Art Without A Rulebook: How Different Materials Find Their Place As Art In Homes

In the most avant-garde fashion, Indian designers are subtly stirring a wave of reviving art heritage through contemporary interiors. Materials and techniques often limited to Indian crafts are having an identity crisis in contemporary homes, in the best possible way. Textiles layered through loom and needle, stone coaxed into relief, wood patiently shaped by the logic of grain, are all stepping out of the margins of crafts and into the spotlight of artistic expressions within the living spaces of a home. What were once restricted to objects of functional decor or mediums for construction are now being reinvented as anchors of living spaces in contemporary design.

Celebrating this shift, DP curates a guide to living and dining spaces across contemporary Indian homes—spotlighting how bold, tactile and craft-centric artworks in unconventional materials can redefine your home interiors. 

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1. Regalia Carved in Stone

The dining nook of this 4,500 sq ft Bengaluru home is warm, neutral, and calming, with a touch of old-world regalia infused into the artwork panels. Founders and principal designers Santosh Belani and Gaurav Panjwani of Studio GSA have conceived this space, keeping in mind the ethos of the home, striking. Sourced from a lifestyle store in Bengaluru, the piece is handcrafted in stone, metal and wood in collaboration with local artisans. Resembling Jharokas and arches from the heritage architecture of Rajasthan, the work is reminiscent of history and royalty. “There is both delicateness and strength in the piece at the same time—the robustness of the stone is made light by the intricacy of the carving. It felt like the perfect balance and anchor for our space,” says Gaurav. Inspired by the traditional architecture style of Rajasthan, the artwork carries a touch of heritage and nostalgia along with it. 

2, Cities Imprinted in Brick and Slate

Set within the hustle and bustle of New Delhi, Anugrah, a multi-generational family residence, is deeply rooted in the idea of blending tradition and modernity. Helmed by founding partners Joya Nandurdikar and Amrita Guha of Untitled Design, the 14,738 sq ft home holds a family lounge on the first floor, featuring a majestic floor-to-ceiling multi-sensorial mural, realised with brick and slate as primary materials. This unconventional choice for a decorative art piece is a poetic reflection on urban landscapes, translating into a sculptural exploration of the city itself. “The cityscape depicted in the artwork is an evocative meditation on how the urban environment imprints itself on our personal histories and daily experiences. The architectural material palette of brick and slate compels the viewers to contemplate the harmony that can exist between nature, tradition, and modernity,” explain Joya and Amrita. 

Created by New Delhi-based contemporary Indian artist M. Pravat, the piece aims to combine two integral materials in traditional and modern Indian architecture. “Crafted through detailed layering and precise assembly, each fragment of brick and slate has been cut, placed, and elevated to create depth and shadow. The interplay of relief and geometry turns masonry into fine art, resulting in material mastery and architectural craft,” share Joya and Amrita. The piece conceptually connects with the nature-filled atmosphere of the home against the backdrop of the metropolitan identity of the city, while also paying homage to the family’s long-drawn roots in New Delhi. 

3. Floating Rugs

Transporting you to a mystical land, the dining space in this 5,000 sq ft Kolkata home designed by A Square Designs raises the bar high – both metaphorically and literally – with its ceiling-suspended curation of rugs. Traditionally bound to the floor as an accessory, this space challenges the convention by recontextualising the textile craft into an immersive sculptural installation. Inspired by traditional Persian miniature carpets – renowned for their rich, luxurious history – the suspended installation reimagines the surface as a curated gallery wall and not just functional decor. 

Meticulously crafted by a team of skilled artisans at Jaipur Rugs, well-known for conserving the traditional rug-making practices from Rajasthan, the rugs are customised per the conceptual vision directed by Ajay Arya, principal designer at A Square Designs, resulting in a collaboration between the atelier and artisan. “These are hand-knotted carpets, crafted using traditional knotting techniques that ensure durability, intricate detailing, and textural richness. The hand-knotting process allows for fine pattern articulation and depth of colour, which was essential to achieving the miniature Persian aesthetic we envisioned,” he shares. 

