From sunflowers to Mughal themes, artists are bringing back kitschy hand-painted chests and trunks

While there are several premium leather trunk labels available, these hand-painted chests with Mughal motifs and gorgeous sunflowers add a kitchsy edge to the accessory
TroveCraft's boxes
TroveCraft's boxes

From a home decor piece to a wedding trousseau essential to even doubling up as storage, trunks and metal chests have always been a versatile add-on. While the process of renovating and upcycling isn’t novel, there are new designers and artists around the country who are going beyond the usual and giving the trunk their own chic vibe. While there are several premium leather trunk labels available, these hand-painted chests with Mughal motifs and gorgeous sunflowers add a kitchsy edge to the accessory. 


Keeping it desi
Hyderabad-based TroveCraft is an online design studio that aims to create unique trunks with a touch of ethnic. Started by 39-year-old Nayantara Quader, the brand was started in 2015 after she quit from an MNC where she worked for over 14 years. “We have an in-house artist who brainstorms designs with us,” says Nayantara over a phonecall. Ask her what was the most unique piece they’ve painted on and she says it was a hand-painted wooden trunk that they painted red, with motifs which were an imitation of bone inlay. “That took us about three weeks to complete,” says Nayantara. Scroll down her Instagram and you’ll see chests with flamingos, Indian Mughal motifs, sunflowers and chintz patterns. Available online. Between `3,500 and `6,000. 


For the chic bride
Making a customised white and orange trunk as decor for a bride because it matched her lehenga? That’s exactly what sisters Riddhi Doshi and Disha Doshi Shah do. The Vadodara-based entrepreneurs started Organicein 2015, and has over 35,000  followers on Instagram. “It was when Disha was getting married, we realised there are no fun storage boxes for real jewellery,” says Riddhi. The two then started designing hand-painted trunks. Disha also says that no two trunks look the same. “We also train girls in rural Gujarat to paint these flowers, with the main USP being that we don’t use a stencil for the designs.”  Organice sells about 600-700 pieces a month, and sometimes as high as 1000 pieces during the wedding season. Available online. From `475 to `675.


Old to new 
Chandigarh-based Guneev Jakhar started her eponymous brand last year in October. Her core line of work is renovating old and weathered trunks given to her by clients.Her obsession with flowers are clear in her designs, as you can notice everything from red roses to marigolds, which are her favourites. “I was an economics graduate but I loved using watercolours and so I practised every day before I started painting chests. I even had my own pop-up last month,” says Guneev. Available online. From `2,000 onwards up to `11,000.
 

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