It is said that ‘If architecture is how we move through space, furniture is how we pause inside it.’

Furniture can be viewed as a cultural narrative — a mirror of personal identities, social interaction and the diverse societies and strata within them. The layout of interiors determines how we walk, gather and transition through a space. Furniture is said to be where architecture meets the body.

Furniture can hold memories: a parent’s or grandparent’s favourite chair, an heirloom, a childhood memory. Rooms are spaces to welcome others and create new stories. The way furniture is arranged, and how comfortable it is can determine how people interact.

Japanese minimalist interiors are intentionally designed as quiet, grounding sanctuaries that lower mental load and reduce sensory noise. The Arab majlis rooms and the more elaborate Persian diwans traditionally feature wall-aligned floor, or low, seating around an open centre. Hand-woven carpets and cushions create a welcoming setting for large gatherings.

The grand interiors of the Mughal empire retained traditional floor-based seating, enriched with luxurious textiles and intricately decorated architectural elements. The American scholar and curator of South Asian art Stuart Carey Welch described the Mughals as “among the world’s most........

© Dawn (Magazines)