For some, luxury is all about opulence; for others, it is associated with owning luxury bags, investing in expensive jewellery, and upgrading their wardrobes and gadgets. But thanks to Instagram and artists, that definition is changing, one restoration project at a time.
Today, luxury is more about aesthetics and preserving hand-me-down treasures. Whether it's a grandmother's old saree or a piece of furniture, tattered and torn around the corners, people have realised that old is truly gold.
A little credit also goes to inflation, shrinking artisanal communities, and the growing global demand for Indian craftsmanship. Consumers have also realised that not everything branded guarantees longevity, especially mass-produced clothes and furniture.
There was a time when minimalism became synonymous with luxury, but it was transient. Trends have shifted, and algorithms have reintroduced users to Indian maximalism: vintage textiles, heirloom jewellery, storied decor pieces, and intricate details.
The result is a growing desire among people to preserve heirloom pieces by giving them a new life and bringing old-world charm to contemporary spaces.
At the forefront of this movement is Dr Aashna Khosla Monga, a Mumbai-based furniture-painting artist, educator, and founder of Paintmomzy. If you have been obsessed with videos showing how artists transform a worn-out piece of furniture into what looks like a brand-new addition, you have probably come across at least one of her videos.
From Shamita Shetty and Drashti Dhami to Rahul Dua and Anjali Anand, she has worked with celebrities and prevented many old pieces of furniture from ending up in landfills.
Giving Second Life To Old Furniture
Speaking with NDTV, Dr Aashna Khosla Monga revealed that she began changing the definition of luxury one project at a time.
"It actually started very organically for me. I've always felt that old furniture has a certain character that you just don't find in something that has come straight out of a factory," she said.
The artist revealed that almost every Indian home has at least one piece of furniture that has been passed down from grandparents, whether it is an almirah, a trunk, or a chair. With time, the corners may chip and scratches may appear all over it.
"You don't have to discard them every time. I feel that with a little bit of creativity, imagination, and love, you can give these pieces a second chance," she added.
According to her, consumers can go online and instantly buy a new piece of furniture, but it does not hold memories or carry the history of having been with a family for 50, 70, or even 100 years.
"You cannot recreate those memories," Dr Monga said, adding that luxury is not always about something being expensive or new. Sometimes, it is about owning something nobody else can because its story belongs only to you.
Process Of Restoring Old Furniture And Giving It A New Life
Videos of furniture restoration often downplay the process. In a 30-second reel, one gets to see what the old piece looked like and the final transformed version, but getting there is a long process involving constant collaboration with the client.
For Dr Monga, when a client walks in with a restoration request, she first asks about the story behind the piece.
"Where did it come from? Who did it belong to? Why have you kept it all these years? What do you remember about it? Because once I know the story, I start understanding what I should, and more importantly, what I should not, change," she said.
After that, she asks where the furniture is going to sit, the client's colour preferences, personal style, and how functional it needs to be.
"After that, I start building the design: the colour palette, techniques, hardware, artwork, and finishes. But I always try to retain something that connects it to its original story," revealed the furniture painter.
She wants her client to see the piece and think: "This is still our piece... I just can't believe it can look like this."
Working With Celebrities
Dr Aashna Khosla Monga has worked with many celebrities, but one of her most special projects remains the restoration of an almirah belonging to Drashti Dhami.
"That project was actually very, very special for me," she said.
"She was around eight months pregnant at the time and was preparing for her baby. She had this almost 50-year-old almirah that originally belonged to her grandmother, and she wanted to restore it for her child."
The actor's emotional connection with the almirah made the project even more special for the artist.
After the final makeover, Drashti told Dr Monga, "This is actually the first gift I've given my baby. I haven't even bought anything for the baby yet."
Speaking about her most memorable projects, the furniture painter said that restoring trunks for comedian Rahul Dua will always remain one of her cherished memories.
"These were around 70-year-old trunks from his grandmother's marriage era. When they came to us, they were rusted, worn out, and had obviously lived a whole life already. And that is exactly what made them special," she shared.
The artist restored them from scratch, worked on the metal, hand-painted florals, redesigned the interiors, and even added hand-stitched faux-leather detailing on top.
"I worked on the metal, hand-painted florals, did the interiors, and even added hand-stitched faux-leather detailing on top," Dr Monga added.
Dr Aashna Khosla Monga On Working With Shamita Shetty
"Shamita was honestly such a kind soul and so much fun to work with," Dr Monga shared, adding that she could not believe the actor reached out to her on Instagram.
"She is already very artistic herself and has a beautiful eye for detail, so the whole experience felt very natural."
Shamita Shetty did not reach out to the furniture painter for a restoration project. Instead, she wanted to learn about chalk paints and understand how they can be used on furniture because she has beautiful antique furniture and collectibles at home that she wants to restore herself.
"And what I really loved about her was how involved she was in the entire process. She wasn't just watching; she wanted to understand the techniques, experiment with them, ask questions, and actually get hands-on with the furniture," Dr Monga added.
As trends move away from fast consumption and toward thoughtful ownership, restored furniture is emerging as a new symbol of luxury. Whether it is a grandmother's almirah or a decades-old trunk, these pieces prove that sometimes the most valuable possessions are the ones already sitting at home.
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