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To incorporate functionality and fun into an office space, Mumbai based designer Namrata Rawlani designed Laqshya Live Experiences to rival the vibrancy of a rainbow. “I believe that people spend most of their time inside an office space and how that space is designed really affects how we feel,” says Rawlani. The space is characterised by a fusion of eclectic design elements that elevate the office experience. The concept of this space was translated into reality with the use of earthy and contemporary materials and innovative design solutions. Upon entry, we’re greeted with bursts of bright red shades against muted reds with colourful origami birds that add depth to the space. Inside, splashes of colour are seen, set against a base of neutral concrete. The shades also correlate to the use of a particular zone—the creative rooms are bathed in teal tones with colourful artwork on the walls while the walls in the meeting room are a bright solid mango yellow. The base palette of neutral concrete with pops of vibrant hues gives the space a peppy aura. The play of colour and design in each room gives the space its own identity and the clear glass partitions tie it together. A number of pop culture elements accentuate the workspace keeping in line with the underlying vibrant theme.

Designed by architect Pankti Shah of Amogh Designs is Salon Kalista—a quirky, 620 sq ft salon located in Ahmedabad’s Thaltej locality. Shah took cues from a elegant French street cafe, with subtle colours, plenty of natural light and a glaze French door, to manicure this space. As we enter through the Prussian blue arched French door, we’re greeted with blush pink tones, that allude to a happy and relaxing atmosphere on the inside. A wallpaper with an enthralling mix of floral motifs in ivory, white and baby pink shades give us a warm welcome. The potent use of blush hues is balanced by the Prussian blue arches and the moulded vertical strokes against the light coloured walls of the salon. A circular rustic brass unit is placed next to the reception area that not only acts as a display but also unifies the shades and textures of the space. Predominant use of furniture pieces in rustic brass finish contrasts the chess checkered flooring. A vast illusion of the space is created with the slim brass lined tablet mirrors. The cosy nail bar sits on the right side while highlighting the blends of colours on the walls with a sleek nail bar. The mani-pedi area on the left is designed with a step up while the walls are used to articulate shelves with an arch mirror in the centre. The exposed ceiling is decorated with black cylinders, that illuminate the space, while a bespoke jewel shaped lighting fixture above the reception adds to the composition. “The challenging yet fascinating part of designing was that the footprint of the space was less, however the transitions and functionality of each corner was very well defined and executed. The concept of Amogh designs behind this project was to create a space, which was bold but elegant, conventional yet one of its kind. Once you step inside, the space speaks for itself.” concludes Shah.

Delhi’s Bikaner House will host Future Collective’s design fair, an indoor and outdoor exhibition spread over 10,000 sq ft that enriches and brings together pioneers of sustainable design. Presented by Dalmia Bharat Group and powered by Tencel India the fair will be a weekend of experiential activities and design showcases that promote an environmentally friendly lifestyle.The fair creates quirky, contemporary and cutting edge designs for the consumers by regenerating Indian design. Leading sustainable fashion brands and designers, artists, photographers and more will be present at this event that will also have engaging sessions, workshops and soul music performances by indie artists. The fair will be spread across Delhi’s Bikaner House that has been meticulously restored to its original form by Mumbai-based conservationist Abha Narain Lambah. One can look out for contemporary experiences in fields ranging from Art to Architecture, Fashion to Furniture, Solar energy to Sari swaps, Food, films, recycling and more.Iconic brands across the fashion, art and design industry like Abraham and Thakore, Nicobar, Nimai, Péro, Ka-Sha and 11:11 among others will exhibit their best designs and installations that tell stories of a conscious culture at this design weekend. Another highlight will be Evelyn Mora’s talk about “How one communicates about their brands to avoid greenwashing and how to create a real impact with one’s work?” Mora is the founder of Helsinki Fashion Week and a well-known consultant who builds strategies and works with various actors in the public and private sectors including government bodies. Future Collective is all set to take place at the Bikaner House in Pandara, New Delhi starting February 29 to March 1, 2020, from 11 am to 10 pm.

Make this month an artsy one with exhibits around the country that showcase a melange of curated works!Games of ChanceWith a dedicated mission to endow art and culture in Goa’s landscape, Sunaparanta – Goa Centre for the arts, started the year with Games of Chance, that opened on January 17th and was curated by Leandre D’Souza. The exhibit invites artists to challenge the mundane and plunge into the storms of randomness. It explores a shift of focus and an invocation of mysteries through visual media. The show also brings to Sunaparanta, a constellation of India’s leading artists in partnership with Experimenter, Gallery SKE, Galerie Mirchandani+Steinreucke, Nature Morte, Project 88, The Guild Art Gallery and Vadehra Art Gallery.Where: Sunaparanta – Goa Centre for the artsWhen: January 17 to March 27, 2020Breathing on MirrorsAnju Dodiya’s new exhibit mirrors a monosyllabic conversation through her drawings to a minimal emotional theatre. The art is created on soft mattresses hinting at the domestic nature of demons, with charcoal as a stabbing device that conveys anger at the imperious world. The Mumbai based artist has had 18 solo shows in India and abroad and has her collections represented in acclaimed galleries including the National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi, Mumbai, Jehangir Art Gallery among others.Where: Chemould Prescott Road, MumbaiWhen: February 29 to April 4, 2020A Tapestry of TimeTo commemorate 20 years of TAO Art Gallery, Mumbai will exhibit A Tapestry of Time at both its galleries in the city. The group show will feature works of artists such as Akbar Padamsee, Bal Chhabda, Krishen Khanna, MF Husain, Ram Kumar, Anjolie Ela Menon, Anupam Sud, Arpana Caur, Gogi Saroj Pal, Madhavi Parekh, S.H.Raza, Tyeb Mehta VS Gaitonde, Nalini Malani, Nilima Sheikh, Rekha Rodvittiya and Rini Dhumal. Extending gratitude, Kalpana Shah and Tao have invited artists, who have been a part of the gallery’s beautiful journey, to join them celebrate the splendours of this “Tapestry of Time”.Where: TAO Art Gallery, MumbaiWhen: February 28 to March 31, 2020The Fifties ShowDAG’s brand new space at The Claridges, New Delhi, will host a new exhibit titled The Fifties Show. The show will shed light on Indian art from the 1950s, while highlighting the progress of a newly independent nation. A period of hope and celebration, this era saw the creation of works emblematic not just of the decade but of the context and subtexts of modernism itself. A period when the best and brightest in the Indian art world—such as Nandlal Bose, M F Husain, SH Raza, FN Souza, GR Santosh, KK Hebbar, Adi Davierwalla, Shanti Dave and Dhanraj Bhagat—created some of their most significant masterpieces.Where: DAG, New Delhi.When: February 1 to March 26, 2020

