Indian Crafts Interiors

Traditional craftsmanship in India is as old as and can be traced back to the beginning of civilization in the subcontinent. Locally available materials were used by master craftspeople in order to create objects of value used for a variety of purposes. Despite the wide range of crafts practised in India since antiquity, contemporary discourses on design have been slow to recognize the potential of this heritage, with only a handful of designers incorporating traditional crafts in their vision. With many such crafts now disappearing owing to modern methods, there is an urgent need to present a design-oriented perspective on crafts, with a focus on sustainability for a symbiotic and meaningful future for both.

It is not enough to treat craft as an afterthought, but rather, the best results are obtained when craft itself forms the DNA of the design. This volume aims to create a lavish showcase of the possibilities of Indian crafts being used in expressive, practical and contemporary ways within interior spaces. Organized by material, the contributors take us through the wide range of regional craft variations as well as outstanding examples of design solutions that utilize these crafts. The result is a volume that functions as a reference resource, inspirational “lookbook,” and index of practitioners. With insightful essays on stone; grass, coir and natural fibres; wood; textiles; bamboo and cane; glazed ceramics and terracotta; surface decoration; metal; and glass and mirror-work by various pioneers as well as stunning visuals, this is an indispensable volume for students and practitioners of design.