Sanghamitra Bhattacherjee : Colours of the rainbow in Singapore

We brought you Sanghamitra’s home as a part of the stylish home contest, a while ago. Here, we share her story on designing and decorating her home in Singapore.

As you will see, she has created a wonderful home with much love and care. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did !

Do check out her inspirational blog – Rainbow -The colours of India

 

Even though I have a Masters in Economics, I have always been a creatively inclined, right-brained person. My creative pursuits began early in life when I started the journey with music at the age of six. I gave my first performance on All India Radio as a ten year old child and continued training as a vocalist in Hindustani Classical and Rabindra Sangeet for the next twenty years. I also learnt Indian Classical dance for a good number of years and always had a keen interest in painting and creative writing as well. Earlier, I worked as a freelance creative copywriter in Bengali on regional assignments with reputed brands like ITC Greetings Cards, Fairever (Kevin Care) and others.

 

 

 

Travelling, another passion of mine, has exposed me to a world of diversities – different civilisations, art and culture, and the diverse flora and fauna.

 

We came to Singapore on an expat assignment and moved into this 1300 square feet three-bedroom condominium in a posh locality. The condominium was handed over to us fully-furnished and decorated in the usual predictable Western style. I wanted to incorporate my own ‘Indian’ elements in the design and styling, which turned out to be my biggest challenge.

 

It is much easier with an empty canvas, rather than modifying a painted picture. I started with effective space planning first, keeping most of the existing layout intact, while trying to recreate ‘a home away from home’.

 

We left most of our furniture in New Delhi when we moved here. It was indeed a huge struggle to create and maintain ‘a slice of India’ far away from the ‘real land’, yet I tried my best. The ‘traditional Indian feel’ attracts me. I hope my home exudes my passion for ethnic Indian style, even though I have tried a fusion of the Indian mysticism and the Oriental splendour opportunistically. I feel that for our nest, the ‘rustic Indian feel’ goes hand in hand with the’simple-serene’ Oriental look.

 

It is not easy for me to define the term ‘Ethnic Indian Style’ – it lies somewhere in between the monsoon in Kolkata, a wintery late afternoon at Fatehpur Sikri, a colourful open air Jhummor dance at Sum Dhani, Jaisalmer or, a busy temple street in Mylapore, Chennai. It is about India, the nation as a whole and the essence it leaves in the mind.

 

As a couple, we are bitten by the travel bug. Travelling and photography plays a vital role in developing my rich design vocabulary. Music enriches my soul and good books on various subjects are always there to guide me. Last but not the least, it is gardening that provides me the everyday breather. I just can’t live without the greens and fresh flowers!

 

Undoubtedly, I am a quintessential Bengali, born and brought up in Kolkata, The City of Joy. Yet, I stay a true Indian and a global citizen, having spent several years in Southern and Northern India before moving into Singapore.

 

Indian artefacts: This is my passion and I have been collecting them over the years from all across India. It seems to me that I simply just can’t have enough of them. I spend a lot of effort searching for them and my favourite spots to hunt for such gems are the National Cottage Industries outlets, different expositions and the local grass-root fairs that happen during several local festivals across each state, whenever I get a chance to visit India.

 

Oriental artefacts always provide a serene touch and seamlessly gel with Indian traditional decor. Over time, we have built a good collection of such artefacts from all across China and Southeast Asia especially Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and Cambodia.

 

Flowers make a statement in their own right, and are decor elements gifted by the Creator that can fill any space and brighten it up. I just can’t live without fresh flowers. I either purchase them or, collect them from my own tiny garden. Tropical beauties like Orchid, Frangipani and Hibiscus are my favourites. I also love to keep a bowl full of Jasmine on my coffee table; it brightens up my day.

 

Since we move a lot, we don’t buy bulky furniture. I love incorporating natural elements like bamboo, rattan and cane into my design, and like using wrought iron to bring some diversity. While my favourite is antique wooden furniture, it is quite difficult to stay mobile with them.

 

Cushions are very important accessories and they play an unique role in enhancing the beauty of any living space. I have a wide collection of cushions in stunning colours that come from all corners of India like Delhi, Jaipur, Jodhpur and Ahmedabad, and even from the Orient like Malaysia and Vietnam.

 

Category: Home Tour, Spaces