Streaks of golden sunlight streaming through the French windows add a warm glow to the eclectic treasures in Neeti Tandon Kashyap’s Jumeirah home. Curated with decor collected from all over the world, her interiors are an ode to traditional artisanal textiles and handicrafts. As I was welcomed into this classic haven styled harmoniously with timeless artefacts, I took the easy route by beginning the interview asking Neeti about her most prized decor piece. ‘That one,’ she replies, pointing to the copper brown throw with a distinct geometric pattern draped over the russet fabric chair, I was sitting on. ‘This antique textile with intricate phulkari needle work is from Punjab in India, handwoven by women in the household for a bride. Over 100 years old, it was lovingly sourced from Patiala, by a friend,’ tells Neeti, whose own family hails from the same state. ‘It is special for me as it signifies my roots. I also love the mix of shades on it and how it can be used as a pop of colour in any contemporary home,’ she adds.
Neeti, who grew up in Delhi and has been a Dubai resident for close to two decades, moved into this two-storey villa around six years ago. With her background in textiles, a post graduate from the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), in India, she admits being naturally drawn to ethnic handmade fabric, which has been aesthetically meshed into the décor all over her home. Behind the chairs we are sitting on is an old pouffe repurposed with antique Suzani textile from Uzbekistan. Fusing together prints in claret, red, black and white, the upcycled pouffe, Neeti shares, is the favourite resting spot of her dogs. Suzanis, interestingly are highly collectable textile panels dating back to the mid-19th century. Derived from the Persian word Suzan, which means needles, the fabric was originally made by central Asian nomadic tribes, hand embroidered on cloth that is woven on a loom. They are also customarily made by brides and gifted to their grooms on their wedding day.
Yet another Suzani takes centerstage in Neeti’s home, on the wall behind the L-shaped white sofa in the living room. This tapestry on a base of white, threaded with strings in rich hues, showcases an intricate web of vines binding together floral and fruit motifs. Paired with subtle furniture accents, the Suzanis, add to the joyful medley of interior elements in the expansive living room.
Regarding décor choices, Neeti says she is a traditionalist, who also loves mid-century and modern designs. ‘My style is to keep everything simple, and brighten it up with colours and craft to create a scene that is special to us as a family.’
As we converse my gaze travels to another cozy setting in the living room. A dark blue sofa coupled with a set of two wooden cane chairs. The elegant teakwood chairs, Neeti points out, are Pierre Jeanne ret chairs, also known as Chandigarh chairs. Designed in the 1950s, by the Swiss architect, these chairs were used in public spaces in the Indian city of Chandigarh. ‘They were in my husband’s family home for many years and are now precious keepsakes in our living room,’ she says. The chairs are styled with cushions made of tussar silk, from Kutch area of Gujarat.
As an avid collector of art and antiques, Neeti’s home is a calming oasis adorned with several such family heirlooms and curios brought back from travels. It is pleasant to see that there is an innate cohesion between all these varied memorabilia.
Traces of the family’s love for culture is engraved across the home. For instance, just next to the Suzani on the wall is a table with an unusual brass headgear on a metal stand. Mesmerized by its intricate golden detailing, I ask Neeti more about it. ‘This is a Balinese wedding headdress, all handmade, brought from one of our trips to the island,’ she says. This artistic crown known as Gelungan Agung adds a mystical touch to the contemporary home.
Close to this table is yet another testament of how the house owners have ingeniously brought together their travel finds. A pale blue, mother-of-pearl inlay table set from India displays silver Ethiopian Coptic crosses, a Moroccan Tajine, a Lebanese artisanal handmade tea light holder and a blue and white vase bought in Dubai.
‘For long I have believed in investing in keeping ancient crafts alive and I have always veered towards sustainable and ethical living,’ points out Neeti, who has turned her passion into a business by launching Curate Home, a sustainable lifestyle store in Dubai in 2020. Just like for her own home, she sources ethical and handmade sustainable décor products from across the globe for her brand.
Her love for all things handmade and her penchant for upcycling, she shares, runs in her family. In her childhood home in Delhi, she recollects how her mother would often get bespoke furnishings and garments stitched by the neighbourhood tailors. ‘We grew up in a home, where nothing was thrown away, everything was reused and recycled. My mom also collected textiles and sarees from all over India. My wedding trousseau included a saree from each Indian state.’
Having worked in the apparel manufacturing industry for years made her conscious of the wrath of fast fashion. Empowering artisans, buying organic and showcasing vintage, she reveals, has become a way of life for her today. Her fascination with ethnic weaves is represented through the fabric wall in the dining room. Strips of textiles from all over India are exhibited in frames and adorned on the wall in an alluring collage. There is a piece of gota patti from Rajasthan, Lucknowi zardozi, Patola from Gujarat, Kashmiri embroidered shawl fabric, Parsi gara work and much more. ‘India is so rich in textiles and crafts. I wanted to show a slice of my heritage in my home. Unfortunately, people don’t want to buy these ethnic crafts anymore and I feel we all have the collective responsibility to keep them alive,’ she says.
The other highlight of the dining area is the uniquely carved Indonesian teak-root table and fresh flowers in a large pickle jar that Neeti inherited from her grandmother. ‘This table has witnessed many memorable gatherings. I look at this space as a sanctuary that integrates my tradition and ancestry into our modern life,’ she says.
Clearly everything in this home is a conversation starter -- every piece has a distinct story and is uniquely exhibited by its home owners. Reminiscing one such instance, Neeti shares, how she acquired a rare carpet from an antique shop in Istanbul. ‘The carpet seller had this exquisite 200-year-old rug with a lovely pattern that I wanted to buy, but the price was not in my budget. After speaking for over two hours about our shared love for antiques, we stuck such a camaraderie that he ended up giving it to me at a much lower rate,’ she tells. The rug is now a part of the guest bedroom.
As we are ready to wind up this home tour, I ask Neeti to reveal her favourite spot. Curiously her response took us back to where it all started -- the russet fabric chair. ‘This is where you will find me curled up with a book, with the view of the trees in my garden,’ she says.
