In 2009, NID Ahmedabad graduate Shibani Jain founded Baaya Design, an online store with an offline retail presence in Mumbai, with a vision to make available the most authentic and select art as well as accessories and craft-based interior solutions. Three years down the line, Baaya Design, quite like the Indian weaver bird baaya, offers some of the best in folk art and craft skills in combination with utility and beauty in home products. “We are India’s first dedicated folk art and related home décor store and studio. There are over 40 varieties of art forms across India. The traditional art of miniatures or the tribal art of Warli is well known, but an art form like Sohrai or Khovar from Jharkhand or Santhal art is not really known. Other than this, there are a number of arts like Kutch Lipaikam, Terracotta tile work, Dokra, Bidri, and metal Jalli. Our store offers many of these,” says Shibani.
Baaya Design uses these art forms to create murals, art furniture, doors and partitions and many other solutions for an aesthetic spatial experience. “There is a lacuna in the presentation and availability of good art and craft skills in India. Our unique and natural range speaks of India’s age-old, exquisite skills while mapping the demands of current day markets,” she adds.
Among the stunningly beautiful concepts are the Shimmer Mixed Collage Art, the Gond Jazz and the 3D Collage. "For Shimmer Mixed Collage Art, we worked with special shimmer pigments, and have combined two different art forms for the first time ever; the Gond art from Madhya Pradesh and the Warli art from Maharashtra have been seamlessly combined to create semi-abstract and completely unique wall art. We have again worked with Gond art to create a range of art furniture called Gond Jazz. Vibrant, colourful and funky, these art furniture pieces can be standalone pieces that can be mixed and matched with other furniture as well,” she says. The 3D Collage art is a contemporary cubist and abstract mixed art composition that has Lipaikam, Dokra, wrought Iron and Gond art.
Baaya Design offers specialised skill-based consultancy services for interiors and exteriors like murals, frescoes, art-based furniture, lamps and lights, screens and accessories. It also offers an eclectic collection of folk art, art furniture, textile made-ups and designer home accessories.
