Grounded Wellness
New rugs designed by Shalini Misra
Architect and interior designer Shalini Misra has long been fascinated by the ancient stepwells of India, intricate structures that descend to a water source that were once at the very heart of communities. They acted as reservoirs while doubling up as unifying spiritual centres, a place of refuge for ritual purification and prayer. For women, they provided a safe haven, offering protection and shelter from the heat as they fetched water for their community. They inspired Shalini’s new collection of three statement rugs, made in Nepal by Italian maker CC-Tapis, available via her online store Curio. “These rugs are not just beautiful pieces of art but also a reminder of the importance of sustainability and community,” says Shalini. “I have always been inspired by the incredible architecture of India’s stepwells, and for our first exclusive Curio collection we wanted to create pieces that would not only showcase extraordinary craftsmanship, but that would be really rooted in a sense of place.”
Shalini sees rugs as functional and textural foundations acting as grounding elements for entertaining and everyday living, bringing people together, and she draws parallels with the historical use of India’s ancient stepwells, also known as baori, bawdi or vav. All three rugs are named after the stepwell that inspired its design, marrying historically informed architectural detail and a locally inspired colour palette with established textile motifs.
Each rug passes through the hands of many expert artisans in Kathmandu – the finest natural Himalayan wool is carded, spun, dyed, knotted and finished by hand following ancient techniques.
Shalini earned her architecture degree in India and honed her expertise with studies in New York and London. She founded her interior design practice Shalini Misra Design in 1997, which has offices in London, New York, Dubai, India and Italy, and has long prioritised holistic wellness and sustainability. shalinimisra.com ►