The campaign backs a 925 sterling silver collection positioned for everyday styling and in-store merchandising across GIVA locations.
Category: Lifestyle
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Types of Furniture Across Cultures: How Tradition Shapes Design
By Mr. Hemant Agarwal, Founder of Silver Lake Premium Furniture
Types of furniture have always been a reflection of the culture and history of the people who crafted and used them. From the minimalist designs of Japan to the opulent, intricately carved furniture of China, each culture tells its own story through its interior design. Furniture is not just functional but a symbol of the artistry, beliefs, and lifestyle of different communities. This exploration of the varied types of furniture found across the world, from traditional to contemporary styles, offers a glimpse into the creative ingenuity that defines human living spaces.
The lifestyle of human species has evolved a lot in the last few centuries, from the clothes we wear to the food we eat, it’s all evolved a lot in past times. Diversity of human beliefs is immense, different cultures have different styles of living, their home design, whether they use concrete or wood or the type of furniture they prefer. Interior design of homes differs according to their culture, depending on the types of traditional craftsmanship they use, or the cultural practices of that particular place.
Types of Furniture used vary in different cultures, like in Japanese culture, traditionally Tatami Mats and Futon were used. Tatami Mats were woven by straws and were made to be laid on floors, generally for floor seating and low tables. Futons are the mattress that can be folded and stored during day time. We can see that Japanese furniture are typically minimal, and are made solely for comfort. Shoji screens can also be an example of minimalistic furniture in Japanese culture, which are sliding paper doors to allow light to pass through.
Traditional Chinese furniture was often made of hardwoods, and had distinct curves, or intricate carvings to make them look more appealing. Ming chairs and Chinese cabinets are some of the examples, where Ming chairs are known for their elegance and simplicity and Chinese cabinets were lacquered with carvings and paintings. Opium beds and Kang tables were also some of the furniture often used in Chinese culture.
Traditionally, Charpai was one of the most basic pieces of furniture used in Indian culture. It’s a traditional woven bed, made from a wooden frame and jute strings. Jhoola is one of the things that can be found in the Indian courtyards or living rooms, it’s a hanging swing chair or bench. Indian furniture often had intricate carvings, designs, and paintings made, especially in royal homes.
African furniture was traditionally made on a hierarchy basis, stools and thrones, which symbolize power and prestige and wooden carved benches were used for the communal sittings. Stools were often carved from a single piece of wood and benches used to be adorned with tribal carvings. Rattan furniture were made from palm stems and were known for their durability and lightweight. In countries like Morocco, Leather Ottomans are used as seats or foot rests, and are made from goat or camel hide.
In the Middle eastern countries, Majlis seating and Mosaic tables are used traditionally. Majlis seating is a form of communal gathering where cushions are laid around the room in a circular manner and Mosaic tables are intricate with geometric designs usually found in countries like Morocco and Iran. Divans are long backless Sofas, covered with sheets and cushions.
Victorian furniture in Western Europe is often made of hardwood and rich padded textile covering it. Chesterfield Sofa is a two layered leather sofa, which came from England. Louis XIV furniture is again a luxurious and expensive piece often found in France.
American furniture design has changed a lot from native Americans to modern interior designs. Adirondack chairs and Shaker furniture are often seen in America. Adirondack chairs are outdoor chairs, which have wide armrests and can be used in rusty settings. Metal, glass and plywood were used in mid-century modern, which had clean, sleek lines.
As opposed to their northern companion the furniture style in Latin America has always been quite simple. Influenced by the Spanish craftsmanship, their furniture style has always been lightweight and eco-friendly. Hammocks, a traditional hanging bed or seat, are usually made of cotton or sisal fiber, they can be used both inside and outside hanging with the help of a tree. Equipal chairs are made from pigskin leather and woven wood are mostly found in countries like Mexico.
Every culture has their own style and design in their furniture, they all bring their unique flavor in the design and craftsmanship. It tells you the story of their culture and history of their people and traditions.
This article was shared with Prittle Prattle News as an authored article.
