Not long ago, art entered Indian homes as an after thought. Placed o n freshly painted walls once the sofa was chosen, the lights fixed and curtains hung. But today, that order has flipped; partly due to the country’s fast-growing luxury residential market where one thing is clear: Interior designers have emerged as the undeniable MVPs of the contemporary art world.
“At the ultra-luxury end, art is no longer something you add to fill walls,” says Riddhi Gandhi, deputy director of client relations at AstaGuru Auction House, adding that designers working on customised residences, luxury apartments and private villas regularly engage with auction houses and galleries as part of their workflow. “It’s part of the luxury language,” she adds.
It’s also about status in society. “People are realising it’s something one must have,” shares architect Pinakin Patel, founder of his eponymous studio. “A group of people have made a lot of money and are now buying high-end luxury apartments. They realise that buying a home and just doing the interiors is not enough — you need to layer it with art.”
Opening night stars
For interior designer Mansi Mehta of Igen, art selection has become inseparable from design itself. What was once an informal part of the job is now a structured part of her practice. Mehta defines her role as a blend of advisor and curator. Styling, she says, comes last. “Scale, placement, lighting and timelessness matter enormously,” she shares.
From the gallery side, the change in the role of interior designers is impossible to miss. Conor Macklin, owner of Grosvenor Gallery in London and co-founder of Art Mumbai, notes a sharp increase of the professionals at art fairs.
At Art Mumbai, they included many interior designers on their VIP opening night — after all, they are the ones bringing clients, scouting inventory and making decisions under tight deadlines. “Every active interior designer has to come to Art Mumbai because it’s a one-stop shopping experience,” Macklin says, adding, “When you have a home worth ₹20 crore, Ikea prints don’t reflect the value of the property.”
Money matters
Designers today are not just sourcing works that ‘sit well’ in the homes they are designing. They are steering clients toward modern masters, contemporary names, sculptures — quietly curating which artists find a place within elite homes. Many designers are engaging directly with auction houses and galleries early in the design process. Much like setting a budget for your hard fittings and terrace garden, what goes on your walls comes with its own defined price point.
Sheena Rawla, lead designer of Isprava Group, shares that some clients allocate ₹50,000 to ₹2 lakh for a single statement piece, while others are comfortable investing ₹10 lakh or more in a thoughtfully curated collection. “The spend usually depends on the scale of the space, the client’s taste and whether the intent is primarily decorative or also investment driven.”
Patel adds light-heartedly, “Some clients tell me their house is ‘free’. They say the paintings we bought are now worth more than the home itself.”
New job on the block
A senior representative from auction house Christie’s adds that they have always welcomed art dealers and interior designers as clients, either buying for their business or selling their accumulated collections. “This gives designers real pleasure to ‘play around’ with the great objects we have on offer and set these in new dialogues,” the representative said.
Macklin adds, “While previous generations saved, younger generations spend. These clients are usually young, married and setting up new homes.” Designers increasingly approach art as a starting point — something that informs the mood, colour palette and even the spatial flow of a home. The shift has happened over the past decade, especially with bespoke residences, private villas and luxury apartments.
Space matters
Price sensitivity exists, but quality, scale and how the work lives within a space matter just as much, shares AstaGuru’s Riddhi Gandhi. “For example, these can include large paintings such as an acrylic on canvas by MF Husain or sculptural pieces by Somnath Hore. Other items include Chinese and Japanese vases, works by well-known contemporary Indian artists like Bharti Kher, Nataraj Sharma and Jitish Kallat.”
“At the ultra-luxury end, art is no longer something you add to fill walls,” says Riddhi Gandhi, deputy director of client relations at AstaGuru Auction House, adding that designers working on customised residences, luxury apartments and private villas regularly engage with auction houses and galleries as part of their workflow. “It’s part of the luxury language,” she adds.
It’s also about status in society. “People are realising it’s something one must have,” shares architect Pinakin Patel, founder of his eponymous studio. “A group of people have made a lot of money and are now buying high-end luxury apartments. They realise that buying a home and just doing the interiors is not enough — you need to layer it with art.”
Opening night stars
For interior designer Mansi Mehta of Igen, art selection has become inseparable from design itself. What was once an informal part of the job is now a structured part of her practice. Mehta defines her role as a blend of advisor and curator. Styling, she says, comes last. “Scale, placement, lighting and timelessness matter enormously,” she shares.From the gallery side, the change in the role of interior designers is impossible to miss. Conor Macklin, owner of Grosvenor Gallery in London and co-founder of Art Mumbai, notes a sharp increase of the professionals at art fairs.
At Art Mumbai, they included many interior designers on their VIP opening night — after all, they are the ones bringing clients, scouting inventory and making decisions under tight deadlines. “Every active interior designer has to come to Art Mumbai because it’s a one-stop shopping experience,” Macklin says, adding, “When you have a home worth ₹20 crore, Ikea prints don’t reflect the value of the property.”
Money matters
Designers today are not just sourcing works that ‘sit well’ in the homes they are designing. They are steering clients toward modern masters, contemporary names, sculptures — quietly curating which artists find a place within elite homes. Many designers are engaging directly with auction houses and galleries early in the design process. Much like setting a budget for your hard fittings and terrace garden, what goes on your walls comes with its own defined price point.Sheena Rawla, lead designer of Isprava Group, shares that some clients allocate ₹50,000 to ₹2 lakh for a single statement piece, while others are comfortable investing ₹10 lakh or more in a thoughtfully curated collection. “The spend usually depends on the scale of the space, the client’s taste and whether the intent is primarily decorative or also investment driven.”
Patel adds light-heartedly, “Some clients tell me their house is ‘free’. They say the paintings we bought are now worth more than the home itself.”
New job on the block
A senior representative from auction house Christie’s adds that they have always welcomed art dealers and interior designers as clients, either buying for their business or selling their accumulated collections. “This gives designers real pleasure to ‘play around’ with the great objects we have on offer and set these in new dialogues,” the representative said.Macklin adds, “While previous generations saved, younger generations spend. These clients are usually young, married and setting up new homes.” Designers increasingly approach art as a starting point — something that informs the mood, colour palette and even the spatial flow of a home. The shift has happened over the past decade, especially with bespoke residences, private villas and luxury apartments.
Space matters
Price sensitivity exists, but quality, scale and how the work lives within a space matter just as much, shares AstaGuru’s Riddhi Gandhi. “For example, these can include large paintings such as an acrylic on canvas by MF Husain or sculptural pieces by Somnath Hore. Other items include Chinese and Japanese vases, works by well-known contemporary Indian artists like Bharti Kher, Nataraj Sharma and Jitish Kallat.”
