If you need proof of Aarthi Nahar’s ability to turn a living space around, ask this Chennai-based interior designer to show you the before and after pictures of her new retail space, Rare Lily, in R.A. Puram. Nahar has transformed an old bungalow into a home for furniture, decor and antique accents sourced from around the world. In fact, Nahar and her brother Adarsh Chuttar have expanded on the theme with thoughtful little details — check out the petrified wood washbasins and recycled rubber soap dispensers displayed in the bathrooms.

A wall art crafted from repurposed paint cans | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

There is also an 19th-century candelabra, a piece commissioned by the British royal family according to the founders, with intricate silver detailing and deep red cut-glass accents alongside other recycled artworks. The sustainability angle is also reflected in the wall art crafted from repurposed paint cans and recycled fibre.

Inside the Rare Lily store in  R.A. Puram, Chennai. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Inside the Rare Lily store in  R.A. Puram, Chennai. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The head-turner at the store is easily the 19th-century Italian table clock, with a brass frame featuring intricate scrollwork and floral detailing, reportedly commissioned by the Italian royal family. With a hand-painted scene of Victorian-era courtly figures at the base, the clock is topped with a finely-detailed miniature porcelain urn. Nahar also points out some 18th-century baluster-shaped porcelain vases from China, with ornate borders and needle-work painting of figures engaged in daily activities or courtly life. There is also a 20th-century Farsi pedestal lamp with a brass or bronze stem and tiered green glass prisms, modified into an electric lamp — a seemingly Nizam-era antique turned into a contemporary decor piece. The store has collaborated with city-based customising home decor brands Luxure Furnishings and Loops by Latika Jagwani to bring out accents like rugs, carpets, and upholstery. A collection of paintings and prints from Studio Artemis is also available.

Details at @rarelilyofficial on Instagram.