Engineering a home's makeover

Expect an engineer to get down to brass tacks even when talking about exquisite home accessories. But don't expect the usual when you log onto Kalaagram(.com) to pep up your pad

When marketing consultant and entrepreneur Gaurav Bharadwaj found himself struggling to come up with the perfect analogy, he turned to the subject he knows best -- engineering. "Home decor is like nuts and bolts," he says, while explaining the concept behind his venture, Kalaagram. "Nuts and bolts will always be required even in the fanciest of systems. same with d ufffdcor. However small or large your home may be, it will demand furnishings and accessories," he says with a smile, content with his eventual explanation.


Candle stands made from recycled sleeper wood are priced at Rs 500
onwards

Bharadwaj kicked off his home decor label with two school friends, Sameer Sadiq and Sunil Mamotra, in December 2010. Since then, their prime focus has been on international clientele. "We export primarily to clients in Germany, Canada and Africa," shares Bharadwaj, who handles the retail-end of the business.
The international slant explains why American president George Washington smiles benignly at you from a jute cushion cover (Rs 300); definitely our favourite piece from the collection.

The other interesting range from Kalaagram's collection is the one crafted from sleeper wood, reclaimed wood, and a line of antique wood products. Look out for the dark sleeper wood and jute combination mirrors (Rs 3,000 to Rs 6,000). Sleeper wood, traditionally used to lay railway tracks, is also converted into smaller murals, candle stands (Rs 500 to Rs 700) and trunks (Rs 2,000).

Kalaagram has its center in Jodhpur and most of their artisans also based in Rajasthan. "Jodhpur is home to the best marble products, and it's big on the home decor front," says Bharadwaj. Since the core team at Kalaagram includes white-collared professionals, it hopes to turn into a brand that can strike a balance between art, aesthetics and brand management. Their business model is one that benefits artists too. "A lot of our artists' revenue depends on Kalaagram's profits. Their progress is intrinsically linked to our growth; each of our artists are stakeholders in Kalaagram." That claim should rid your splurge of all guilt.

Log on to: Kalaagram.com oru00a0 https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kalaagram/125247624213099 to check out the products.
Call: Gaurav Bharadwaj on 9619196611