What’s for dinner today?
Two decades ago, furniture designer Jyoti Nautiyal heard the term Bauhaus for the first time. A client told her, “I like to keep things simple, both in communication and design. Think Bauhaus, and work along those lines”. Since then, the defining characteristics of the 20th-century art and design movement—practicality, simplicity, geometric minimalism and the use of primary colours—has shaped a lot of her work, including her newest dining collection. “This is the first time I’ve dedicated an entire line to the aesthetic,” says the 48-year-old co-founder of Spin, a contemporary furniture brand.
The Bauhaus dining range is headlined by its dinner plates and coffee mugs, which fuse art and a craftsmanship that reflects the ethos of modern living rooms. The dexterously applied geometric motifs in red, blue and yellow on a white base reveal the Bauhaus touch in form and purpose. “Made with robust stoneware ceramic and finished with transparent glaze that reveals the raw beauty beneath, the artistic integrity of the pieces goes above just practicality,” says Nautiyal.
A dual-tinted jug made of borosilicate is a visually commanding sculptural piece. It is the cake stand that takes the cake. “It's metallic wireframe base and beech wood top mirror reflects minimalist industrial design, with clean lines and sturdy construction. It is a nod to modern manufacturing style that adds a playful element to a dining setup. The cotton table runner is a style statement. “It is screen-printed with bold geometric graphics and offers a playful pop of colour, adding much personality to a setting,” she points out.
Nautiyal is Bauhaus to the core. Once the collection was finished, packaging with style and the reflect substance became the priority.
“Figuring how to ship our delicate ceramic stoneware took some time and patience. Instead of defaulting to foam, though we do use recyclable foam, we stayed true to the Bauhaus philosophy of simplicity and chose corrugated boxes and protective paper wraps. This straightforward solution took time and testing to perfect. It was only after multiple trials that we found the right balance between protection and efficiency,” says the founder, who believes her products are best suited for culturally vibrant and contemporary homes.
She cites the example of celebrity designer Vinita Chaitanya, whose home boasts a rich layering of textures, colours and traditional crafts. “Styled on a teakwood or marble dining table, the platter’s bold primary colours would stand out against her intricate textiles and vibrant handcrafted pieces,” she says. That right there is a plateful of inspiration.
Madewithspin.com