Your home is a window into your personal taste, and while a clean aesthetic can be soothing to look at, some gentle clutter when layered the right way forms a deeper visual narrative.
Shelf Stories: Interior stylist Anubha Laroiya Aneja, founder of HomAnAn, advises against buying books purely for aesthetics. Instead of arranging them like a library, Aneja suggests styling books in small clusters. “Stack a few books horizontally, place a candle or sculptural object on top, and intermix books with artefacts to create visual pauses. Group similar-coloured spines together, or let one bold spine stand out to energise a neutral shelf,” she adds.
Wander Finds: Bringing home decor items from your travels adds personality and memories to a space. “I tend to pick up one or two curios, a local painting, or an interesting postcard with tasteful graphics that remind me of that place,” says Gayatri Gunjal, principal architect at YellowSub Studio, who recommends choosing local art, handicrafts, or handlooms that reflect the destination.
Global Harmony: Divya Khullar, co-founder at 1405 Design Studio, suggests embracing eclectic combinations while finding a subtle common thread. “A shelf with pieces in similar earthy tones, or objects made of wood, stone, metal, or ceramic, will naturally sit well together even if their origins are different,” she says. “Use a consistent base palette across the home.”
Layered Living: Aneja believes layering is a quiet accumulation of stories through meaningful objects. “Invest in pieces that carry a narrative such as artisanal ceramics, carved wood, heirlooms, or art. Add a rug to ground the space and a lamp for the finishing touch,” she says.
Curated Corners: Neha Kataria, interior designer at LA Archplan & creative director at The Right Address recommends styling with odd-number groupings, varied scales and textures, and enough negative space for visual balance. “Everything does not need to be on display at the same time. Rotating objects helps the decor feel intentional rather than crowded,” she says. Kataria also suggests using trays or pedestals to anchor smaller pieces and letting one object take centre stage. “When curated with intent, objects from different cultures and places complement one another, giving the home a deeply personal character,” she says.