Lladró’s 25th anniversary in India coincides with the opening of their ninth boutique in the country.This new space is at New Delhi’s The Chanakya, known to house other luxury brands such as Hermès, Tiffany & Co. and Ravissant. And as with other Lladró addresses around the world, this too is a phantasmagorical world of porcelain, where innovation and imagination have catapulted a 12th century material to brave new heights.

Meet the icons

At this Mediterranean-style 600 sq. ft. boutique designed by Puerto Rican architect Héctor Ruiz-Velázquez, meet Haute École, a glistening white purebred horse with sinewy muscles rearing forth under an exquisite Seasons chandelier with dozens of blue and white elements in porcelain and crystal. On a wall display are multiple versions of The Guest — a whimsical character by Spanish artist and designer Jaime Hayon — now a beloved icon of modern porcelain. While entry-level fragrance candles start at ₹6,000, a Lladró handcrafted object can cost crores of rupees.

Ever since three brothers in the Spanish village of Almàssera began their uncharted journey in 1953 to reimagine handcrafted porcelain, Lladró has captivated audiences worldwide. Creative director Nieves Contreras says, “The creation of a Lladró piece is a highly artisanal and time-intensive process. Anywhere from five to over 100 moulds may be required depending on the complexity of the piece.” While single-firing has replaced triple, and their palette is expansive with 4,000 shades, the real “porcelain revolution” has been about forging new paths to stay relevant, says Rushil Kapoor, marketing and PR manager at Lladró India.

Firefly lamps.
| Photo Credit:
Lladró 

The magic of India

Lladró’s organised entry into India as a joint venture, Spa Lifestyle Pvt Ltd., paved the way for good fortunes. India is Lladró’s third largest market. In its 70th year, its second-largest store globally was launched on MG Road in New Delhi.

2025 is also the 25th anniversary of the Spirit of India, fashioned after Hindu traditions. Ana Rodríguez Nogueiras, global CEO of Lladró, says, “Each creation aims to become a meaningful link between Spanish artistry and India’s rich cultural and spiritual traditions.” The fan following for their intricate figurines — Ram, Sita, Hanuman, the Mudras, Sai Baba and Goddess Lakshmi — is spread across the Indian diaspora in the U.S., U.K., Canada, Hong Kong and Singapore.

In India, Lladró loyalty goes back many generations. Take entrepreneur and art collector Pinky Reddy for instance, an avowed patron who bought a Lord Balaji figurine and had been to the Valencia factory when she was just 13. With the genial Lord Ganesha in many poses equally popular amongst westerners, Lladró’s Indian footprint is firmly established. “Revenue from India contributes to 13% of Lladró’s global revenue, of which 38% comes from Spirit of India,” says Nikhil Lamba, CEO Lladró India.

Soul Rider by Valencian artist Dulk.
| Photo Credit:
Lladró 

An eye on sustainability

Sustainability requires not just innovative adaptation for the times, but also future foresight, along with a deep concern for the planet’s ecosystems. Lladró embodies all three. The three elements of porcelain have remained constant — kaolinite, quartz and feldspar — and so has Lladró’s ideal: to make collectables of lasting emotive significance. While classics are still a staple, designer-led aesthetics have captured the market. Lamba says, “Earlier, patrons bought classic glazed sculptures with florals and subtle colours. Now, they prefer contemporary and playful designs in bold, striking colours.”

Contreras, who has purposefully steered global trends, says, “Achieving perfection in porcelain is always a demanding task, no matter the size or type of piece. One of the main challenges is its unpredictability — it behaves almost like a living material.” Lladró’s creative collaborations such as Ephemeral Treasures, with renowned Valencian artist Dulk’s portrayal of fantastical animals, raises awareness about the beauty of nature, acting as a reminder of the planet’s fragility.

Let there be light

In 2013, Lladró expanded into lighting. The Chanakya boutique is showcasing a wide range, including chandeliers, table and floor lamps, pendants, and wireless lamps. You can find the classic Ivy & Seed chandelier in white, as well as the 2022 NYC x Design Awards winner in the chandelier category — the Seasons Chandelier (Winter) in cool blue hues. The portable wireless Firefly Lamp is the proven star of the show, lending its glow to tablescapes, verandas, desk tops, and gifting. Contreras says, “You can now customise your lamp at the Firefly Bar in the new boutique, putting together elements of your choice and colour.” And you can take it home in a month, after it’s made in the City of Porcelain in Tavernes Blanques, Lladró’s only production factory in the world.

