How Indian motifs are drawing on memories for home decor

We can’t quite say kitsch has had its day, but of late designers are going a different, and very welcome, direction when it comes to prints for home decor. Gone are the Mughal motifs and the umpteenth interpretation of the lotus blossom, as patterns take inspiration from everyday life, travel and memories. “I think those typical motifs have been done for so many years, and interpreted in so many different ways, that they have become a little tired,” says Sarah Fotheringham, co-founder of Delhi-based designer home brand Safomasi. “It’s led people to seek fresh designs that are unique, with inspirations originating from a more personal angle.” We look at four brands, who are telling this story.



Safomasi

Each year, Fotheringham and her partner Maninder Singh explore a different part of the world and create illustrated prints for their five-year-old brand, Safomasi. Like Alleppey, one of their latest collections, that is a vivid catalogue from their travels on the Kerala backwaters, with illustrated men picking coconuts, woven palm leaves, fishermen, and aerial views. “We design prints in pairs, so each has an aerial view, imagined from the perspective of the coastal birds found in the region,” says Fotheringham, adding that a lot of greens and blues were used to create a coastal feel. Another collection is Kapadokya, drawing from their travels in Cappadocia, Turkey - featuring hot air balloons, the region’s famous fairy chimneys (cone-shaped rock formations), and cave houses. “They (the slice-of-life prints) are playful, happy and have a story behind them. These images remind people of their own experiences,” she says, adding their next line would mostly be inspired by the Himalayas.



NEST

Arpit Agarwal, who hails from Dibrugarh in Assam, always found a lack of representation when it came to products promoting the North East. So the NID alumnus launched NEST, a range of products inspired by the visual imagery of the region’s cultural symbols and lifestyles, in 2012. His ‘View from the Top’ collection of notebooks features everyday images of Mizoram’s bamboo dancers, weavers, Assam’s fishing women and more. “While these sights may look mundane, they’re breathtaking when seen from a bird’s eye,” says Agarwal, adding, “The idea is to give the user a new perspective.” He uses simple lines and bright colours to create detailed illustrations, which are then converted into digital art and transferred on to hardbound books. Agarwal - who is working on a line of jewellery inspired by the northeast - also gives detailed descriptions on the back covers, which he hopes will further spur interest in the region.

Newsletter

Coimbatore's GT Holidays executes an exotic honeymoon for star couple Nayantara and Vignesh Sivan in Spain

Vignesh Shivan and Nayanthara have taken the internet by storm with their pictures from the honeymoon to Spain from exot...

Slender pine slats enclose Evans Tree House in Arkansas by Modus Studio

American firm Modus Studio has used steel and heat-treated pine to build an "alive and mysterious" treehouse i...

Newly built townhouses in Melbourne channel art deco architecture

Cera Stribley Architects teamed with interior design studio The Stella Collective on a series of eight, three-storey tow...

World Book Day 2019: History, theme, and significance

World Book Day 2019: Books are known to be the bridge between the past and the present, and play an important role in co...

Reflect on the best mirrored buildings from around the world via our Pinterest board

We've updated our Pinterest board dedicated to mirrored buildings, including a mirrored toilet on one of Norway&#03...

Tracing the history of Kashmiri art painters

What is the link between Kashmir and Buddhism? History traces the link to seventh century, when Chinese Buddhist monk Xu...