Aakanksha Batra spells the decor trends for this year
Sustainable home décor brand The Green Collective has earned renown among the high and mighty including celebs like Rhea Kapoor, Sunita Kapoor, and Kangna Ranaut, for its artisanal craftsmanship with a touch of North-Eastern heritage.
Founded by Aakanksha Batra, the label endeavours to bring forth a contemporary range of earth-friendly home decor and furniture, and revive the community of artisans specialising in the art of caning.
We chatted with Aakanksha about the latest décor trends, sustainable interiors and more.
What's trending in terms of décor items this year?
Vases of various shapes, materials, and colours will continue to be in vogue. Think quirkier shapes and sizes, material mash-ups and pops of colour, or all-natural – a vase is no longer just a functional object you use to place your flowers into, but a piece of art that will act as a singular décor piece in its own right, even, and especially, without its floral counterparts.
Also, we will continue to see a lot more artisanal inroads into the living room but with more contemporary and bolder design sensibilities. Materials that are earth-friendly, or have a human connection will also hold more appeal for people as interior design trends move further towards eco-conscious and sustainable sensibilities.
How has your label's design philosophy evolved over the years?
Since the very start, we wanted to create a combination of classic, yet contemporary products that are multi-functional for the most part. We seek to infuse a breath of fresh air into age-old designs to keep them relevant for a modern Indian home. Multi-functionality is another aspect we have focussed on.
Over the years we have dared to move beyond creating objects purely with a single material and experimenting with other materials in combination with cane or rattan.
Are rattan products and other natural weaves easy to maintain?
Rattan weaves can easily be spot-cleaned with a soft, dry, or damp cloth and allowed to naturally air dry. In case any food is stuck in the weaves, simply use an old toothbrush to remove the particles. For products made with bamboo and water hyacinth, you can easily clean them in running water and let them naturally dry under the sun.
How can one add a bit of extra jazz to the living room decor?
Beautiful indoor, potted plants add life to dull corners. Lots of mood lighting, by way of lamps, lanterns, and even candles can lift the interiors.
Do not blindly follow décor trends, and stay true to your own authentic choices. Include quirky objects from your travels (not just typical souvenirs), prints or paintings of things or even food you’ve loved, stack your favourite books at end tables to hold candles on top -- let the décor tell your personal life story – that is true hygge.
Your upcoming collections?
There’s one in cane -- a collaboration with an artist.
We will also be launching another moonj grass collection soon and looking to expand some of our utility-based categories and launch fresh designs for planters, laundry baskets, desk accessories, and gift sets.