Unveiling the Nilaya with Sabyasachi

Nilaya – An exquisite wall covering that does much more than just cover a wall - it brings a wall to life. Recently collaborated with India’s most favorite designer, Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Nilaya is a subsidiary of Asian Paints that creates wall coverings. It is a tribute to quintessential Indian sensibilities, with an earthy approach in design and aesthetics, curated with a global outlook. Nilaya, proudly supported by Sabya was unveiled through a fanciful installation - ‘The Forest of Wallpapers’ at the India Design show in Delhi and at the LFW 2015 with Sabya’s Resort 2015 collection. One can easily be intrigued by the honest approach of The Sabyasachi for Nilaya Collection that encourages quzality craftsmanship while reviving lost Indian traditions and stays true to its roots. It is extremely admirable that the brand graciously brings the essence of an earthy yet vibrant life in India, while giving us the experience of a contemporary and posh style. Nilaya celebrates the rich cultural heritage and craft of India and even though the surfaces are viewed through a global lens, its roots are firmly planted in India.

The collection has several prints in each of the five stories of the collection, and Sabya has his own way of telling stories - the first one being India Baroque that celebrates the north of Calcutta, the next being Jodhpuri, a collection done entirely in shades of blue. Another one being, Spice Route a collection inspired by the exotic spices of India, another part of the story is Varanasi - inspired by the Varanasi Brocades and their colors, and finally the last being Makhmal, which is an opulent collection of velvet wall coverings. The artwork for each of the wallpapers is hand-rendered by artists of the Sabyasachi Art Foundation. In addition, the collaboration does good to a lot of people by providing employment opportunities to the craftsmen of India. Struggling artists are hand-picked by the Sabyasachi Art Foundation from all across India, especially Bengal and are mentored along with a stipend. The work of these small scale artists has been showcased on a commercial scale and I think its a great thing and is extremely inspiring for all of us.