Delhi-based fashion designer Nida Mahmood is popular for her unique take on Indian kitsch.

“Kitsch is a very malleable form of art where the biggest rule is to have no rules. The artist projects his or her own interpretations of the mundane by viewing the world through technicolour glasses,” says Nida, whose desi-kitsch products are retailed through The Box at The Park.

Nida’s tips on working kitsch at home:

Kitsch has a lot of character and can be moulded to your needs. But remember that it is a very strong flavour of art and hence needs careful handling.

Try concentrating on just one statement corner or wall at home. You could have one wall with quirky kitschy pictures and artefacts. Coordinate this with smaller elements like coasters and a few cushions in a similar flavour for continuity.

Never overdo, as kitsch is usually very colourful and may make small-sized rooms very cluttered. For sometime one might enjoy the newness it brings, but in the long run one needs to feel that this is one’s own space. Hence small doses are recommended.

Always offset busy patterns and prints with a few neutral or solid colours. Like kitschy cushions interspersed with a few solid, brightly-coloured ones set on a neutral couch works well. Plant this arrangement against a kitschy wall only if the rest of the room is considerably low on kitsch elements.

Text: Neha Banka

Pictures by Rashbehari Das, Bhubaneswarananda Halder