The COVID-19 pandemic has turned the world as we knew it upside down. Amid the ensuing chaos and uncertainty, one thing that has emerged as the ‘sanctuary’ of our lives is the home. Reimposing its aura in our lives, we have no other way than to turn it into a calm oasis, a slice of sustainability — the movement that is the byword of our generation.
“Nostalgia” was declared to be reigning imagination through 2021 by Gemma Riberti, head of interiors at WGSN Lifestyle & Interiors. “It has an incredibly reassuring power—in times of uncertainty, a well-known past is looked at with fondness and longing,” said Riberti.
“Repurposing, revamping, and refreshing antique furniture and pieces otherwise discarded is motivated by both sustainability and nostalgia.”
With the heightened stress on woke consumerism, responsible luxury is key. One that shops local, supports local especially in the wake of the pandemic. Hence, the once West-looking luxury home clientele is now looking beyond the haloed lanes of Italy and France given the geo-medical restrictions in place. Luxury is fighting hard to stay relevant at a time when the world has awakened to the grim reality that nothing is more precious than life itself, or health.
At Klove, however, this has been the thought ever since its inception. Woven into the Klove design DNA is the labour-intensive journey of craftspersons and artisans. The Klove work culture has always been informed by this respect for labour and skill, for human lives, talent and passion without which the beauty and charm of a finished handcrafted product is nothing.
When the International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD) surveyed lighting design businesses about the impact of the COVID-19 crisis in May 2020, the results showed how most lighting design firms worldwide were underprepared to deal with the challenges. There has actually been a paradigm shift in the way companies function. Work is remote and for crafts-based interior business that itself is a challenge.
The bigger challenge though is to understand that the function of interior design itself has changed. As people spend more and more time indoors and with family members, the home environment calls for intelligent and intuitive manipulation of the space. Klove is pushing its boundaries in merging technology with technique to come up with time-sensitive and labour-sensitive design solutions to adapt to the new times.
If work-from-home policies continue to stay as it seems most likely now, homes need to have functional workspaces. But, equally, at the same time, living spaces must encapsulate the concept of escape and romance; niche corners or surprise corners to break the monotony and fulfill the need of candlelight dinner, a temporary vacay-vibe and an experimental setting for home theatre. At Klove, we are constantly innovating to bring sustainable living solutions intact with the luxury of thought.
