Indian Style ~ How to?

Hello world!

As promised, this post is all about tips on how to create an Indian styled room of your own. On Demand! of a lot of readers, I am also including a list of boutiques and stores from where you can buy Indian or Indian/South Asian products. This post, or the list is in no way all encompassing ... as I was putting it together, I once again realized the vastness of India, and the richness of design - not just from one region to the other, but also from one design genre to other. But despair not! I hope to present more and more India and Asia oriented design tips in future...so keep watching and reading!

Talking of design genres, one way (and not the only way!) to look at Indian design is to look at the transition from traditional to modern.

While you have traditional design that is rich in colors and art....

you also have interiors that are very simple and utilitarian

And styles that I personally favor ... a judicious, as well as creative influence of traditional elements in current setting...

Also popular is the subtle and classy Indian contemporary design

Then there is also the Indian kitsch that has been the rage for quite some time now

Coming now to how you can recreate Indian Style in your home - to begin with, you can play with the furniture, furnishings, walls and decor knick-knacks to get an Indian styled room.

~ Furniture:

If you can source or buy Indian furniture [traditional or contemporary], nothing like it. You don't need to do up the entire room with Indian furniture; just a couple of well placed accent pieces would also do.

~ Furnishings:

The right textiles and fabrics will immediately transform your room into a mini India! Indian/Indian style furnishings work work very well with regular furniture too, so you don't need to worry about first picking up Indian furniture before you do up your room. You can define the mood and genre of your room, and go for kitschy and colorful furnishings or pick up a more subtle color palette of Indian fabrics and prints. Sarees, used as decor accessory [window drape, bed drape, canopy, framed on the wall], instantly brighten up a room

~ Walls:

Color them bright - mustard, ochre, saffron, peacock blue; or use Indian print fabric drapes; or use Indian wall art, specially paintings from Indian folk art like madhubani, warli, tanjore, mughal etc; or take a wooden block and block print your favorite Indian motif on the walls; or hang your favorite Indian rug or kilim up on the wall!

~ Decor knick-knacks

Sky is the limit here! Though moderation is equally important so that your room does not end up looking like a museum or an Indian fair ;)


Given below is an example of use of Indian furnishings, ornate mirror and a bunch of peacock feathers to add an Indian feel to the room

Still wondering how you could get your own India inspired room? Well, if you look at the following images, I have tried to create some options using rooms from Pottery Barn and Ikea. You just need to replace or add some touches that will help give your interiors a feel of India!

Changes to the room: Mughal painting on the wall, cushions/pillows covered with Indian fabric, small painted chest instead of the small table, a rich rug below the table, table accessorized with Indian/Asian artefacts, raw silk throw and andhra leather lamp shade

Changes to the room: Block print fabrics! Curtain, bedspread and duvet all block prints with Indian motifs. Ornate lamp can be nice touch to an otherwise simple room. Wall can block printed with a motif from the fabric

Changes to the room: The same bedroom now in more vibrant colors. The white cupboard can be replaced by a handpainted armoire. The bedspread and cushions are made from sarees. Curtain is block printed cotton- voile, that allows sunlight to filter in. Wooden 'jharokha' above the bed completes the look 

Now for list of some online stores from where you can source the magic to turn your room or home into India!  (image credits to a bunch of links below for today's post)

Pier, Pier1 Imports, Zara Home, ABCHome, SaffronMarigold, John Robshaw, Les Iniennes, Bhatik, Lombok, Myakka, Anthropologie, Kerry Cassill, Malabar Trading, Christ International, East of here, Ten thousand villages, Anupama, Sundance, Yellow Sunrise, Haveli Home, National Geographic Home

Happy decorating and re-decorating!
More inspiration here...

And if you need my help in converting a room or home into a slice of heaven from India, send me an email!

[Image credit: Allposters.com]

On Demand! India Inspired Bedrooms

Another mega post, On Demand!

Call them

Indian style bedrooms, or

Bedrooms inspired by India, or

Indian bedrooms

Here they are:

A collection of inspiration for turning your sleep abode into a piece of India!

But wait, this is just Part I of inspiration!

In Part Deux (aka' next post), I will share ideas on how readers outside India can re-create a mini India in their homes. From resources and stores available to you in your continent!

A touch of contemporary, a hint of tradition, loads of creativity and you have the recipe for today's bedroom design

Simple furnishing, modern chandelier. A traditional pichwai painting as the focal point in the room. A day bed of sorts in the niche of one wall, with cushions and bolsters

Gorgeous metal relief panel behind the bed. And matching cushions

Bed platform made from brick and mortar. Jaali (lattice work) design in the background

Wall mural above the bed with wooden puppets

Fabric/old paintings in gilt edged frames make a dramatic statement. Jasmine flowers in bowls as natural room freshener

Understated elegance. Rugs add a touch of color to this room

Straight line furniture. Dark wood goes well with an Indian setting

Another view of the bedroom with painting

Hint of Morocco?

Platform beds are quite popular in contemporary homes

Four Poster beds and drapes...

Umm...indulge in yards and yards of fabric! Sarees put to good use here

Silk bed cover, and fine muslin drape

Dreamy mosquito nets can be drapes too

Canopied bed

Gorgeous headboards

Kitschy bed! Old ceramic tiles and prints of Indian Gods and Goddesses adorn the headboard

Beautiful carved headboard

Old carved panel used as headboard here. Ikat fabric pieces on the ladder..

Sumptuous enough for a king..or a queen!

India. Means colors and vibrancy.

India. Also means simplicity and restrain

Charpai type bed

Simple adornment with a flower motif on the wall

And finally a look at traditional rooms. Bedrooms from the opulence of palaces...

Recreate a royal tent by covering the walls with India inspired fabric!

...to the grace of village homes

A bedroom from kutch

End of On Demand! post "India Inspired Bedrooms": Part I

Keep watching for Part II next week!

Happy Weekend!

[Image Sources: A lot of the images are from my personal archive of inspiration files, so unfortunately, I don't have the links. Thanks to all the sources from where I have collected the images over the years. Rest: slh.com, pro.corbis.com, allposters.com)