Aadrita Chatterji

Source: The writer works as a design journalist.

She works with architects and interior designers all day, every day. After almost a decade in the process, she has seen all kinds of residences – big and small, tall and short, minimalist and maximalist. Whether it’s a luxury apartment in Mumbai (given the exorbitant costs involved), a penthouse in Gurugram or a residence in Bengaluru, one can’t seriously tell the difference anymore. Whether it’s in editorial photoshoots, the press releases or even when the feature comes into print, most spaces are difficult to distinguish.

The Borrowed Minimalist Aesthetic Inspired By Social Media

India was once known for its bright colours – mustard, hot pink, leaf green and cerulean. Our ethnic outfits were famously part of one of the world’s most colourful cultures, beautifully depicted in our traditional music and dance, festivals, and, of course, cinema. Somewhere along the way, the colours gave way to pastels, then a corporate palette of white, grey and beige. Somehow, vibrant colours were seen as gaudy, while minimalist pastel homes were seen as modern and sophisticated, removing the space’s entire heart and soul in the process.

One might ask, where did this aesthetic come from? Neutral colours are social media favourites because they create a safe and polished image. While our spaces now look appealing and restful, following a cookie-cutter model for our homes completely removes the occupants’ personalities. Of course, we understand everyone has their own design preferences, but a copy-paste template makes our personal sanctuary look like it could belong anywhere. Too much curation makes a house look like a hotel and not a space to be lived in.

Why Indian Homes Were Built A Certain Way

Even today, people build homes with mud and thatched roofs. Though one may no longer return to them, Indian vernacular architecture is built on the principles of sustainability and comfort. Its material palette predominantly features wood, natural stone, terracotta, brass and textiles, with family heirloom pieces and artwork passed down from generations. In a tropical country like India, traditional Indian homes included jaalis and jharokhas for cross-ventilation without direct heat gain, water bodies for visual beauty and courtyards to keep the interiors cool and comfortable.

While the residential design strives to change itself, it risks the other extreme of the spectrum. Many maximalist homes look like palace museums reinterpreted in 21st-century residences, which does not always make them look beautiful and feel inviting. An abundance of heavy luxurious textiles, white marble and antique pieces doesn’t fit contemporary living standards and may further alienate homeowners from bringing Indian-ness into their homes. As someone who wants a modern-day home while retaining their roots, what could be a solution?

What We Want To See In Our Homes Today

If the writer had to design her own home today, she would choose vernacular architecture and what she describes as colour minimalism. She needs to balance a minimalist living with traditional Indian spatial and material design. Her dream home is visually aesthetic yet liveable, with open spaces, indoor greenery and an Indianised colour palette. Large windows and balconies, Indian motifs, indoor plants, and mindfully chosen furniture and décor. Lime-washed walls, kota stone flooring and exposed brick are commonly chosen materials in vernacular design.

Also, she loves colour – red is her favourite. As much as she would like to paint each room in a different shade, that is striking yet headache-inducing. Instead, she wants crisp white walls with pops of colour in her furnishings. Indigo, Rani pink, forest green and turmeric. Though she’s not an art collector, a few artworks and indoor plants bring the much needed-colour to an otherwise white-walled space. Paired with wooden furniture, it makes for the writer’s dream home rooted in Indian design.

The neutral colour trend started in the cafés, and then slowly percolated into our homes. Perhaps it is time that we invited colour and local flavour back to our spaces, without making them look like caricatures. Let us pause our social media algorithm and appreciate the knowledge of our ancestors, who designed our homes for our climate, aesthetics and community. A country that celebrates Holi every year deserves more colour and character added to its design.

Though the writer is far from building her dream home, she has already imagined what it could be.