Restoring Heritage: Photographing an Ancestral Craft Sanctuary in Bengaluru

Framing Craft, Heritage, and Maximalism in Bengaluru

Capturing a home that functions as an illustrated diary of craft heritage requires a deep focus on texture, light, and storytelling. Designed by Vanitha Joshi, founder of d’canvas, Riwayat is a 2,500-square-foot ancestral home restoration in Bengaluru that seamlessly blends Indian craft traditions with French-inspired architectural arches.

Filled with rich silks, dark jewel tones, Sabyasachi wallpapers, and heirloom artworks, the challenge for The Matter Studio was documenting these dense, maximalist interiors while preserving the natural interplay of light that defines the space.

1. Controlling Deep Tones and Layered Textures

The home's palette—drawn from muted champagnes, deep royal blues, earthy browns, and rich reds—demanded precise exposure management to capture shadow depth without losing fine detail.

• Living Room Dual Zones: The living room features heritage Sabyasachi for Nilaya wallpaper and silk upholstery. Using multi-exposure bracketing allowed us to showcase the metallic and wallpaper detailing while maintaining the deep, cozy ambiance created by heavy velvet drapes.

• Master Suite Gravitas: In the brown-hued master bedroom, framing focused on bringing out the rich, tactile quality of velvet fabrics and vintage dark wood furnishings under warm ambient lighting.

2. Photographing Sacred Art and Eclectic Details

Art is the primary design language of Riwayat, from hand-painted Shreenathji depictions and black-and-white Pichwais to Thanjavur gold leaf and Raja Ravi Varma frames.

• Foyer & Pooja Sanctuary: In the entry foyer, we aligned the terrazzo flooring and brass console with the arched wooden frame dividing the theatre room, ensuring the black-and-white Pichwai-inspired works remained visually anchored.

• The Dining Room's Visceral Energy: Capturing the dining space meant balancing African print textiles with golden mirrors and Theyyam artwork, framing the room like an immersive art installation.

3. Transitioning from Interior Drama to Glasshouse Light

One of the visual highlights of the property is the transition from dark, maximalist interiors to the sunlit exterior garden.

"Somewhere, the story remains unfinished, and perhaps, that’s exactly how it’s meant to be." — Vanitha Joshi

• The Glasshouse Garden: Photographing the glasshouse required balancing direct Bengaluru sunlight filtering through trees with the soft pastel tones of lotus, parijaat, jasmine, and hibiscus plants.

• Archway Framing: Using the hand-painted exterior walls and French arches as leading frames, we captured the serene transition between the indoor theatre sanctuary and the outdoor greenery.

Project Credits

• Project: Riwayat (Ancestral Home Restoration)

• Principal Designer: Vanitha Joshi (d’canvas)

• Location: Sultanpalya, Bengaluru

• Area: 2,500 sq. ft.

• Photography: The Matter Studio