India Design ID 2015 Round Up

The Last last two weeks have been a dream for those of us who love art, design and culture. First the India Art Fair, followed by the India Design ID and its satellite events and then the I Haat Delhi festival over the weekend. As you can imagine, it was quite an eventful week!

A lot of crazy deadlines meant that I couldn't attend any of the satellite events I had planned to during Design ID week. I did however manage to squeeze out a day to attend the Exhibition and Symposium on Friday. Big shout out to Vani Ganesh of Perfect Relations, who arranged a pass for me for the symposium. BV Doshi was to attend and speak on the day I went, but sadly he cancelled last minute :(

ID Symposium

The main Exhibition Pavilion included a lot of established names like Valaya Home, Casa Pop by Raseel Gujral, Sarita Handa, Apartment 9 and The Charcoal Project. This exhibition area focused mostly on decor and home styling, while the Design Pavilion focused on Indian Designers & Design and included names like Neeru Kumar, Godrej Design Lab, ThePurpleTurtles and EDIDA 2014 winners. 

Some of the stalls and booths were beautifully set up and I have included images of these. Others, I felt tried to crowd too much in and it was impossible to navigate through. One big issue I had was that a few design booths and stalls didn't allow visitors to take photographs. Come on guys, we are giving you free promotion! Besides that, if having your designs copied is an issue, take a leaf out of Coco Chanel's philosophy. For her, copying was the greatest compliment you could give her besides the free publicity. Besides, she had the confidence in her product to know that even if it was copied, it would never be the same as the real thing. And if having your products photographed is still such an issue, please put up a sign stating very clearly that photography of your stall is not permitted! I saw a lot of visitors and students trying to take pictures only to be scolded. I believe this platform is one based on the idea of promoting design and sharing ideas and this attitude is the very antithesis of that idea.

This was the set up by Krea and I absolutely love their contemporary furniture that has a mid-century modern feel. They have some beautifully designed chairs and benches- a couple of pieces that have gone on my 'someday maybe' list :) Their flagship store is in Sultanpur, on MG Road and I am planning a visit soon.

I totally fell for this black wall of distressed antique frames. Cool how they work so well together in spite being different shapes, sizes and shades. Something to ponder on maybe? 

Cute and eclectic as always, Nur's display was fun, playful and very whimsical, which pretty much sums up their range of products. I liked their colorful rugs and doormats and their quirky cushion covers.

Saw these cute and colorful seats, part of the Retyrement Plan range of occasional furniture by Anu Tandon Viera for Godrej Design Lab. They are made from discarded tyres and colorful ropes. That pouffe/table is so going on my wishlist :)

The AKFD design booth was another set up that I loved. The minimal grey backdrop was the perfect foil for their contemporary designs that offer a fresh take on traditional Indian crafts. My favorites were their Lamp designs. 

The Neeru Kumar design booth has some truly beautiful textiles for the home ranging from cushion covers and rugs to framed wall hangings. It was delightful speaking with Neeru, a pioneer who has made a huge impact on the Indian Textile scene. 

Look who I bumped into! My senior from IED, Hardik Gandhi, who is the founder of DesignGandhi, India. He and his colleague, Ritika Nanda of Mother Gone Mad Design Studio displayed their works in furniture and custom lighting in this booth.

'When ideas crystallize- ThePurpleTurtles

The Trends Pavilion included installations of designers interpretations of color and color trends forecasting. There were a few interesting installations, but honestly, and at the risk of sounding very stupid, I found this pavilion the least visitor friendly. This is why... 

When I visited, all I saw were various installations where it was obvious a certain color or set of colors were being used. However, I think to properly explain this to visitors, there needs to be a few people at each installation who are knowledgeable about color and can explain these trends to the visitors. 

Secondly I think it would be nice to also have a few color themed collage-like displays (moodboards?), kind of like the ones you see in decor magazines. I think this is also a really great method of conveying color and colors that are trending. 

This is just my own little opinion, and I'm the first to admit I'm no expert here.

Finally, the outdoors spaces also had various installations by designers like Martand khosla, Mukul Goyal and Alex Davis. Now here is where I was a little disappointed. I really felt like the outdoor spaces should have been utilised more. What I would love to see more of are bigger and bolder installations that have a sense of scale. Things like an installation that could also be a kids play area- where art and design meet the built environment. Otherwise it's just art for arts sake.

This installation was along the lines of what I was hoping for. Visitors could go in and experience it as well as its relation to the surroundings. But it was very small in terms of scale. 

This on the other hand was more of an arty sculpture, and while I liked it, and it was certainly interesting, I think it may have been more relevant in an art fair.