The writer is a brand strategist with a background in design from SAIC and NID.

Published – June 20, 2025 06:00 pm IST

Art is no longer a highbrow indulgence reserved for influential collectors or something that is tucked away in stark galleries. Today’s design enthusiasts are rewriting that narrative, embracing art as an expressive part of their homes and often doing it themselves. Curating art at home is a nuanced exercise, capitalising on ideal heights, strong framing, and the quiet power of composition. We ask popular designers, collectors, and stylists to craft a definitive guide, turning bare walls into vignettes that reflect your story and sensibility.

Jaiveer Johal, art collector and entrepreneur in Chennai

Jaiveer Johal
| Photo Credit:
Talib Chitalwala

A celebrated name in the Indian art fraternity, Jaiveer Johal’s personal collection is guided by the Navarasa — the nine essential emotions that underpin Indian classical art. Through the Avtar Foundation for the Arts (AFTA), Johal brings modern and contemporary art to Chennai, and Chennai to the world. Recent artists who have captured his attention include Lakshmi Madhavan, Baaraan Ijlal, and G. Gurunathan.

“My aesthetic has always leaned towards art that defies genre — it must tug at my heartstrings. Be prepared to live with the work you hang. Art at home should be meditative,” says the entrepreneur. His trusted advice on composition? Blend 2D and 3D works to create depth, where modern and traditional elements coexist.

Jaiveer Johal’s monolithic dining area.
| Photo Credit:
Talib Chitalwala

An easy mistake Johal cautions first-timers against? Treating homes like hotels. “Art isn’t acquired overnight. Display must be intentional, and a home should evolve around its art,” he avers. The art collector encourages collecting art through a personal lens — pieces found on travels, in flea markets, or tied to memory. “Look for works that bring your walls to life and tell a story. It does not have to be expensive to be worthwhile,” he shares. In Chennai, Johal swears by professional framing and art treatment. “Museum glass helps preserve the art’s demeanour. Acid-free mounting is critical even in the backing selected. Bring out pieces every six to eight months and inspect their backs for fungal growth,” he advises. Another rule of thumb? “Art displayed in homes is not meant to emulate a gallery. Something that always works for me is bottom lighting for subtle impact and including table lamps for an immersive ambience.”

Pro tip

Invest in museum glass and bottom lighting: “Museum glass helps preserve the art’s demeanour. Acid-free mounting is critical even in the backing selected,” says Johal.

Fymin Naif and Nimitha Harith, interior stylists in Chennai

Fymin Naif and Nimitha Harith
| Photo Credit:
Phosart Studio

Living by the adage of ‘better halves,’ interior stylists Fymin Naif and Nimitha Harith are the creative forces behind immaculately styled residences in the country. Their approach towards curating art is heartfelt. “Art should evoke something personal — a sense of belonging, memory, or roots. It helps to remember that no choice is burdened by permanence,” shares Harith.

The duo ensures art is installed at typically 50 to 60 inches from the floor. “Art hung too high feels disconnected from the space,” notes Naif. “When placed in context with furniture, ensure a clearing of six to 10 inches between the bottom of the art and the top of the furniture. An easy way to gauge size is to let art span two-thirds the furniture’s width,” she illustrates.

A living space by VM Design Works. 
| Photo Credit:
Phosart Studio

The team sees the gallery wall as a ‘personality puzzle’. They start with a bigger piece at the centre of the wall and work outwards. Their pro tip: create and edit your layout on the floor, freeze the composition, then execute. Strategically placed spotlights or floor lamps can elevate the presence of displayed art. The works of artists Sachin Samson, Nida Jahain, and Anjali Ponni Rajkumar have intrigued the two recently.

“We love peppering wall-scapes with photographs, pressed flowers, and heirloom objects. Allow two to three inches of gap between frames,” Naif adds. Framing, Harith notes, is an unsung hero, especially in coastal cities. “UV-protective glass, acid-free mounting, and sealed backing are our go-to checks. They prevent yellowing, warping, and fading.” More miniature artworks shine in styled clusters, especially when arranged in odd numbers. Pair them with vases, candles, books, or curios.

Pro trip

Mind the inches. Ensure art is installed at typically 50 inches to 60 inches from the floor, says Naif.

