Living with Design

“Design is a funny word. Some people think design means how it looks. But of course, though if you dig deeper, it’s really how it works”
Steve Jobs

Unlike Art, which is primarily a monologue about artist’s philosophy; Design is a dialogue – between the designer and the end-user. I’ve spent the last decade working in both art and design and to my mind, it is functionality (and functionality alone) which separates these two worlds.

Posts in this section – whether they are about objects, styling, inspired-living or cool-hunting – are about creating beauty in context of usability. Its my personal belief that design must first serve . There is no point filling a beautiful side table with books, artefacts and travel souvenirs leaving little or no space to rest your cup of tea. Right? Hence, this section is not titled a design life instead it’s called Living with Design.

Style Stories

Styling is different from Interior Decorating. Choosing a coffee table is decorating, whereas what to place on that table, where to put it, how to layer it and how to make it look great without compromising its practical and day-to-day use is Styling.

Despite the best architectural detail, rooms need to be styled to create the ultimate aha look. Whether you are trying to achieve a minimalist or an opulent look objects have to be chosen and placed perfectly so the rooms don’t end up either lukewarm or over-the-top.

Styling is deliberate. And delicate. The only way to learn the balance is to develop an ‘eye’, look at as many styles as possible. Posts in this section are about looking at hundreds of styles through tightly curated mood-boards to showcase ‘best of’ inspirations for the said look.

Design Narrative

Design Narrative is written purely for the love of design and to share the extraordinary stories of every-day objects with fellow design enthusiasts. These posts tend to be in long form as we explore the origin, evolution and contemporary avatars of the said object. So sit back in your most comfy chair (or couch for that matter), find a nice drink and read these when you have the time to spare.

Cool Hunting

In our modern lives there is barely enough time to tick-ff the boxes in our ‘to-do’ lists, let alone go hunting for little treasures that make the ordinary extraordinary. Which is why I draw up these lists – tens of options for a teapot or a flower vase, so you don’t have to. I do want you to know that neither I nor my blog have any affiliation with the brands and objects I feature. These are simply objects I like and I share them with you,  as friends often do.