Dp Cult

For a homegrown design brand, local artisans are the backbone. A multi-generational atelier ‘Kaati’ understands this better than anyone else, standing as a beacon of tradition and innovation with each rug handcrafted by local artisans who transform mere threads into a tour de force. “I want to educate the world about the skill that goes into making a carpet, (and) how every carpet tells a story,” reasons the founder—Nikita Khanna. 

Spotlighting The Silent Maestros 

Kaati weaves a narrative, right from crafting the design and dyeing the yarn to weaving the end product. The founder explains, “At Kaati, our collaboration with local craftsmen is a partnership that respects and celebrates their skills, resulting in rugs that are truly works of art”. With the ever-evolving design landscapes,, she added “We bridge the gap between generational knowledge and creation of new dyes, yarns and texture”. Kaati’s commitment in working with new fibres that are susceptible and sustainable like banana silk, jute, and upcycled saree silk to name a few, perpetuate the brand’s environmentally conscious ethos. Trailing the material, the shade selection process involves pom boxes containing about 1,700 colours spanning the entire spectrum, enabling the brand to tailor the rugs in accordance with refined hues.

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Threading Through History

The brand’s thread stretches across the breadth of a century, in the nascent gullies of Amritsar, lovingly bequeathed down the generations, before gradually moving to Bhadohi, Uttar Pradesh. Growing up around carpets, Nikita shares, “I am the fourth generation in this business, and my family legacy dates back to 1928.” Weaving from a manufacturing unit in Bhadohi, while training the local artisans, various techniques like washing, and dyeing are inculcated to satiate the illustrious clientele. Now, post-weaving, rugs undergo handwashing to enhance lustre and softness, followed by stretching under the sun. After this painstaking process Khanna reveals, “The final touches involve hand sculpting to create a 3D embossed look.”

Khanna shares that the brand’s inception only happened eight years ago, “I had taken a break and visited the manufacturing unit… spending time around skilled weavers who were with us for generations.” These local unsung heroes in the heartland of carpet-making take the loom by storm, playing a pivotal role in the rug’s narrative with their unwavering commitment to the craft. She further adds, “(Then) I saw pictures of me as a kid jumping from one carpet pile to the other, only to realise how all of this made my eyes sparkle. As the epiphany unfolded, Khanna muses, “in that moment I decided to learn everything about this beautiful craft, and now my life before Kaati feels like a blur.”

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Balancing Between The Classics And Nouveau

Transforming Kaati’s carpets into a genuine labour of love that takes a maestro anywhere between 60 days to 3 months. These rugs strike a balance between fleeting trends and timeless classics, primordially translating into mood boards that pilot the creation of each rug series. Often misapprehended as purely traditional with bold colours and floral motifs, the brand’s ideologies defy conjectures. 

Focusing on transcending the conventional the brand, “shifted to modern minimalism by introducing carpets with geometric patterns, solid colours, and subtle textures,” Khanna emphasises. For instance, the ‘Dimensions,’ series sutures a new chapter referencing the world’s current pace, translating its dizzying motion to match its minimalistic character. Defined by repetitive patterns and clean lines, the rug’s uncanny silhouettes with geometric shapes are imbued with a sophisticated Scandinavian hygge vibe. The neutral palette, accented with hints of pastel hues, offers a striking visual contrast while elevating and illuminating whichever space they are introduced to with refined elegance.

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Borrowing From Actuality

On the contrary, the homegrown brand’s multi-generational legacy, and the enduring artistry of local craftsmen pay homage to the looming cultural heritage. This blend  is tactile in their ‘Transitional’ collection borrowed from the visual language of bygone Persia. These rugs are a fresh take on vintage aesthetics with contemporary colours and partially erased motifs that complement both the traditional and modern interiors. Khanna further explains, “All the traditional motifs like florals, medallions, etc. are still present but simplified or stylized differently.” While some of the pieces sparkle with gilded, dual-toned accents that enhance their cross-cultural appeal, others revive the soft arabesques and vivid hues that are an ode to the generational craft of Bhadohi weavers. “They are handcrafted in the finest materials, (in) the age old hand-knotted way but are now considered heirloom pieces to pass on through generations due to their timeless appeal,” points the founder.

Whether for residential or commercial spaces, Kaati’s creations echo the timeless elegance and majesty of those fabled eras, while embracing the innovations. Khanna adds, “Over the years, home decor awareness and the landscape in India has changed. People now understand that most of their day is spent at home and now want to invest in it. They are now more involved than ever in choosing carpets for their space, especially a custom carpet.”

The founder shares, “Kaati as a brand wants to give out this emotion, the joy of sitting on a rug, feeling the soul of a room.” These carpets become a testament of the brand’s unwavering commitment to quality, craftsmanship, and sustainability transporting one back to a world of myth and legend with each thread. For those who value the rare and the exquisite, Kaati offers not just rugs, but—stories that will be cherished for generations to come.