Décor Revamp
NEW BEGINNINGS DEMAND A NEW LOOK. START THE YEAR WITH A MAKEOVER FOR YOUR HOME.
New beginnings demand a new look. Start the year with a makeover for your home.
AMAKEOVER DOESN’T necessarily entail a complete overhaul. Often a tiny detail, an addition of an accessory or a touch of colour can change the look of a room. So if the thought of renovations and rejigging your apartment seems overwhelming, start with making small changes like adding utilitarian art to your décor. Remember, green spaces, gallery wall art, handmade, artisanal products, geometrics and tropical prints are likely to be big trends in the coming year. Here are recommendations for both undiscovered and well-known designers you can turn to in the city of Mumbai.
AU NATUREL
Jute dominates Pooja Dholakia’s designs, binding Thumri’s spiral coasters, vases, name plates and dreamcatchers. In search of inspiration for her final project at the MIT Institute of Design in Pune, Dholakia decided to take a trip to South Mumbai’s busiest markets including Crawford Market, Princess Street, Third
Boiwada and Mohammed Ali Road. “The innumerable things to look at, the endless permutations and combinations that my brain was churning out as potential business ideas were making my mind go numb. In this mind-numbing cocktail, the only product that caught my attention was the modest jute rope,” recalls Dholakia. Returning home with bundles of rope, she began decorating waste bottles with them. That was the beginning of Thumri, and although jute is a recurring element, her designs also include burlap, beads and buttons, wooden decoratives, coconut shells, feathers, crochet, gunghroos and laces. Her plan for the future is to employ women from marginalised communities and tie up with rural artisans, some of whom make the most beautiful carved bottle gourd lamps. Tel 9833694886 Email poojadholakia@thumri.in Website facebook.com/thumritales
GOING GREEN
Terrariums and kokedamas are a great way to bring in some green to your space-crunched apartment. Dentist Abhijit Varpe, who did up coffee shop Blue Tokai with this green decor, believes they also make for a “hassle-free, stunning piece of art.” Terrariums for the most part, he says, are maintenance-free if kept in the right spot (indirect sunlight and in a cool spot, preferably air conditioned) they might need watering at times once in six months. Kokedamas on the other hand require watering like any other regular potted plant. “They can be soaked in water for a couple of minutes and placed back in their spots again,” suggests Varpe, who set up his green venture Copper Brains in 2013 to retail terrariums and later, the Japanese art form of kokedamas too. Tel 9773702648 Website copperbrains.in/
OFFBEAT, BUT ON TREND
Bring the wilderness into your living room with Freedom Tree’s latest designs. According to founder and design director Latika Khosla, their designs are all about easy living, trendy colour mixes and fussfree products that are offbeat and inspiring for a new generation to discover the delight of doing up their homes. Their Keora collection, which includes a slipper chair, a sofa, a slope side table and facet side table made from sheesham wood, depicts sinuous, curving tree branches bearing lush blossoms and fruits. The print climbs the tapestry like curling branches laden with blooming flowers and abundant fruit. “Vivid green
fronds and aquamarine leaves pull us deep into a magical forest set against the deepest teal background,” describes Khosla. The design is ideal for giving the idea of escape, which can be accentuated by using deep teals and blues as a backdrop, whether on walls or on the main sofas, she suggests. Website freedomtree.in/
TAKE TO THE BOTTLE
It was as a tribute to his pet squirrel that industrial designer Mikhail Solanki designed his “squirrel lamp”, made from an old champagne bottle. “It’s a very unique looking lamp with a scape of a squirrel in a park,” he reveals. This frosted glass design is just one of several Solanki creates from waste glass bottles. “Life had hit a dead end. Ironically, I found my answer at the bottom of my last whiskey bottle that I just didn't want to throw away,” says Solanki, who set up Botl in early 2015. Tying up with Rhea Kanuga, Botl now has a range of scented candles, garden accessories such as planters for small indoor and outdoor plants, and lighting which includes
everything from hanging pendant lights to table top lamps. “We’re at the dawn of the eco revolution and there’s no greater way to contribute than to go green in your business or lifestyle,” says Solanki. Tel 8689800046 Email botl@glassbotl.com Website facebook.com/pg/glassbotl
HANDMADE WITH LOVE
Distressed and decoupage—the two oft-heard D’s of design form the very bedrock of Yes I Made This. Celebrating the handmade, they make quilts, trays, letter holders, cushion covers, coasters, candles and more. Pretty Victorian florals meet lovely ethnic peacock and paisley designs that could help you turn your room into a Shakespeare and Company Cafe inspired wonderland. Tel 8879222743 Website yesimadethis.co.in/
A TOUCH OF THE RUGGED
Military green helmets, a vintage camera on a tripod or a vintage model airplane—Karan and wife Maithili Marathe Bangera offer some of the quirkiest designs. The Bangeras, who also set up The Gentleman's Community, are passionate about vintage designs and gather items from collectors and artisans from all over the world. At Rav Lifestyles in Santacruz, they retail some of the most interesting décor items from ‘manly’ leather chairs to quirky ladder shelves and wine bottles holders. Tel 022-26056472 Website facebook.com/pg/thegentlemanscommunity or facebook.com/ravlifestyle
SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
Decorative plates with kitschy, quirky, on-trend designs share space with a Van Gogh-inspired range. At Mora Taara, there’s something for every taste. The store’s owner Anuradha Kumar envisioned the markets of South East Asia while she designed the look of the Peddar Road store. You’ll find brass lanterns, hand embroidered cushions and quirky movie posters. Primary colours are paired with vibrant ethnic designs. Tel 022-65754822, 022-23523116 Website morataara.com
NATURE CALLS
Flora and fauna is one of the biggest inspirations for Sarita Handa and her team of designers. Elephant motifs to patterns of birds on a branch, Handa’s designs are a lovely way to add a touch of the wild into the comfort of your home. Tel 022-40052686 Website saritahanda.com/
TIMELESS STYLES
Handcrafted products can never go out of style, and the Nagpur-based Kalika which has recently opened an outlet in the suburb of Khar, uses wood, fabric and ceramics timelessly. Although the newly opened store has a lovely range of products, it’s their lamps that are the most interesting. Tel 022-26006562 Website kalika.net.in/
EXPERIMENTAL ONE
At Avni Sejpal’s studio, you’ll find the most creative innovations including bespoke lighting, textiles, statement furniture, installation environments and objet d'art. Apart from cork and metals, Sejpal is also known for upcycling sarees for seating. Tel 022 65618520 Website studioavni.com/
SHABBY CHIC
Vinanti Kothari has a knack of giving