Some design stories begin with a flash of inspiration; others take shape in the quiet alchemy of materials. For Priti Mehta, founder of Bengaluru-based creative studio Ashni, it was the search for the perfect lamp that sparked an experiment with handmade paper around 13 years ago. A deeper exploration of craft, texture and meaning, culminated in Ashni in 2014. “We approach lighting as more than just illumination. Each piece is thoughtfully created to bring warmth, personal expression, emotion, and individuality into a space,” she says. Drawing inspiration from nature’s rhythms and transformations, Ashni’s latest collection introduces three lighting designs: Ignis, Pashaan and Pravah. Ignis, available as a floor lamp and wall light, takes its cues from molten magma. Crafted from pure silk, copper, and teak wood, the floor lamp features sculptural forms that capture the raw, imperfect beauty of geological formations. Hand-dyed silk creates distinctive patterns that glow in warm shades of amber, red and orange when illuminated.
Pashaan draws on the quiet beauty of natural stone. Made from coffee-dyed, crushed banana paper, its handmade oblong forms are stacked like pebble sculptures on a wooden base. The earthy palette and tactile finish lend the floor lamp rustic sensibility. Pravah, brings together banana fibre paper, loofah and metal in a chandelier inspired by tendrils and creeping vines. Its fluid forms bend, curl and unfurl, complemented by an amber glass globe. “The natural variations that come with handcrafted work give each piece its individuality,” says Mehta.