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When art borrows from nature, a festival installation explores coexistence and colour through Absolut Mixers
Pulkith Modi, Marketing Head, Pernod Ricard India discussed Absolut Mixers’ creative presence at Echoes of Earth 2025
When art borrows from nature, it often reveals ideas that go beyond aesthetics. At Echoes of Earth 2025, an installation by Absolut Mixers explored this intersection through a public art experience that placed coexistence, diversity, and creative connection at its core. Presented as The Absolut Blue Trail, the installation unfolded as a sensory journey rooted in the festival’s larger theme, “Nature’s Intelligence,” and Absolut’s long-held philosophy of a colourless world.
Echoes of Earth, held in Bengaluru on December 13 and 14, has established itself as a platform where sustainability, inclusivity, and artistic expression intersect. Absolut Mixers’ presence at the festival aligned with this ethos, positioning art as a medium to reflect how ecosystems, cultures, and identities thrive through collaboration rather than separation.The Absolut Blue Trail brought together three artists who each interpreted the colour blue through forms found in nature. Rather than treating blue as a static shade, the trail examined it as an outcome of harmony, an illusion that exists only when light, material, and perspective align. The installations were constructed using reclaimed materials, reinforcing the festival’s commitment to sustainability and responsible creativity.
Artist Trishala Srinivas drew inspiration from the Indian Roller, a bird known for its vivid blue plumage and striking aerial movement. Her work translated the bird’s presence into a sculptural form that celebrated motion, balance, and the fleeting nature of colour. The installation invited viewers to reflect on how vibrancy in nature often emerges from adaptability and interdependence.The artist collective Alt-Native focused on the Peacock Mantis Shrimp, a marine species recognised for its complex visual spectrum and iridescent blue tones. Their installation examined perception itself, highlighting how colour is experienced differently depending on context and sensory capability. Through material reuse and layered construction, the piece encouraged audiences to reconsider how diversity in vision shapes understanding.
Completing the trail, artist Mechanimal presented a kinetic interpretation of the Gooty Tarantula, an endangered species native to India. The installation combined movement, reclaimed components, and mechanical elements to transform fragility into strength. By spotlighting an at-risk species through innovation and reuse, the work linked conservation with creative resilience.The exploration of transformation extended beyond static installations. The Absolut Stage took inspiration from the Mimic Octopus, a species known for its ability to adapt and shift form. Designed as an evolving visual environment, the stage changed in response to performances, reflecting Absolut’s belief that creativity is fluid and shaped through interaction.
Music formed an integral part of the experience, reinforcing the themes of connection and openness. The Absolut Stage hosted performances that crossed genres and geographies. Stavroz closed the first day with a set that blended electronic textures with jazz influences, while The F16s delivered an energetic performance rooted in indie rock and rhythmic experimentation. Graysokker concluded the programming with a high-intensity set that merged electronic and rock elements, creating a collective, movement-driven atmosphere.Speaking about the collaboration, Pulkith Modi, Marketing Head at Pernod Ricard India, said Absolut’s presence at Echoes of Earth reflects the brand’s belief in authenticity, inclusivity, and freedom of expression. He noted that the Born Colourless philosophy is rooted in the idea that creativity flourishes without labels, and that nature, culture, and art offer some of the purest expressions of that principle.
Echoes of Earth 2025 brought together more than thirty artists and bands from India and abroad, alongside workshops, installations, and community-led experiences. Within this landscape, The Absolut Blue Trail functioned not as a standalone brand statement but as a shared space for reflection, where art, environment, and audience engagement converged.By anchoring its presence in reclaimed materials, endangered species narratives, and adaptive design, Absolut Mixers used the festival setting to explore how ideas of colour, identity, and coexistence can be reimagined. The installation invited audiences to step into a world where difference is not divided but mixed, and where creativity, much like nature, finds its strength through connection.
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What India Is Choosing to Build Is Quietly Changing the Country’s Architectural Language
From Thal Sena Bhawan for the Indian Army and ONGC’s International Convention Centre to Technocity Kerala, American Embassy School, Rashtrapati Udyan Dehradun, Taj Lucknow, and Queen Elizabeth School Gurugram, projects by CP Kukreja Architects reflect how institutions, cities, and public life are being reshaped across India.
