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INDIAN
FURNITURE
DESIGN
CSPA
Tanisha
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Aastha
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Ashlien
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Chahat
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Gunjan
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Kanishka
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Indian Furniture has undergone eras of changes
and has evolved with an engrossing blend of
cultures and regions from all over the world. The
furniture styles in India are a great example of how
the diverse artistic styles blended together with
foreign influences and translated into unique work.
Although furniture has never been a part of India’s
tradition, today Indian furniture is best known for
its durability and detailing. This does not mean that
its forms were not known to our ancestors. Some
reference of Pidha, Khaata, Mundas etc. have been
known to exist in Vedic texts. But because they
were not in common use, it never became popular
in those days.
Very few cultures in early India were into furniture
construction. This skill was at its prime-time during
the fourteenth-century Vijayanagar Empire in
Southern India. Wood craftsmen then were highly
respected by the royalty. The furniture was
primarily ceremonial, like royal thrones, doors and
pillars for palaces etc.
INDIAN FURNITURE DESIGN

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Your seat in 200 BC India
Elevated seating has long had its place in
India. Contrary to the belief that seating
was introduced in India only later in the
medieval period, allusions to these forms
can be drawn from as early as 200 BC
from Buddhist relief sculptures.
Astronomer Varahamihira’s text, Brihat
Samhita (6th century CE) enumerates 14
species of wood for furniture-making,
including sandalwood, teak, and
blackwood. The ancient Shilpashastras list
64 techniques of arts and crafts and
detail time for cutting and seasoning,
suggesting the use of wood in India dates
back to several centuries. Over the years,
forms of seating diversified in manner,
aesthetic and versatility. Whether it was
the twin-swing seats for idyllic recreation,
elevated seats for learned men, low stools
for all or thrones reserved for kings - India
had developed a form of seating suitable
for every occasion.

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ASANAS-elevated seats
References to the earliest forms of seats are
made in literature as early as the Rigvedic
period (6th century BCE), sculptures and
paintings at the Ajanta and Ellora Caves (2nd
century BCE), and Buddhist relief sculptures
(2nd century BCE).
This large hemispherical Chaitya Griha(shrine
hall) at the Ajanta caves features a seated
Buddha at the centre, on an elaborately carved
elevated seat and a foot rest. Several other
exquisite sculptures of seated figures are
behind the pillars on the right.
Initially reserved for those in positions of
authority like kings and learned persons,
the common terms for the highest chair
were rajasana (king's throne), or
mayurasana (peacock throne) and
simhasana (lion throne).
One of the earliest examples is the throne
of Rao Setaram of Kannauj (12th century
CE), which is structurally similar to an
ordinary chair, has a high reclining back,
arms and a footrest.
THRONES

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Another iconic example is the Peacock
Throne, commissioned by Emperor Shah
Jahan in 1628. It was ascended by silver
steps and backed with two peacock plumes,
gilded, enamelled, inset with diamonds and
semi-precious stones. (Agra, 1635; and Red
Fort, Delhi, 1648)
JHOOLAS -Swings
For centuries, swings have been an allegory
of amatory, festivity and celebration, and
their dynamic form evokes a sense of
exuberance. While early literary references
to swings can be seen in the Vedas, later
visual depictions are seen in miniature
paintings from the Mughal period as well as
Deccan-style paintings from Bijapur.
Even today, the regions of Mathura and
Vrindavan in northern India celebrate the
Jhulan (Swing) Festival - that extols the
love between Radha and Krishna, with
elaborate swings, song and dance.

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LOW STOOLS
Low stools were used by people of all social
standings due to their ease of mobility. They
were occasionally adorned with cushions or
elaborate carvings. Puranic references to low
stools can be found in sculptures of the
Ikshyaku dynasty.
BOLSTERS
Bolsters were used by both royalty and
commoners. They were often seen in Mughal
miniatures of the 16th century.
Generally strewn across carpets and rugs, the
bolsters’ bulbous forms could be used not only
as elevated forms of seating but also as
backrests and armrests.
CHARPAI
The charpai derives its name from the Hindi words
'char' and ‘pai’ which literally translate into ‘four legs’.
While the divan - a more affluent version of the charpai
- became symbolic to royalty, during the Mughal
period, the charpai gained popularity with the common
man.
The portable structure of the charpaimade it a simple,
economic staple in Indian households. Its versatility
ranged from its use for sleeping or seating multiple
people at spontaneous gatherings to being stacked
away when not in use.