There were a number of F&B stalls as well, from Guppy by ai to Dunkin Donuts, Elma's brasserie and Coast Cafe, to name just a few. I really hope that next year (keeping in mind the lovely weather we have in February) more of the F&B stalls are outside. I love the idea of an outdoor food courtyard, a place where maybe kids can run around and people can chat. It would also give the food stalls more space for seating, something that became a bit of an issue during peak lunch hours at the Design ID. 

An incredibly refreshing raspberry soda from SodaBottleOpenerWala... 

all it needed was some vodka :)

Loved these chili tuna rolls from Guppy by ai, the tuna was fresh, the rolls were crispy on the outside and bursting with flavour. I wasn't too impressed with their chicken curry with sticky rice though.

An interesting installation in the F&B area of the Exhibition pavilion

This was the third installation of India Design ID but the first time I attended. I spent most of the day there, dividing my time between the Symposium and the Exhibition spaces, with a break for a delicious lunch which I enjoyed at the Guppy by Ai & SodaBottleOpenerWala stall. It was a great day that was enlightening and informative. The India Design ID is a great  way for designers and design enthusiasts to source  products for the  home and it is also an amazing way to interact with design icons and experts in the field.  The  events were very well  organised and  the exhibition  areas well  laid out. I'm looking forward to next years event.

[All images by Shalini Pereira. Please do not use without prior written permission]

An Indian Summer & Serendipity Presents....

I cannot believe I'm missing this!  An Indian Summer and Serendipity have curated an amazing event that celebrates design talent, art and culture... and all this is going to be happening in an incredible setting... a beautiful haveli in Chattarpur, New Delhi. It's going to be happening on 27th and 28th September so if you are anywhere near Delhi, it's something you absolutely don't want to miss. This one is for all you you who love all things pretty...For more details click here. 

Sadly, I'm going to be on my Sri Lankan holiday and I'm missing this :( So feeling pretty torn between excitement over our vacation (which I've been planning for the last 6 months ... hehehe) and disappointment that I'll be missing all the prettiness. 

Remember peeps... 27th & 28th September at Serendipity, Chattarpur, Delhi.

Studio Wood Collective, Delhi

Hi there! It's been a while... I've been really neglecting the blog for a while now... work & flu... never a good combination :(

But I'm all better now, glad to be rid of the chills and have my voice back and now glad to be able to say hello again!

This post has been long over due and so it was the first thing I decided to do as soon as I was back to my old self. I love showcasing young Indian Designer's work on the blog. We have so much talent in Indian and it's a great privilege to be able to use this blog as a platform to promote Indian design as well as Indian arts and crafts.

So here is an amazing little start up by the name of Studio Wood Collective, launched by Gazal Bawa, with an inspiring belief of, "all big things have small beginnings". The collective is formed by three other designers, Vrinda Mathur, Navya Aggarwal and Sahej Bhatia who have backgrounds in product design, architecture, spatial design and graphics.

Re-love, Re-design, Re-purpose- that's the mantra of SWC. Their objective is to rediscover the potential of used furniture pieces and deconstruct their existing form, whilst giving the product a brand new look. In simple words, they take old furniture that has seen better days, or is a little dated and unwanted, and with a little intervention, re-work and creativity, transform it into something chic, beautiful and something you'd love to have in your home. I think that's pretty cool!

Studio Wood Collective launched their first collection on August 1st in Delhi. to discover more visit their Facebook page here. 

Varnam- reviving and re-interpreting an ancient craft

Channapatna toys are wooden hand crafted toys manufactured in Channapatna, a small rural town of Bangalore, Karnataka. These lacquered toys are a traditional craft that can be traced back to Tipu Sultan's reign. 

As a result of the popularity of these toys, Channapatna is also known as Gombegala Ooru (toy-town) of Karnataka. Its traditional craft is protected as a geographical indication (GI) under the World Trade Organization, administered by the Government of Karnataka. 

The Channapatna craft industry, which has been facing hard times because of competition from cheap Chinese toys as well as changing demands, is making a come back with the help of the government as well as individuals like Karthik Vaidyanathan, founder of Varnam, who are working closely with master craftsmen to revive this industry and bring it up to date with the times and current aesthetic trends. 

That brings me to Varnam. Varnam is a social enterprise that has been working with artisans in Channapatna for over two years now to reinterpret this 200 years old toy craft. The result is a series of home accents, jewelry and originally designed toys. Varnam was awarded the Kyoorius-Blue Elephant award and the CII Design Excellence award for its work in 2013.

Each product in this series has been painstakingly handcrafted by an artisan from Channapatna, Karnataka using the age-old tradition of lac-turnery, a craft that requires tremendous skill and precision. 

On July 3rd Varnam opened its flagship store in Bangalore. This little store is exclusively for handcrafted products that include toys, home accents and jewelry. So if you are ever in Bangalore, drop into Varnam. I'm sure you will love what you see and it will be impossible for you to resist taking away a piece of Karnataka via its most popular craft form. You can learn more about Varnam here.

