
How to Infuse Traditional Indian Elements Into Your Modern Home
Tell us:
How have you fused traditional and modern aesthetics at your home? Show us in Comments below.
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