4. A Tapestry of Textile and Terrain

Deeply rooted in nature – with its spatial quality, materials, finishes, and even gradients – this apartment residence in Pune is a refreshing take on contemporary interior design. Appropriately named, Gradient of Earth, by its designers at Alkove Design, this 3612 sq ft home is one with natural elements through every nook and cranny. The lemon-ochre lime-washed walls and ceiling of the living room, paired with warm-toned tactile furnishings and greens, demonstrate the same appropriately. Tying the space together is a textile artwork, ‘Kshitichitra’, conceptualised by Brinda Dudhat of contemporary textile art studio Morii Design. The pattern unfolds as a landscape along the dining space wall – capturing the merger of land, sky and water into one. Principal designers of Alkove, Komal Mittal and Ninada Kashyap share, ”The interplay of colours, textures, and techniques mirrors nature’s fluidity, evoking movement, depth, and continuity. Its layered stitches and earthy tones resonate with the home’s tactile and hand-touched language.”

Conceived in collaboration with artisan communities from Kutch and Bihar, the work combines traditional Bela block printing with Sujni embroidery, blending traditional craft techniques through layered fabric, hand printing, and intricate stitching. The labour-intensive process of dyeing the fabric and intricate embroidery details, the work was completed in 250 hours.

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5. Threads That Remember Geometry

For centuries, Indian functional art has been popular across the world. Ceramics for use in the kitchen, light fixtures and even artistic furniture. Pushing the envelope, this apartment in Ahmedabad features a functional sliding door which doubles-up as an enchanting architecture-inspired work of art. Principal Designer Dhara Shah of Studio In D-tale, in collaboration with textile artist Ujjval Shah of Noya Studio, custom-designed the 8 ft by 8 ft installation as a focal point, anchoring the space visually. “The artwork draws inspiration from the geometric visual language of Syed Haider Raza, reinterpreting his iconic colour fields and forms through textile craft rather than paint. By translating this language into woven thread, the piece introduces both colour and tactility into an otherwise warm, minimal bedroom palette,” says Dhara. 

The grid-based composition of hand-woven cotton threads, carefully mapped on perforated metal, utilises a technique reminiscent of cross-stitch embroidery. “Working closely with Ujjval, the threads were layered in multiple directions to build colour, geometry, and depth. The juxtaposition of the industrial metal framework with delicate handcrafted threadwork was intentional, allowing the piece to celebrate both craft and contemporary design,” Dhara adds. In addition to a bright, colourful visual of the threadwork, the artwork itself becomes a dynamic fragment with altering compositions as the sliding door moves along its path.

6. Forests Emerging from Wood

Embodying the soul of a traditional Indian home, this 5,000 sq ft home in Ahmedabad reimagines contemporary living rooted in heritage. Ekaa, designed by ADHWA – Architecture & Interiors, celebrates local materials, patterns and craftsmanship in a modern-day setting. The art-gallery-like curation in the home explores various arts and crafts, such as this tropical nature-inspired three-dimensional wall relief in the living space, crafted using hand-carved wood elements integrated with wooden wall panelling. 

Designed and curated by the designers themselves, the piece was conceived in collaboration with local artisans from Gujarat. “To achieve the precise scale, proportions, and layered composition, nearly 25 design iterations and mock studies were carried out before finalising the artwork. This rigorous process ensured that the sculptural installation integrated seamlessly with the interior space before its final on-site installation,” shares Ankita Jain, Founder and Director of Interiors at ADHWA. The piece is not only a labour of love, but also a strong visual focal point, adding warmth, depth and texture to the neutral material palette of the living space.

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7. A Silent Melody in Clay 

This living space for this home, designed by The Comma Collective x Argo Design Lab, embodies the ethos of slow living. The soft and neutral palette of the space reduces visual clutter and enables the human mind to unwind in a clean environment. In perfect harmony, the delicate clay artwork by Lamtain blends into the ambience, with a defined scale and subtle visual. Exploring Indian craftsmanship and a primary local craft medium within the context of contemporary luxury, the piece redefines the perception of traditional art forms. 

Individually hand-sculpted, each clay disc is clamped onto the surface in a grid-like, organised pattern. Aayush Golecha, co-creator at The Comma Collective, shares, “By arranging these organic, hand-sculpted elements into a disciplined grid, we’ve created a dialogue between earthiness and geometric balance, celebrating the beauty found in delicate, repetitive intricacy.” The grid-like assembly of the pieces gives an illusion of a larger work, complementing the tall ceiling height, while still maintaining a sense of lightness. “We gravitated toward an earthy material that allowed the pieces to feel weightless and airy while still holding a quiet presence. Each disc is distinct, carrying its own character, and together they introduce a subtle intricacy that enriches the space,” he adds. Natural light enables a stunning play of shadows throughout the day, adding a dynamic character to the space, transforming its visual identity with the movement of light.