Functional aesthetic

A new cultural narrative is being fashioned with the use of art on furniture and in décor. From cushions with Indian folklore illustrations to tables featuring traditional paintings and regional motifs, each piece is steeped in cultural significance.

Anupriya Sahu, designer and founder of Alankaram, is redefining the way we view furniture by turning it into artwork. One of her creations is a tabletop that works like a canvas to display tribal art—a blend of Gond art from Madhya Pradesh, known for its animal and nature motifs, with Warli art from Maharashtra, which uses white symbols to portray community life. She also drew influences from the Madhubani style which uses bold lines that create geometric shapes, creating a fusion of cultural symbolism. “The elongated plant motifs represent growth, stylised animals symbolise protection, and geometric shapes reflect balance,” Anupriya explains. These patterns capture scenes of daily life, connections with nature, and a lifestyle in harmony with the surroundings. Made from teak, the design starts with hand-drawn sketches and then is infused with custom inlays. A final polish brings out the wood’s natural beauty.

In addition to the tabletop, Anupriya’s work extends into wall art, for which she combined brass inlays with a teakwood base. The design features geometric patterns and stylised botanical motifs holding deep symbolism. The top left, a lotus, represents purity and spiritual growth; the top middle, abstract seed pods, symbolises fertility and life cycles; the top right, a single bud, signifies simplicity and new beginnings. The bottom left, with curved shapes and circles, mirrors branching growth, while the bottom middle, resembling a small tree, stands for stability and connection with nature. The bottom right, with its intricate knot, represents unity and continuity. High-quality teak with a rich grain serves as the foundation, while brass elements are shaped and set into the wood. The raised brass elements are polished to catch the light, creating a dynamic, tactile surface.

Komal Bhargava, founder of the Kolkata-based Su-Kham, crafts furniture and decor that blend artistic symbolism with sustainability. One of her works is a cushion featuring illustrations inspired by the traditional Indian storytelling of the Panchatantra tales. These stories impart moral lessons through animal fables and emphasise the deep connection between humans and nature. The simple illustrations—deer, birds, and plants—reflect the bond between storytelling and nature. Inspired by her childhood, she wanted to bring Indian themes into the spotlight, moving away from the typical Western icons like Archies and Barbie. “The design draws from the cave paintings of Ajanta and Ellora, with simple, balanced patterns. Woven in a linen-cotton blend, the cushion has an earthy feel,” Komal shares.

Cultural symbols

In Indian culture, floral motifs often represent purity, beauty, and spiritual awakening, deeply rooted in sacred geometry and mandalas. Similar patterns appear in European art, where they represent prosperity and nature’s cycles. Anupriya's wall decor piece captures this essence, carved from teak and shaped into a symmetrical floral form with circular motifs.

Another unique design by Anupriya, blending furniture design with culture — a centre table set inspired by the lotus. The lotus shape is a direct nod to a symbol deeply embedded in various cultures. In Indian culture, it represents purity, spiritual enlightenment, and rebirth, rising above murky waters to bloom. This symbolism resonates across art, architecture, and religious iconography throughout Asia.

The circular motifs at the centre of the table evoke mandala patterns, which signify unity and harmony in spiritual contexts. The design process begins with conceptual sketches. The teakwood is cut and shaped to form petal-like contours, with central motifs carved using hand tools and machinery. After assembly, the table is sanded smooth and treated with protective oils to enhance the wood’s grain.

One of Komal’s standout creations is a stool inspired by the Buddhist concept of the circle of life — the continuous cycles of birth, death, and rebirth. This idea is symbolised through natural, circular forms like the sun, moon, and planets. The stool is made from locally sourced jute. The jute is braided and woven into a circular shape through cross-stitching, bound together with cotton fibres.

Another piece by Komal is a cushion that uniquely combines various mandalas: her design alongside those created by friends, is woven together like a collage. During the pandemic, Komal, like many others, turned to art for peace and reassurance. She noticed a trend on social media where people used mandalas to restore balance during the turbulent time. Inspired, she experimented with mandala sketches. In her words, a mandala is “a circle that represents wholeness and balance,” serving as a tool for mindfulness through repetitive patterns.