Traditional Decor At Its Best

A few years ago, my son and I were vacationing in Trivandrum. I'd heard about the beauty of Kerala, its lush country side, its backwaters, its architecture. and of course, its wooden furniture. Traditional arts always get my attention, so off we went, a highly unlikely venue for a mother and son holiday.

As soon as we landed, we wanted to try out the local cuisine. What can I say, we're big foodies :) Tripadvisor to the rescue, and Villa Maya popped up as a must-visit. Since it was close by, we went for it. And my word, did I love it! Even before the food arrived, in fact even before I saw the menu, I was so glad we'd picked this place. The decor was right up my alley. Someone with a load of creativity and love for local craftsmanship and good, solid colonial furniture, had converted what seems to be a heritage home into a complete dining experience. And the food was fantastic, but I'm all about home decor, so I'll stay on point. Indian craftsmanship is so relevant, even in modern India where the trends swing to ultra modern every few years. The folks who oversaw the interiors of Villa Maya get this. They've used quality teak wood furniture, and given it a playful vibe with a floral upholstery. At the same time, there's a whole lot of antique brassware dotting coffee tables and focal points. The vibe resonated with me. I could easily draw parallels with our store in Pune where we have created a welcoming ambiance with gardens and walkways as part of the furniture shopping experience.

This isn't the first time I've seen colonial furniture used to create a high-end look-and-feel. Top notch furniture and interior stores in the east coast of the United States often retail antique colonial furniture. I love visiting these stores and always walk away inspired by their imagination. I'll look out for pictures of some of these stores I've visited, but till then, check out this article from HGTV that drives home this point, with beautiful illustrations.

I guess my point is this - colonial furniture, often hand-me-downs for so many of us, is versatile! It's up to us how we decide to use it. With a little imagination, we can create a truly unique space for ourselves and our loved ones.