Ruchi Malhotra and Renu Kapoor (front) focus on the rich traditions of the Silk Route countries

Profile

It exudes the romantic and exotic aura that you associate with the Silk Route, the historic trade passage which snaked through Asia and Europe. Sisters Ruchi Malhotra and Renu Kapoor have decided to give Delhi a taste of home décor that has been inspired by the cultures and art of this legendary route.

Tucked away among rows of cafés and lifestyle shops in South Delhi, Silk Road and Beyond is a veritable melting pot of influences from the Silk Route countries and products from across India.

“India is a treasure trove of artefacts. So, we showcase a lot of local talent, along with products sourced from Thailand and Turkey,” says Kapoor.

Though they don’t have a design background, the sisters go by their sense of aesthetics when they are picking and choosing for the store.

Malhotra and her older sister, Renu Kapoor, conceptualised the store in September 2008 with a focus on the rich but contrasting traditions of the countries along the Silk Route. “My husband is in the textile business and that is how we hit upon the idea of a retail store for everything one needs for one’s home,” says Kapoor.

She joined forces with her sister who took over the creative aspect of the store. Part of Malhotra’s job entails travelling extensively in India to select pieces for the store.

They played with the concept of the Silk Route and filled the store with artefacts such as faux antique ceramic urns from Turkey, Buddhas from Thailand and Moroccan babooshes (also known as babouche, which is a Moroccan slipper).

There’s more: furniture including day-beds and coffee-tables, mirrors with intricately worked jaali frames and accessories like colourful candle-stands, platters, vases and wall hangings. There are furnishings too, the most attractive being the soft-as-marshmallow quilts and comforters in bright colours. The store has a vast repertoire of textiles and furnishings, which are produced in-house.

Their forté lies in customising furnishings for their clients who can take a pick from the fabrics and colours of the season. For the upcoming summer the store has a strong line-up of natural fabrics such as linen, cotton, cotton velvet and recycled materials like reels of tapes that are woven into fabrics to make boxes and coasters.

trends

“I’m constantly on the lookout for new things to update the look of the store,” says Malhotra. She travels and keeps a finger on the pulse of changing trends in the business of interiors.

Colour, she stresses, is the buzzword in interiors for spring-summer 2010. Spaces are being brightened with fuschia, lime green, summery yellow, tangy orange and purple. A range of products — candle-holders, cushion covers, bed spreads, wine glasses — come with splashes of these colours.

“Accessories in glass are also moving fast,’’ says Malhotra. You will do well to bring home glass candle-stands, platters, glasses and vases.

Fabrics like textured wool, linen and jute are riding high on the popularity charts. You find them at Silk Road and Beyond along with lush fabrics including brocade and jacquard.

“It’s time to get your home an antique-looking vase or bowl or some Turkish piece because the tarnished gold look is making a huge comeback,” says Malhotra.

products

Fusing the traditional with the contemporary is the name of the game at Silk Road and Beyond. The store is enlivened with ethnic cushion covers embellished with single stones (prices between Rs 400 and Rs 2,500 apiece), traditional Thai Buddhas (Rs 2,000 and Rs 12,000) and wall hangings with tribal metal art (Rs 1,000 and Rs 5,000).

For a modern touch, there are colourful vases, wine glasses, tea-light holders and candle-holders, all sourced locally — along with an exclusive collection of stoles and attractive babooshes.

You can go quirky with glass coasters, trays and wall art that are printed with faces of icons like Michael Jackson and Jim Morrison, popular sitcoms such as Sex & the City and Gossip Girl and cutesy Bollywood prints of Sholay and Gabbar Singh.

Don’t, however, miss out on their recycled wool throws with pretty velvet trimmings and coasters and boxes woven with audio and video reels.

There’s something to suit every pocket. While the floor price is an affordable Rs 300 (for a tea-light holder), prices of the furniture (like day-beds) could go upto Rs 40,000. The fabrics range between Rs 500 and 1,500 per metre. Says Kapoor: “We do not compromise on quality. The idea is to give our clients the best.’’

Photographs by Jagan Negi