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CHOWKIE
A chowkie refers to a low square stool that was, at
times, enhanced with a carved backrest.
Although commonly found in prayer rooms in Indian
homes, the chowkie could serve additional purposes,
such as a footstool.
PATLA
The patla is a form of low seating that is
generally present in various religious
ceremonies and rituals in India.
It is traditionally made out of wood and is
rectangular in shape. The patla is lower than the
chowkie - elevated just barely off of the floor.
KURSI
Etymologically, kursi (chair) has its origin in
Arabic for ‘throne’, which finds its way to
Turkish, Persian, Hindi and Urdu, with similar
meaning.

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INDO ISLAMIC STYLE
Traditional Islamic furniture featured marquetry inlay in wood, the use of ceramic
tiles or plaques on tabletops, and intricate work on objects such as caskets and
chests. This manner of fine inlay work possibly developed from styles and
techniques used in the making of weapons and musical instruments. The emergence
of Islam in India in the 7th century CE brought about an Islamic influence on the
methods and customs of Indian furniture-making. Some of the common practices
included relief carvings on materials such as wood, metal, marble, and enamel,
ornamentation using geometric patterns and naturalistic renditions of animals and
flora, motif inspired calligraphy, and intricately pierced work on objects such as
screens, doors, tabletops, and the backs of chairs.
The Mughal Style found mostly in Northern India had a
mostly Portuguese influence and the furniture was usually
made from dark hardwoods with bone or ivory inlays.
Even though the Mughals also popularized the use of
furniture in India during the 16th and 17th centuries most
of the furniture in India at the time was for ornate pieces
that were used in places or temples or as works of art.
Bolsters were used by both royalty and commoners. They
were often seen in Mughal miniatures of the 16th century.
Generally strewn across carpets and rugs, the bolsters’
bulbous forms could be used not only as elevated forms of
seating but also as backrests and armrests.

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PEACOCK CHAIR
The flared, high-arched back of this tall, statuesque type of
chair evokes the canopy-like structure of the 17th-century
mayurasana (Peacock Throne) used by Mughal Emperor Shah
Jahan. It is christened the ‘hourglass chair’ owing to the
eponymous shape of its base. Descendants of the peacock
chair were made of materials such as wrought iron, gold-
toned metal wire, or oak and metal, and were occasionally
coated with a brightly coloured paint.
This version of the peacock chair is made out of intricately woven cane, and has a
round, cushioned seat. The fantail-like back is elaborately woven in a jaali-like
pattern, similar to the latticed architectural element found in Indo-Islamic
monuments.
X-CHAIR
The X-Chair developed in Italy during the late 15th to early 16th
Century and is associated with Girolamo Savonarola, a preacher
form the Renaissance period. However, its inlay work is reminiscent
of Indo-Islamic craftsmanship.
Known as the X-Chair or Scissor Chair, this folding chair is
supported by two curved intersecting wooden structures that form
the letter X. The top-rail is connected to the back of the straight
arms, and the narrow seat is held in place by the wooden slats on
either sides.
This rendition of the chair features elaborate carvings along with meticulous inlay
design similar to the Indo-Islamic style. The wooden back rail has motifs resembling
peacocks, and the handrails are inlaid with designs resembling jaguar heads.

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As the Portuguese entered India through the southern
part in the 15th century, they were surprised to see that
Indians did not use furniture. This put a damper on their
plans to build residential buildings in South India. As a
quick fix to this problem, the Portuguese brought
furniture from their homeland and asked the expert
craftsmen of India to replicate it. This style was soon
dubbed the “Indo-Portuguese” style which was
characterized by large cabinets and intricate carvings. In
the 16th century, Mughals arrived in northern India and
their trademark was seen in the use of heavy furniture
made of dark wood that had inlaid bone or ebony
decorations. Common furniture includes mirrors and
writing desks. The “Goan Style” was also quite common in
the southern part of India which was influenced by the
Portuguese and was decorated with geometric or
abstract inlays enlarged cabinets
INDO PORTUGUESE STYLE
Indo-Portuguese style furniture originated at the
climax of Portuguese supremacy in India, between
1510 to the mid-1630s, and continued until the late
19th Century. These types of folding chairs had an
open, comfortable form and were usually made out of
cane or rattan.