Vinithra Amarnathan, principal designer at Weespaces in Bengaluru

Vinithra Amarnathan
| Photo Credit:
Kuber Shah

The signature of a Weespaces project has always embodied the balance between modern nuances and personalised details. “Art has always been an integral part of my design process, almost subconsciously,” says designer Vinithra Amarnathan. “Over the past eight years, this instinct has shaped every home’s story and become central to our team’s ethos.” For the novice, she recommends a trusted approach: A common thread in art, as a form of storytelling, always works. “The style, colour palette, or framing choices can be made consistent,” she highlights, and recommends a size between half and two-thirds of the furniture’s width for oversized art paired with furniture. In moody spaces, single or grouped miniature prints can create a striking focal point with an interplay of scale. In Bengaluru’s drier conditions, the designer uses anti-glare glass for artwork exposed to sunlight. She recommends pre-treatment for textured installations (mixed media, plaster, fabric) to ensure durability and to control potential moisture buildup.

 A Laxman Aelay piece at The Eclectic Mix and Match Home.
| Photo Credit:
Nayan Soni

“Typically, the artwork’s centre, about five feet from the floor, is ideal. Frame choice, mount colour, and thickness are crucial to realising the vision. When working with multiple pieces, I create an imaginary perimeter to compose each piece within,” she explains. Some of Amarnathan’s recent curatorial projects feature works of artists Harisha Chennangod, Richa Kashelkar, and Deborah Velasquez. She loves introducing art in unconventional spaces. “Dining consoles, kitchen shelves, powder baths — the idea is to unexpectedly layer everyday spaces with art to instantly elevate them,” she explains. She often highlights pieces with picture lights in intimate nooks and adjustable track lights in communal areas.

Pro tip

Amarnathan recommends a size between half and two-thirds of the furniture’s width for oversized art paired with furniture

The writer is an architect and design specialist.

Published – June 20, 2025 06:30 pm IST

Cities primarily have people who consume finite natural resources such as land, water, coal-generated power, sand, stone, soil, and timber.
| Photo Credit: file photo

Most of us have heard the story of Aladdin’s lamp, the tale of a poor boy from ancient China who is picked up by a sorcerer from the Maghreb to retrieve a magic lamp that grants every desire. Aladdin overpowers the sorcerer and lives happily with the lamp.

Metaphorically, we treat our cities like Aladdin’s lamp. They seem to provide everything we wish for, but unlike the lamp, which grants only what is asked, cities also give us what we don’t ask for. We get success and stress, fame and failure, power and pressure, love and loneliness, income and isolation, comfort and congestion, solutions and confusion, goods and garbage — the list goes on.

We view cities as oceans of opportunity, ladders to success, and engines of growth. But what if this relentless growth is leading us towards self-destruction? Aladdin’s lamp remains unchanged in the story but can ever-expanding cities like Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad sustain their vitality, or will they one day lose their sheen and decline? Can our decision-makers plan for the future?

Unlike rural economies, which draw from direct resources such as agriculture, animal husbandry, mining, and fisheries, cities thrive on secondary sources like services, sales, marketing, management, and governance. Urban centres are primarily consumers, especially of finite natural resources such as land, water, coal-generated power, sand, stone, soil, and timber.

Can ever-expanding cities like Bengaluru sustain their vitality?
| Photo Credit:
file photo

The per capita consumption of these resources in cities far exceeds that in rural areas — not just through direct usage but also through indirect means: purchasing manufactured goods, residing in constructed buildings, travelling in fuel-powered vehicles, relying on air conditioning, dining out, and engaging in countless other activities.

Is limiting urbanisation essential for a sustainable future? This is a debatable question. Even if it is theoretically possible, will we do it? Current trends do not suggest any slowing down. By 2050, India’s urban population is projected to reach 68%. If we continue with our existing economic models, lifestyle choices, governance structures, pursuit of wealth, and relentless chase for comfort, urban expansion will only accelerate.

The least we can do — for the sake of future generations — is to adopt simpler, more sustainable lifestyles.

Take Bengaluru, for instance. Most policies, proposals, and administrative efforts focus on solving urban problems — be it traffic, garbage management, or water supply. While these initiatives are necessary, they inadvertently contribute to further urban expansion. More projects lead to more jobs, attracting more people, which, in turn, creates new challenges that demand further solutions. This cycle results in endless meetings, seminars, reports, and conferences by the government.

This is not to deny the possible benefits of more seminars, but to suggest to implement the available ideas first, think differently and try a paradigm shift. We need to sustain our cities as livable cities first, to sustain them climatically.

(The writer is an urban designer, heritage conservationist and ecological architect in Bengaluru)