Add substance and style to your home

ELEGANT SCULPTURES

While on a shopping spree, a well-crafted piece in stone or metal catches your fancy and you waste no time in buying it for that favourite corner in your living room. That on-the-spurt-of-the-moment buy can prove to be ‘expensive’ when you realise that the sculpture doesn’t suit the rest of the decor. It is then re-packed and stored or gifted to someone else. But when one visits a five-star hotel and finds similar art pieces enhancing the  interiors, one wonders how one can similarly use sculptures to beautify one’s abode.

The most important factor is that we must be sure of what we want to buy. Alka Sood, interior architect from Expressions explains that “sculptures are accent pieces which give finishing touches to the interiors of a room. They could be from different eras, but are capable of setting the design statement of your house. Even if it’s one piece, it should be striking and help in reflecting your art interests. It should act like a conversation piece. Most importantly, one should not blindly follow the trends.” Infact, a sculpture must complement the theme of the house and act like a conversation piece that talks about the owner’s
art sensibilities.

Also, the space, visibility and positioning of the sculpture are crucial. It therefore becomes important to ensure that whatever we buy goes with our decor even after a change in paint or decor theme.

“The piece that you incorporate into your home should preferably be of an indigenous design sense which is reflective of a contemporary, yet classic and timeless design. Also, neutral shades can complement any décor theme,  while interesting colour options can convert a dull setting into something subliminal with a hint of fantasy and burst of vibrancy,” advises Raseel Gujral, creative head at Casa Paradox.

“Art to a room is like jewellery to a woman. When decorating your home, the pieces of sculpture should transcend and become works of art to be appreciated for years to come,” she adds. It thus becomes justified if one needs to invest in big bucks to buy a handmade sculpture of marble, onyx or granite since the value of these appreciates about 100 per cent in a span of four to five years.

“With time, sculptures become not just an investment asset but also a family heirloom,” says Divyan Gupta, CEO and Founder of artanddecors.com. The website had recently revealed five European-style busts made out of Italian marble which received overwhelming response.
Gupta says people in India need to value art pieces like Europeans. “One must realise than if a sculpture has finesse of craftsmanship and is handmade then one should not let it go, because it is difficult for even an artist to remake it.”

It is, however, also important to keep a check on the numbers since “Elegance lies in simplicity and minimalism. Let one or a set of few pieces grab your attention and do the talking,” says Sood while Gujral informs about the current trend.

“Indian influences from miniatures, botanical echoes bring a different interpretation to the same idea of all the cultural melting pot that is India and how we look at it today. It is a very radical new direction for graphics to be represented on furniture and it can take the four dimensional forms in sculptures.”