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INDO DUTCH STYLE
The dutch came to India in the 16th century and brought their
distinctive styles of making furniture to India. Just like the Indo-
Portuguese style, it gave rise to the Indo-Dutch style of furniture in
India. This style can be further divided into two subtypes. The first
one had light-colored hardwoods with inlaid bone and incised
decorations. On the other hand, the second group had been made
with dark-colored wood like mahogany and ebony that had
intricate floral patterns. This floral design was manufactured in
Java which was a part of the Dutch eastern administration in India.

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COLONIAL STYLE
This furniture style was admired by the British
officials and the royals of India. Like other
European designs, they had high aesthetic value
and were often found in sets, with high and
straight backs and flat seats. Other famous
English styles of furniture included the
Chippendale and Sheraton styles. Locally
sourced wood and materials were oftentimes
used by the manufactures to get the perfect
British style of furniture. As furniture became
lighter and more portable, it was found in the
houses of common folk. Later on, during the
independence movement, Indian furniture got its
spin, which had elements that made it more
accessible to people other than the dying
royalty. Usability and the use of low-cost
materials have taken a center seat, thus making it
widely accessible. As we are entering a digital
age, the sale of furniture is also going digital.
Popular stores are making their mark on the
digital marketplace despite having a brick and
mortar store.

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ANGLO INDIAN STYLE
The English left an indelible mark on the furniture style in
India at the time. Anglo-Indian furniture became popular
even among the Indian Rulers. The 18th century brought with
it the styles that resembled Chippendale and Sheraton.
Nevertheless, these items continued to be influenced by the
Indian decorative touches and materials.
In fact, Anglo-Indian antique furniture combined popular Western furnishings with
beautiful Indian furniture woods such as teak and camphor
Anglo-Indian was the term given to furniture and pieces
made for the colonial British market. Indo-Dutch & Indo-
Portuguese furniture was also common. Most colonial
furniture is made from teak or camphor wood and were
sometimes inlaid with bone or ebony.
Furniture made for Europeans in colonial India during the 18th & 19th centuries
was generically called campaign furniture or colonial furniture.

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Beginning around the 1500s, a series of European
powers invaded and conquered parts of India. The first
was Portugal, followed by France in the late 1600s,
then the Dutch, and finally the English in the 18th
century. People came and settled and built homes and
businesses. These settlers wanted furniture similar to
what they knew from their home countries, so these
Europeans used Indian carpenters to develop furniture
using European styles and Indian materials. The result
was furniture that reflected a mix of Europe and India.
Indian craftsmen created distinctive furniture with
very decorative qualities using their skills in
woodcarving and inlay, which is the process of creating
patterns on wood surfaces with small pieces of
precious materials cut and placed so they lay flush,
creating a smooth, flat surface.
Most furniture was made of wood, a plentiful material
in India. Types of woods included many excellent
hardwoods like rosewood, teak, acacia, ebony, and
shisham (also sometimes called North Indian rosewood
and native to the Himalayas). Other materials included
exotic substances like ivory from elephant tusks.
INFLUENCES FROM
EUROPE

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FURNISHING IN WEST INDIA
Throwing light on the evolution of furniture
within our country, especially in western
India, states like Gujarat and Rajasthan have
colorful paintings on furniture. Traditional
designs and motifs are painted in bright
colors to attract the customer, making it a
staple in these states. Initially, most furniture
was made of expensive woods, due to its high
availability, which included hardwoods like
teak, rosewood, and acacia. Ivory and
leathers were also used, which are now
banned in most parts of the world in today’s
day and age. In the 21st century, furniture like
charpoys and almaris are making a statement
comeback, as they are seen as having the
perfect blend of quirky and utilitarian.
Rajasthan is known as the biggest exporter of solid wood furniture in India. The solid
furniture is made from hardwood. Before the wood is used in furniture, the log is cut
and left to season.
Woodcarving, practiced in Kutch uses maximum of teak wood and local babul for
middle relief carving at Ludia, Dumado, and Dhordo. The geometrical and floral
motifs used in carving very minute designs show the high skill of the craftsmen in
west India. Bedposts, cradles, book ends, swings chapati rollers, valan, and pestles
are the main objects carved out of wood.

