Understanding Art Curation in Luxury Residential Design 

“The homes we design are more than residences; they are living galleries, celebrating an interplay of emotion, beauty, and heritage.” 

• Monika Choudhary, CDO, Founder and Growth Strategist, Habitat Architects 

 

In luxury residential design, art is not merely an adornment or afterthought.  It is memory, identity, and emotion held in colour, form, and texture. Architecture, in turn, becomes its frame—a living, breathing canvas that responds to and elevates the presence of art. We perceive art curation as this quiet yet profound dialogue between space and feeling or history and possibility. 

 

When Art Leads Design 

There are projects where clients arrive with carefully assembled collections—pieces steeped in memory, shaped by journeys across time and place, now seeking a space where they truly belong.. In such instances, our role shifts from creators to custodians. We design not only for people but for the art they hold dear. 

 

In The Garden Estate residence, our client’s collection of MF Husain’s work became the cornerstone of the home’s informal lounges and corridor spaces—zones of movement and interaction where energy, not stillness, defines the experience. These artworks, rich with visual dynamism, animated the interiors with their expressive language. In response, the design language and material palette have been meticulously calibrated to resonate with the art and never overpower it. Here, even the smallest objects contribute to the story. For instance, a vintage sailboat perched on the central table of the lounge evokes a sense of journey and nostalgia. More than a decorative piece, it carries whispers of craftsmanship and memory, aligning with the narrative quality of the paintings around it.  

 

When Architecture Sets the Stage 

In other instances, we curate the art alongside the design process. This presents us with an opportunity to search far and wide for artists and craftsmen capable of creating pieces in tune with the architecture. Prioritising working with local craftsmen or renowned artists, we aim to preserve fading heritages and cultures within the context of the modern Indian home.  

 

In the BE House, the home’s biophilic expressions and restrained material palette set the stage for artistic interventions, designed to respond to and elevate its spatial strategies. The architectural language, defined by a sequence of expansive volumes and framed views, establishes a quiet, deliberate rhythm. This created moments of pause and transition where artworks could meaningfully reside. For instance, the fluid metal work installation by Tanuj Arora in the pool area was imagined in dialogue with framed sightlines, where the interaction of light and reflection could amplify their presence. Architectural recesses, material junctions, and focal planes throughout the home were conceived with the scale and tone of these additions in mind. Each piece contributed to the spatial experience, guiding the eye, shaping light, and anchoring emotion.  

 

The Collaborative Act of Curation 

The success of art curation in design lies in deep collaboration between designers, clients, artists, and artisans. It is a layered process of listening and interpreting, aligning intent with material and memory with form. We immerse ourselves in the clients’ stories, values, and aspirations. At the same time, we draw upon the expertise of those who craft, whose knowledge of material and process is inseparable from heritage and place. Every home becomes a portrait of those who live in it, the art they love, and the culture they carry forward.