Desi kitsch meets contemporary style

January 04, 2017 12:30 am | Updated 12:30 am IST

Memories of my childhood come rushing back when I first step into the newly opened interior design shop, Peacock Life, to meet its promoter, Shabnam Gupta. The wooden abacus lying in a corner instantly reminds me of the one I had as a child. That’s not all; I want to snap up an eye-catching wall-hanging that boldly states, “Do Not Enter”, and a black wooden hook painted with tiny colourful birds. The store is stocked with earth-toned accessories, coffee tables made out of wooden and metal chests, and intricately detailed lamps which light up all three floors of the store.

The store, designed by Gupta, is divided into two sections, with each space designed like a room in someone’s house.

Having been a designer for 15 years, Gupta established design consultancy firm Orange Lane in 2003. Over the years, she has worked on a wide range of projects, including homes for actors like Irrfan Khan and Parineeti Chopra, and filmmakers like Aditya Chopra. Gupta has designed the interiors of restaurants like The Bar Stock Exchange, Intercontinental Hotel’s restaurants and The Sassy Spoon, and commercial spaces like Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Mumbai office and The Pepperfry Studio. In 2010, she was listed as one of the top 10 designers to watch out for by Forbes India.

For Gupta, Peacock Life is a natural career extension from her work at Orange Lane. The store’s products take the customers on a trip down Memory Lane, whether it’s the oil-lantern-shaped candle holder, the metal chest with ‘Coca-Cola’ painted on it, or the bright red ‘love’ hanging on the walls. “The brand follows a belief system that design should be for everyone and not only the elite,” says Gupta. Through the two stores (the Andheri one opened in 2010), Gupta aims at catering to a wider clientele with moderately priced products (the highest price tag in the store is Rs. 2.50 lakh, for a dining table set). She also wants to design homes through Peacock Life’s design services.

“Our attempt at Peacock Life is going to be a revival of [the older design tradition] by making it relevant in today’s world,” she says. The idea is to bring together artisans to create modern and contemporary art while still giving it the earthy desi touch. The designer’s philosophy is well

illustrated by home accessories like metal cutwork lamps, silver-treated candle holders and a modern wooden wardrobe with an antique finish.

Gupta has ambitious plans for the brand’s growth. “At some point, we want to create a huge warehouse on the outskirts of the city where people will not mind to travel to and get a wider range of products,” says Gupta. On being asked about what her dream project would be, she’s quite clear: a design village spread over 10 acres of land, with Indian products for the masses.

The author is an intern with The Hindu

Peacock Life, 190, Turner Road, Bandra West; 26511474/75; prices start from Rs. 1,000

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