Kannadiga arts, crafts, and culture have developed over the centuries to a high level of beauty and elegance. For buying home décor and art to add the Kannada element to a home, here are a few pointers.
If a home is where the heart is, then why shouldn’t it look like the best part? Adding an artistic touch to our homes keeps us rooted, it does. And there are few homes which have richer cultural heritage and art/craft influence than the Kannadiga.
Now, it would be presumptuous to say this is an exhaustive list. By no means. But what we’ve mentioned below constitute the “Oh, how could you not?” list. These items are the gems of the bucket-list, so to say.
Bidri the way to a classy home
There can be no discussion on adding the Kannada touch to a home without dwelling on bidri work. Luxury can have no more unique vision than Karnataka’s bidriware.
Intricate silver inlay work over blackened zinc-copper alloy; bidri work can be found in vases, trays, mirrors, and cases, and much more. Any of them have the power to bring the onlooker to a complete halt. Buying bidri work brings the classiest part of the state, nay the country into your home.
Kannada arts and crafts have many forms, but rarely any cultural craft-work brings this level of elegance with itself.
Kinnal for knick-knacks, anyone?
Kinnal or ‘Kinhal’ art is one of the oldest art forms in Kannada cultural heritage. Kinnal is made from wood, natural colour, pebbles/semi-precious stones and paste of tamarind trees as glue. This is possibly one of the closest amalgamations of art, culture, and nature that can be found.
Kinnal home décor items can be had in toy figurines of people, animals, and birds. Made in bright hues, buying Kinnal handicrafts for the mantel and the showcase brings vibrant splashes of colour to your daily life.
Incidentally, channapatna is another traditional Karnataka artform which turns out exquisite lacquered and painted toys. An ancient tradition, channapatna toys can range from surprisingly affordable playthings for children to wildly expensive figurines made over several months of labour. Dealer’s choice!
Other arty doodads to make a home
Nameplates. Now that’s an item which nobody thinks too much about. But everyone notices a stand-out piece. Kannada art and crafts have turned the little nameplate from a placid announcement to an understated luxury.
The traditional Kannada nameplate is a masterpiece of wood, lacquer and love. Lightweight wood is treated, tinted and decorated in the traditional cursive script before being lacquered over to give ageless beauty to your name and household.
More Kannada kitsch for you
Incense and woodwork, oh, another two gems. Kannada arts and crafts would scarcely be complete sans these two. Some of the country’s most delicate aromas are captured into scent sticks to be bought the world across. And it would be a sin not to have a bidri incense holder and traditional incense sticks burning once the evening starts. Unless you’re asthmatic, then you can skip this.
Kannada arts can form the cornerstone when you’re planning to do home-improvement. Buying bidri work, kinnal and channapatna figurines and woodwork are but a few ways of adding the Kannada touch to your traditional home decor.
For bringing the artsy, ethnic Kannada feel to a home, the above pointers should hold you in good stead. And the nameplate. Don’t forget that.
LSI Keywords:
1) Bidri work
2) Kannada arts (also used with ‘Kannada kitsch’)
3) Channapatna
4) Kinnal ( also with ‘home decor’)
