Impressions: Delilah Rodrigues
Photographs: Nitika Bhasin Jagiasi
They say a home reflects a person’s personality. In the case of Shibani Jain, owner, Baaya Design this stands perfectly true. The interiors of her home located in Mumbai are a manifestation of the
personalities of her husband and her kids as well.
Right from the moment you step outside the elevator, you know that the home has a traditional charm. A wooden name plate informs you that the home belongs to the Jain’s. As the door swings open, you are greeted by a beautiful tree painted on one wall of the living area. This colourful hand painted Gond tree of life by a Gond artist under Shibani’s supervision is refreshing. Lending more insight on the design of the home, Shibani says, “My home is eclectically designed with open spaces and fresh air, it is comforting yet premium. A contemporary design and straight lined furniture pieces bind the decor.
Experimenting with different colours and motifs adds to the look ofv the home that reflects a high degree of cultural appreciation.”
Comprising of 3 bedrooms, the home has a fantastic double height which is rare to find. A high eye catching art filled wall in the dining area is quite a highlight. Different art forms like Sanjhi art, ceramic art, Bengal art reflect tribal life. Further, the home is peppered with numerous artifacts from around the world. Since Shibani loves elephants, they are seen in different mediums across the home. “I collect elephants in different forms like figurines, paintings or anything else. Since we travel extensively, I collect figurines from almost every destination I travel to. I have a jade elephant from China, a metal one from USA, an elephant carved out of a woolly mammoth tooth from Alaska, a jaali elephant from Rajasthan, wood carved elephants from Malaysia and Thailand, a crystal elephant from Denmark; the list of my elephant collection is never ending,” chuckles Shibani. Apart from the interesting artifacts, the furniture in the home is custom-made to fit the decor. Some of the furniture has also been sourced from Burma.
Artistic elements from local artists are woven into the design to create a beautiful home. The master-bedroom which is otherwise neutral is another spaces that reflects the same. An arty wardrobe
features hand-painted Warli artwork. The stairway leading to the daughter’s bedroom also has different art forms. On a concluding note, Shibani says, “My home takes inspiration from what Baaya
is. I could have designed a home in any way I wanted. But once Baaya came into existence, I became more aware of all that I can do with Indian artifacts. Hence, I wanted to start from my own home and with this endeavour, I aim to give urban homes a feel of rural India.”
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