Indian Furniture Brands Reviving Traditional Crafts Through Contemporary Design

A number of furniture brands and studios are looking at India’s craft vocabulary with a fresh lens. Traditional Indian furniture including the charpai (woven bed) and chowki (low stool) is being reinterpreted through contemporary silhouettes, unique materials, and thoughtful collaborations with local artisans.

These select pieces show how the country’s design heritage continues to find a place in contemporary homes through the use of carved teak, bamboo detailing, brass craftsmanship, and woven grass. The result? Furniture inspired by the past and not dated.

Beevi Pai Swing, Design Ni Dukaan x Majja

The ubiquitous Pattamadai chattai (woven mat) finds new purpose as a swing covering. Handwoven by the women of the Pattamadai district in Tamil Nadu, this flexible, foldable pai (mat) is wrapped around a floor-standing, two-seater swing inspired by Corbusian volumes. While the frame is made of solid teakwood, the mat itself is crafted from beige and indigo-dyed korai grass. Each artisan’s name is suffixed with ‘Beevi’ that translates to ‘married woman’, a title that serves as a marker of identity within the community.

Slice Tagara Table, Rhizome Design Studio

At the centre of this three-legged bamboo structure sits a Gujarati hand-formed brass tagara (plate) crafted by Thathera artisans skilled in the art of making brass, copper, and bronze metal utensils. The studio works with the artisans to re-envision brass vessels as furniture, while attempting to revive and preserve their legacy. This table incorporates the studio’s signature slice bamboo detailing, resulting in a timeless, functional piece that adds character to any space.

Casa Arch, Sarita Handa

The traditional Indian room divider—once a heavy, ornately carved staple—finds new life here. The Casa Arch is both a piece of furniture and a sculpture, offering an elevated sense of ‘spatial punctuation’. Crafted from white ash and ply with a mist walnut frame, the arched screen features embroidered fabric-clad panels and a dvaar motif, inspired by Indian doors. The result is a piece that connects timeless craftsmanship with a clean, contemporary silhouette.

Upholstered Easy Armchair, Phantom Hands

The ‘it’ armchair silhouette gets a thoughtful update as part of the brand’s Project Chandigarh Collection—an homage to the iconic modernist design sensibility that emerged during the city’s construction in the 1950s. While the frame comes in Phantom Hands’ special Mocha Driftwood finish, the fabric is from the KeSa Upholstery Collection. It is created with discarded cotton scraps, and new fabric by fashion and textile designer Padmaja Krishnan. Each scrap is arranged with care into specific patterns. It’s sewn, one piece at a time, first by hand and then by machine.

Single Daybed, Jagdish Sutar Design Co

With his Objects of Legacy collection, Milan-based designer Jagdish Sutar marries Rajasthani craftsmanship with contemporary western aesthetics. His daybed is a contemporary reimagination of the humble charpai, featuring unique asymmetrical legs. The teakwood framework supports an intricate 3D weave inspired by the Chand Baori stepwell in Abhaneri, Rajasthan. Brass detailing adds a finishing touch.

Plank, Sar Studio

Part of the studio’s Rise collection, Plank is a low seat inspired by the traditional Indian chowki. This seat is designed to accommodate comfortable cross-legged seating. The nostalgic wide chair is made with reclaimed teak and natural veneered ashwood. It is elevated on slender wood runners with a simple insert connection. It sits well with the studio’s Slide and Group low tables, offering a unique dining option.

Tula Tambour Console, Madras Makers

The impact of the Art Deco movement on Indian design is visible in the curves of the Tula Tambour Console by Madras Makers. Its sleek, streamlined curves are carved from Kerala mahogany, known for its glossy, silky grain, and outlined with pencil reeds of rosewood detailing, polished to a high gloss. Luxe brass hardware is used to finish the piece.