The great charpoy makeover

Time was when a charpai was a part of all Indian homes. It was symbolic of family time. It could be the spare bed, verandah bench, a balcony seat or just an extra place to be called in to service when you needed some extra seating. Whatever its use, the humble wooden bed was a must-have. As we turned even our beds into storage houses, the modest charpai found itself being phased out.
Now, thanks to a ‘return to the roots’ movement in all things lifestyle, the basic bed is back in business. Interior designer Manjeet Bhullar says, “There is so much innovation being done with the old charpai. Revivalists are trying to make it more trendy and global by giving it different designs and colours." In fact, it is being seen as a design element to bring in rustic flavour to homes.

BEST OF BEDS

Amitabh Bachchan chose a charpai over his van while shooting for Piku. In urban homes, charpai is back in the patio and terrace gardens. And now, the ‘charpoy’ has gone global with takers in France, the UK and US. The famous Pfeifer Studio in New Mexico is selling it as a daybed. Woodworker, designer and weaver Kate Casey has innovated with the patterns and design of the weave on the bed. A French design company Bonne Soeurs specialises in designing charpai as a central design piece – it is made with colourful chords. The Attic in Dubai gave the charpoy a makeover by weaving it with old sarees.




The charpoy is being upgraded with lots of cushions, colourful threads to make it trendy. Designer Valerie Barkowski has given it a makeover by using bright neon colours for the ropes. Sydney designer Daniel Bloore is manufacturing it and selling it for $990! Bloore noticed a charpai during his visit to India in 2010 and started making the beds back home. He uses one for himself and after making one for a friend, decided to sell them to others. So planning to bring a charpoy home?

Did you know?

Charpai literally means ‘four feet’. It is a bed with a simple wooden frame onto which ropes are woven tightly. It is also called a khaat. Historian Ibn Batuta praised charpoy when he came to India. He said: “The beds in India are very light. A single man can carry one. When you lie on it you need nothing else to render the bed sufficiently elastic.”