India’s built environment is undergoing a shift that is less visible in skylines and more evident in institutions, campuses, landscapes, and civic spaces. As the country moves beyond rapid expansion toward consolidation and long-term capacity building, architecture is increasingly being asked to serve systems rather than symbols. The choices being made today, often away from the spotlight, are beginning to reshape how cities function, how institutions operate, and how public life is experienced.
Across defence infrastructure, educational campuses, technology districts, hospitality developments, and public parks, a common thread is emerging. The emphasis is moving away from visual dominance toward clarity, durability, and contextual response. This transition reflects a broader understanding that architecture must now operate at scale while remaining sensitive to ecology, access, and everyday use.One of the clearest expressions of this shift can be seen in large national institutions such as Thal Sena Bhawan, the upcoming headquarters of the Indian Army in Delhi. Rather than presenting itself as a singular monument, the project translates organisational logic into spatial structure. Circulation efficiency, internal connectivity, security, and landscape integration drive the planning approach. The architectural language draws meaning from institutional values rather than decorative assertion, signalling a move toward purpose-led design in state infrastructure.
A similar institutional clarity is visible in the International Convention and Expo Centre being developed for ONGC in Goa. Conceived as a composite environment for training, knowledge exchange, and large-format public engagement, the campus prioritises functional separation, operational flow, and adaptability. Its architectural expression responds to Goa’s coastal context without resorting to pastiche, indicating how large public-sector projects are beginning to balance identity with restraint.Education architecture is also undergoing recalibration. At Queen Elizabeth School in Gurugram, historical lineage is acknowledged through proportion, materiality, and spatial rhythm, while contemporary requirements are addressed through planning and infrastructure. The project reflects a growing recognition that schools are no longer just academic facilities but environments that shape social behaviour, movement, and learning culture over decades.
This rethinking extends to international education environments as well. The phased redevelopment of the American Embassy School in New Delhi demonstrates how architecture can evolve without disrupting daily life. The project’s careful sequencing allows learning to continue uninterrupted while gradually transforming the campus into a more flexible and future-ready environment. Here, architecture acts as an enabler rather than a disruption, a principle increasingly central to large institutional projects.Technology-driven urban development offers another lens into this changing architectural language. Technocity and Technopark Phase IV in Thiruvananthapuram represent a shift from isolated IT buildings to integrated urban districts. The masterplan prioritises pedestrian movement, ecological corridors, and mixed-use interaction, reframing the idea of a technology park as a lived environment rather than a purely commercial enclave. Sustainability, mobility, and public access are embedded at the planning level, suggesting a more mature approach to economic infrastructure.
Public landscapes, too, are being reimagined as essential urban systems. The redevelopment of Rashtrapati Udyan in Dehradun places ecology, recreation, and cultural memory on equal footing. Instead of functioning as ornamental green space, the park is designed as an active public environment with layered experiences, biodiversity strategies, and everyday accessibility. Such projects indicate a renewed understanding of public parks as civic infrastructure rather than aesthetic additions.Hospitality architecture is responding to similar pressures. The expansion of Taj Lucknow demonstrates how legacy brands are choosing continuity over spectacle. The design extends the existing architectural vocabulary through proportion, spatial organisation, and contextual orientation, reinforcing the idea that luxury today is increasingly defined by calm, coherence, and spatial quality rather than visual excess.
Taken together, these environments reveal a broader pattern. Architecture in India is becoming less about individual statements and more about systems that must endure. Institutions are demanding buildings that can adapt, landscapes that regenerate, campuses that function seamlessly, and cities that support everyday life without constant reinvention.This quiet shift may not dominate headlines, but its impact will be lasting. As these projects move forward, they collectively suggest that India’s architectural language is evolving toward one that values longevity over immediacy, responsibility over display, and context over imitation. What the country is choosing to build today is setting the tone for how it will live, work, and gather for decades to come.
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