The ethnic Indian aesthetic features bright colors, intricate furniture, and handmade utilitarian decor. It’s no wonder that these India-inspired decor elements draw inspiration from all its architectural jewels. Inspiration is everywhere, from the Taj Mahal to the religious motifs in places of worship to the large forts and palaces all over the country. If you’d like a home that reflects India’s rich culture and history, adding traditional elements will do just that.
So, do you live in one part of India but are actually from another? Or do you live abroad and would like your space to offer a link to your home land? If so, using culture or region as inspiration for India-inspired decor is a great idea. So if you’d like to fit your home with contemporary interior ethnics and effortlessly elevate a well ethnical room, here are our tips
India-inspired decor ideas for you
We’ve compiled a list of simple ways you can tweak your style and add some India-inspired decor to your home design. Go ahead and punctuate your home with vivacious elegance.
Wooden Furniture
Wooden furniture has been a reliable staple in Indian homes since the colonial period. Invest in a good quality dining table set, centerpieces, chests, jharokhas, or footstools made of teakwood, rosewood, and ebony. Having these will complement and elevate a room in an understated manner.
Another Indian household favorite is a ‘Jaali.’ This is a hand-carved life-size piece of wood that makes a nice partition. What’s great about a jaali is that does not entirely obstruct light and ventilation. Instead, it gives the home a rustic feel without taking away its elegance. You can use one to partition your living room from your dining area. Yet another idea is to place it in your bedroom and dress up behind it.
Splash of Colors
Bright colors are the hallmark of India-inspired decor. From fluorescent yellow to warm browns, you’ll have a wide spectrum of colors to choose from. But remember to avoid visual chaos. To do so, follow this rule of thumb: a neutral ceiling, earthy walls, and bright accents. This will help you keep your home from looking tacky.
You probably know that India is famed for the rich quality of textiles it produces. These fabrics, with their bright colors, bold prints, and hand-sewn designs, make the perfect accents for a room. Use different prints and textures as embroidered cushion covers, block-printed rugs, and hand-loom carpets. Drapes, too, can give your home an ethnic twist. Use these in your hall, your dining room, and your bedroom. You can use colors and prints on your bed bolster cushions or bed runners. In your dining room, your table cloth or table runners could use a splash of color. And you can even frame some pieces of fabric for the walls. How cool would that be!
Traditional Flair
Indian interior design is a mix of functionality and style. Take, for example, useful elements, such as carved or decorated wooden cabinets. They serve as storage spaces and can elevate the mood and look of the room.
Traditional south-Indian homes are characterized by their big, extravagant living rooms. These are spacious rooms with a jhoola, cushioned sofas, and a center table. They’re a comfortable space used to host guests and spend quality family time. A jhoola is a wooden or metal swing that is hung from the ceiling or frame with chains. You can incorporate one into your living space and decorate it with printed drapes or embroidered cushions. This is a unique way to add a fun, Indian element to your home. Not to mention, it will be loved by kids and elders alike.
Wall Art
Wall art leaves a large scope for bringing a dose of Indian style into a home. Mehendi designs are traditionally used to decorate the skin for an auspicious occasion like a marriage. But these designs make aesthetic wallpapers for a statement wall, too! Similarly, ancient Indian art forms like Mandala, Warli and Madhubani, bring a part of India into a home.
A more modern approach to incorporating art into interior design is patchwork. This is a wide range of bright fabrics with different motifs sewn together to create a new, trendy piece of art for your wall. In fact, this can also be used to make rugs, carpets, and sofa throw-overs. All these are trendy ways to make your home feel more ethnic.
Decorative Pieces
Indian-inspired art, photography, and drapery capture years of culture and tradition on a canvas. That’s why they make aesthetic statement pieces for a home. Further, sculptures of spiritual elements like ‘Om’ or a Hindu god or goddess add an ethnic touch to a home. On the other hand, decorative pieces like wooden dressers, cane baskets, footstools are useful staples of traditional Indian homes. These can be adapted to the modern urban aesthetic – from your home office to your study.
India-inspired decor with Handicrafts
India boasts of rich craftsmanship, and you can utilize some of these to adorn the nooks and corners of your home. Remember those souvenirs you picked up on your trip to Jaipur? Or those coastal mementos from your holidays down south? From clay pottery to ‘diyas,’ and from statues to lanterns, candle-stands crockery, and paintings – there’s so much to choose from! You can also achieve some of that distinct, vintage feel by buying oxidized or brass items. Also, handmade kitchenware is gorgeous, so consider buying trays, serving bowls, and cake stands for your kitchen. You can buy these at affordable prices at local markets or at handicraft stores.
Play with materials in your India-inspired decor
If you’re doing up your home from scratch, why not use different materials that can help add depth to your spaces. For example, some exposed red brick or cement in the bathroom scream ‘effortless style’. Since Indian homes are primarily made of these materials, you can add them through your space. However, remember to do so sparingly so you don’t lose sight of the modern aesthetic you desire.
Most importantly, Indian homes always have an element of nature in and around them. From the worshipped tulsi plant at the entrance of the home to the revered banyan tree in the backyard, there’s no such thing as too much green. Homes built by Kasu Assets, premium real estate developers in Goa, are built around the natural landscape of Goa, offering luxurious amenities, beautiful landscapes, and a lavish lifestyle.
In fact, Kasu Zira, the latest project in Goa, is built in a quiet village of Reis Magos, in keeping with the natural land formation. Buy a home in a state that’s a melting pot of cultures while you keep your love for India alive.
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