Address:

'Varnam'

No. 444, 5^th Main

Between 13^th& 14^th Cross

Indiranagar 2^nd stage

Bangalore 560038

Phone: 080-25250360.

[Photographs by Ashish Arora]

The Upcycle Project

I've been hearing a lot about upcycling lately. What is upcycling? You know that phrase, ‘One man's waste is another man's treasure’? Well that’s exactly what upcycling aims to do. It’s the process of converting old or discarded materials into something useful and often beautiful. And considering the amount of waste we are generating today, I think it’s a very interesting concept.

The concept of upcycling is not new, especially in India. I mean I’m sure we’ve all seen our parents and grandparents finding new and innovative ways of re-purposing objects over and over until they could not be used anymore :) What’s new and interesting, though, is when the concept of design and aesthetic come into the process of reuse and these old, discarded items are modified to become objects of art and decor.

So when Amishi Shah got in touch with me to feature her new venture I was more than happy to help. Amishi quit her full time job to start a venture which she calls the Upcycle Project, through which she is endeavouring to make upcycled home decor become mainstream. Amishi explained to me that upcycling is not recycling, so as a result it uses less energy, which makes it quite eco-friendly.

Currently, The Upcycle Project is focused on home decor and more specifically, home accessories which are handcrafted with love and care. They specialize in creating both young and funky accessories as well as classy and stylish products. 

In the short time since its inception, this small venture is growing by leaps and bounds. Amishi’s studio is reflective of her passion for upcycling. She has experimented with cool new concepts like a paper mache flooring and 3D wall paintings that work with furniture pieces. The space is meant to inspire creativity and demonstrate what can be done with 'old waste' and a little creative thinking. The best part is, the entire project was fairly light on the pocket and it shows how frugal can also look pretty.

You can find out more about The Upcycle Project here.

[All Images- Amishi Shah]

Cobalt Designs- Beautiful Designs in Metal

A while back Valay Gada of Cobalt Designs reached out to me and invited me over to his studio for a cup of coffee and a chat about his work. Unfortunately I haven’t made it over to his studio as yet, but one look at their website & I fell in love with his studio’s work.

Founded in 2012, Cobalt Designs is a partnership between two young designers, Valay Gada & Michael Rodrigues. The studio works primarily in metal alloys like brass and copper. The pair is inspired by classical traditions and they are deeply passionate about preserving the tradition of Indian craftsmanship, bringing them relevance and adapting them to the modern aesthetic. They do this by engaging and working with local artisans and nurturing local talent.

Their product range is spread over a wide range of categories, from luxury furniture, lighting, bath accessories, mirrors, hardware and some costume jewelry too. They also work with architects and interior designers on customized pieces such as jalis and murals.

Their work is contemporary and edgy with an emphasis on a high level of finishing and is inspired by industrial design, Art Deco and traditional Indian crafts.

Here's a peek at some of their works...

More from Cobalt Designs here and here. 

[All images courtesy Cobalt Designs]

Windmills Design Festival

I had visited the Windmills Design Festival a few weeks back and just wasn't getting a chance to do a post on it... Well I know it's a bit late, but better late than never right? So finally, here's my round up of the Windmills Design Festival...

For the past few years this festival has been held at, Aya Nagar, at the studios of Windmill Interiors and Pradeep Sachdeva Design Associates (PSDA), which has become a hub for the creative community. Designers, crafts persons, artists and even an NGO often come together to collaborate and ideate at Windmills and this is exactly what the Windmills Design Festival celebrates.

[Image courtesy Devika Sachdev]

This year a number of designers and partners participated... there was some modern, almost Bauhaus inspired furniture and accessories by Windmill Design Studio, beautiful metal work by Bowman Design, colorful textile bags by Pure Ghee Designs, Pottery by Dipalee Daroz and paintings by Shefali Upadhyay, to name just a few. There is a very long list and I don't want to go on and on... I manged to pick up some really nice silk cushion covers with a lovely Nandi motif and some fun little pencils from Jan Madhyam, an NGO  based in Ayanagar village that reaches out to the disabled, especially girl-child from marginalized sections of society.  

[Image courtesy Devika Sachdev]

[Image courtesy Devika Sachdev]

[Image courtesy Devika Sachdev]

Overall it was a nice experience made even better since one of my good friends, Vishwesh, is part of the PSDA team and was kind enough to give me tour of the studios and grounds. I fell in love with the exposed brick construction, with the colorful door and window frames, the clay tiled floors and the lovely outdoor garden spaces. A great day out that made the stressful drive worth it.

[All images by Shalini Pereira unless mentioned otherwise. Please do not use these images without prior written permission]