Taking inspiration from the belief that ‘life begins at home’, Sage Living offers luxury, quality and comfort in the form of design. Conceived in 2018, the brand’s first approach was to promote creations that were ‘Made in India’. Positioning themselves as wholesalers they manufactured furniture, lighting and home decor for retailers, online stores, architects, interior designers and more…Located in Kondapur, Hyderabad the studio is easily accessible and well connected. Providing a completely curated experience to its customers, the brand offers design aesthetics, exclusive trade pricing, consumer-friendly catalogues and a user-friendly website for its customers. “At Sage, we are compelled to go above and beyond to create quality products that bring happiness and value to every home,” shares Keerthi Tummala, Founder of Sage living. Having worked in the fashion industry, for the most part, Sage Living and decor’s focal point is to support the Make in India initiative and help in the distribution of local furniture products. By collaborating with Indian manufacturers, the brand ventured into a design first channel that caters to all your decor needs. “It’s time we take pride in who we are and celebrate our country’s craftsmanship,” Tummala concludes.

As we face Monday blues this morning, let’s revisit an artistic weekend hosted in the capital city. The 12th year of India Art Fair took place at the NSIC Exhibition Grounds in Okhla, New Delhi from January 31 to February 2, 2020. In partnership with the BMW Group India, this year the fair showcased 81 exhibitors, from over 20 global cities and 14 in India.A leading platform to discover modern and contemporary art from South Asia, India Art Fair showcases works within a tent facade designed by Indian artist Sameer Kulavoor. The weekend fair celebrates the modern-day art scene across the country and features curated programmes including performances and talks by modernist Nilima Sheikh, Turner prize nominated filmmaker Naeem Mohaiemen and Magnum photographer Martin Parr. “India Art Fair has grown extraordinarily in its last 12 years, building on gallery participation, public programming and creating a spotlight on South Asian and Indian art. In the last two years we have looked to strengthen the programme to highlight the artists, as well as make the fair accessible for all ages,” says Jagdip Jagpal, Fair Director of India Art Fair. The 12th edition will feature a diverse selection of contemporary art galleries from across the country, including Chemould Prescott Road, Chatterjee & Lal, Jhaveri Contemporary and more. Sculptor Dhananjay Singh showcased his solo show titled ‘Faces’. The cycle of human life and nature acts as a major source of inspiration for his work. Art Pilgrim first discovered Dhananjay in 2006 while, he was at the Faculty of Art & Design at Monash University in Melbourne. Another highlight of the fair was visual artist Himani Gupta’s work that explores the materiality of space, organic forms and ‘Psychogeography’. She studies how land, spaces and cities evolve both structurally and organically and impact identity.

Always synonymous with exquisite and stylish furniture, the Khazana Group has grown leaps and bounds during its 30-year journey. What started in 1990, as 2000 sq ft store at Basheerbagh, Hyderabad, offering carved and rosewood furniture has now transformed to a chain of 9 stores spread across 7 cities covering a massive 2 million sq ft.With a number of renowned brands like Binova, Misura Emme, Enne, Natuzzi and more under the verticals Elevate and Elevate X, the stores have over 100 handpicked brands across 20 countries. To commemorate the 30-year milestone, the brand hosted a glittering event at the rooftop of Elevate X in Banjara Hills, Hyderabad on December 27, 2019. With a blend of Vintage and Avant-Garde as their the theme, the event reflected the brand’s transition over 3 decades with a specially designed fashion show. “Every day of these 30 years has been a learning experience for us. The strong understanding of the luxury segment of the furniture industry supported by the energy of the second generation in the family has propelled the growth of Khazana in these 3 decades. I would like to thank all our associates and clients for making us pioneers in the furniture industry,” adds Mr Bhawant Anand, Founder of Khazana Group adds.The evening also saw a charity auction of handcrafted furniture made by the best craftsmen of India. The proceeds of the auction were donated to the Rotary Club where all the funds will be used to set up e-classrooms for the underprivileged.

With just two days left of the much anticipated Mumbai Gallery Weekend (MGW), we recommend a list of events and exhibitions that you absolutely must not miss.