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All kinds of wooden crafts are available in
Rajasthan. The visitors can either opt for the
majestic wooden furniture or for the small but
intricately carved showpieces. The use of wooden
furniture dates back to the tradition of the mighty
Rajputs. Souvenirs are also carved out of
sandalwood. Statues of gods and goddesses are
also common in the wooden crafts. Rajasthan is
well known for decorative objects that are made
from locally obtained wood and for carved items
like cabinets, screens, chairs, tables and almirahs.
The availability of wooden puppets is abundant in
Rajasthan, which even takes pride in puppetry
shows.
The history of Gujarati wooden furniture is related
to the Mughals who were known as great patrons
of art. Gujarati woodcrafts include candleholders,
wooden fruit, tray-cum-side table, nut and salad
bowls, dcorative tableware, soups bowl and range
of cutlery.

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Wood-sometimes plain often painted is used to
make everything from furniture to artefacts. While
the furniture ranges from the traditional ones to
contemporary designs as well. The contemporary
variants of Gujarati wooden furniture include
chairs with painted backs, camel-hide stools, and
marble-top tables and carved cabinets. Artefacts
include a range of animals -horses, elephants,
parrots- that are beautifully painted as well as the
boxes; chests snuff boxes and other fascinating
figurines including dancing figurines and dwarpals
or guardians of the doors.
Woodcraft in Gujarat exhibits the traditional art of
amazingly beautiful wooden handicrafts. These
woodcrafts are used both for functional as well as
architectural purposes. The woodcraft in Gujarat is
primarily derived from the wood of hardy trees like
sal, teak, sheesham, deodar, redwood, rosewood,
red cedar and ebony. In recent times, the state of
Gujarat is known for the wooden swings, which are
very common in the prosperous household in the
urban areas. Wood was never a locally available
thing for the Gujaratis. Woodcraft in Gujarat is
made of woods procured from distant areas. The
palaces in Gujarat are beautifully festooned with
jharokhas and majestic havelis of hard wood and
are the signatures of the woodcraft in Gujarat.

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FURNISHING IN SOUTH INDIA
Very few cultures in early India were into furniture
construction. This skill was at its prime-time during the
fourteenth-century Vijayanagar Empire in Southern India.
Wood craftsmen then were highly respected by the royalty.
The furniture was primarily ceremonial, like royal thrones,
doors and pillars for palaces etc.
The empire that is credited with popularizing furniture making in our country is the
Vijayanagar Empire
The furniture we know today,
was developed from foreign
influence.
In 1498 Portuguese came to
India for trade, with their
headquarters in Southern
India. Hence, Southern India
sees Portuguese style with
large cabinets and intricate
carvings.

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Painting furniture is one of the most exported furniture
categories from India, The handmade process of making
Indian furniture is very old and unique. Jodhpur Trends is
India based furniture manufacturer that offers one of the
finest ranges of hand-painted furniture at wholesale prices.
There is huge demand for Indian hand-painted furniture
designs in hospitality, commercial & home space.
Jodhpur Trends is a forward-thinking company that is always
on the lookout for the next big thing in furniture. For the past
few years, We have been focused on hand-painted Indian
furniture. This type of furniture is becoming increasingly
popular among interior designers and homeowners alike.
There are a few reasons for this. First, the colors and patterns
that can be achieved with hand-painted furniture are truly
unique. Second, the quality of hand-painted furniture is
usually very high. And finally, the price of hand-painted
furniture is often very reasonable. Jodhpur Trends is proud to
be at the forefront of this trend and looks forward to bringing
their customers the best hand
HAND PAINTED FIRNITURE
Indian Painted Furniture. Jangid Art and Crafts is one of the leading wholesaler and
Manufacturer of Hand Painted Furniture India, Indian Handmade Traditional
furniturePainting directly onto the Mango or Shee Sham wood, our Indian artists
painstakingly create these stunning modern floral designs in rich colours to
transform every piece into a beautiful focal point of any room.

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Modern indian
furniture
Modern Indian furniture today is
manufactured from Himalayan teak, Acacia,
mango & rosewood. Recycling from old
discarded furniture & traditional Indian
residences and palaces in the villages is a
common practice. The recovered furniture
is refurbished and crafted intricately to
convert into brand new entities. Charpais,
almaris, jhulas, ornamented master beds,
and old fashioned round tables with
bloated legs are slowly making a come back
for their rustic old world charm. Indians are
efficiently maintaining the traditional way
of using simple tools in the manufacturing
process. As the furniture is carved from
traditional tools it manages to retain its
ethnicity. This simple process has made
Indian furniture a symbol of longevity and
elegance.

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THANK YOU