The use of art in home architecture has evolved dramatically over the years. It now merges technology and elements from nature to create new styles. Experts share what to consider while incorporating art into your home design.
Use technology
Abhimanyu Chopra, founder of Chopra’s Designs, Jaipur, is redefining the concept of art installations. For the Anant-Radhika wedding at the Ambani residence Antilia in Mumbai, he transformed a traditional Shrinathji painting into a digital artwork.
He shared, “We used high-tech projectors to project clouds, birds, and plants onto the painting while keeping the original artwork intact. The projectors were cleverly hidden in the ceiling. So the effects looked almost magical.”
How did they go about it? His team first captured a high-resolution image of the painting and turned it into a digital painting. Artists then hand-sketched elements like clouds on the digital canvas in the same style as the original artwork. These sketches were converted into animations and then projected onto the painting.
For projects on tighter budgets, Chopra works with similar techniques but on a smaller scale. He uses a combination of projectors and LED screens to create a visual effect on the lines of a digital motion painting. He adds, “Care has to be taken to select the right lighting or projection technology based on factors like how far the viewer will be, how bright the space is, and what kind of effect the client wants.”
A fusion of technology and art is quite in vogue. For a new home project, Untitled Design in New Delhi designed a daybed area as an experiential space. The area is accentuated by a double-height mural (a mural that spans across two storeys). It was created by students from the College of Art, Delhi. They didn’t paint it from scratch. The mural was first projected onto the wall and the artists traced over the shapes.
Tell a tell
“Art should tell a story, not just fill a space,” believes Amrita Guha, founding partner of Untitled Design. “It’s about connecting with people and the space. Explore diverse mediums, skip the gallery clichés like generic prints and mass-produced sculptures, and collaborate with local craftspeople and emerging artists to add a meaningful touch to your home,” she elaborates.
Her cofounder Joya Nandurdikar shares their approach to designing another Delhi home. “To enliven the double-height living room, we used abstract leaf work on an awkwardly shaped angular wall. Our goal was to shift attention from the wall’s strange and sharp angles and create a captivating focal point,” she says. They added a drop chandelier with gold leaf patterns to enhance the lighting aesthetics.
Creative interventions can also be seen in the basement, which features a bar and pool table. “We added a column by artist M Pravat. It is a hardscape representation of Delhi. It is made from a blend of brick and slate. These handcrafted materials add depth and character to the work,” noted Joya.
Playful approach
Architect Chetan Shivaprasad of Bengaluru-based Kham Design emphasises a mix of functionality and playfulness. His team recently worked on a small 25 by 40 feet project in the city. To maximise natural light, they added skylights to the dining area. Talking about their creative approach, Shivaprasad says, “We made circular shapes in the grill and covered each of them with a lampshade hanging upside down. This creates interesting shadow patterns as the light shifts throughout the day. The materials used were simple — a metal frame and colourful glass.”
Amit Aurora also believes weaving art into home design is a good way of mixing “fun with function”. He is a partner with Delhi-based Group DCA.
Illustrating an Amritsar home, he says, “We wanted to keep things playful yet relaxed in the dining area. We curated furniture, artwork, decor, and light fixtures that reflected the family’s personality.” For the dining table, he chose driftwood, which looks casual yet artistic. “An artistic intervention doesn’t always need to be expensive or funky. What matters is that clients should love it and it should suit their space,” he explains.
The home also features a vertical garden wall with artistic elements. The space feels alive at all times of the year because plants respond differently to changing lights and seasons.
Aurora warns against going overboard. His suggestions: the art should reflect the taste and lifestyle of a family; it should be quirky, not chaotic; make it engaging, not overwhelming.
Meaningful touch
Manuel Sebastian is a creative artist and founder of Ernakulam-based Creative Art Studio. For a recent home project in the district, his team built an art installation using recycled materials like metal rods, floor tiles, plywood, and acrylic sheets. They finished it with a black powder coating. “The idea was to show that art can be made from anything,” he explains.
For a home project in Kasaragod, they built a cement relief wall as an ode to the owner’s father, who was a sailor. A relief wall refers to a sculptural technique where a design is carved on a wall, giving it a three-dimensional appearance. Works like this relief wall are a testament to how personal stories can be woven into home architecture, he shares.
Wallet factor
Simple art installations can be executed on a budget of Rs 20,000 to Rs 1 lakh. Complex installations start from Rs 1 lakh.