Thursday 27 March 2008

Beautifully Subtle...

Sanganer is a place in Rajasthan that is famous for it's traditional hand block printing. Sanganeri prints usually consists of floral motifs and the colours used are natural dyes derived from Turmeric, Indigo plants, banana leaves and so on.
The colours are usually bright & vibrant which is synonymous with the colourful Rajasthan, hence it was a pleasant surprise when I saw these prints in subdued and in single colour in the Toast Catalogue Online. Check out their Quilts, Blankets & Throws in subtle colours. They have some lovely pillow and cushion covers too.

( images from Toast Catalogue)

Saturday 15 March 2008

Petersham Nurseries

When I saw this photograph in housemartin a couple of day back, apart from the beautiful nursery the thing that got my attention was the huge 'Urli' a traditional Indian vessel. This got me curious and I read a bit about it online, but then today I pick up one of the old issues of 'Design Today' magazine from my table, and what do I see 'Petersham Nurseries' again. So taking a cue, here I am posting about this breathtakingly beautiful nursery which is an antique store and also a cafe. Francesco and Gael Boglione the owners of Petersham Nurseries in West London have travelled extensively around the world and to India. Which can be seen in these beautiful antiques and memorabilia that they have hand-picked and displayed so well in the nursery.
Raja Ravi Varma prints & Tanjore Paintings are displayed against blinds made of natural fibres.
The cart that is used by Indian Street vendors has been used very charmingly to prop pots.
A traditional bell compliments an exotic orchid plant.
They have some Indian fabric quilts also for sale. Handcrafted stone Buddha.Carved Indian Doors.
Here is a famous brand of Indian cycle- Hero Cycles for cycling around the nursery?:-)
( images from Petersham Nurseries Site)

Sunday 17 February 2008

Jivi Sethi

Some of you might remember I had featured Jivi Sethi's Goan home in December last year and yesterday as I flipped through the glossy pages of Elle Decor's latest edition I found myself staring at another eclectic space designed by Jivi Sethi, this time he shares his New Delhi residence.
A colonial daybed with vibrant cushions by Jivi, Sadr, Iris & Soleh. Glass paintings of Lord Hanuman & Ganesha on a Kashmiri screen.
The entrance hall to the apartment has a 'Jaali' door designed by Michael Aram.( I love the flowers hanging in lovely water filled test tubes:-)
The things that I find interesting in his spaces are the carefree use of colours, art & crafts picked up from parts of India as well as abroad. His ability to very smoothly blend the east with the west and yet create a harmonious style, I find very unique. The terrace dining table has black stone platter with patterned jasmine inlay work, sculpture by M J Enas & block print poppy table cloth by Brigitte SinghPainting by Haku Shah in the dining room, with doors salvaged from an old mansion. ( I love restorations:-)The dining table all set with black marble inlay side plates, granite & bidri work tea-light holders and old brass oil lamps from Kerala on the consoles & Italian lamp overhead provide lovely light.Seen here are Chinese Inlay and lacquer work of birds & bedside chest with Antje Weber sculpture.I am a sucker for traditional oil lamps:-)) Here is a collection of brass lamps from Tamil Nadu, lithograph of a monument on the wall, a Lord Shiva mask from Varanasi & gold plated vegetables are served on a bidri work platter from his "Design Laboratory"

(images from elledecor magazine, Feb-Mar 2008)

Tuesday 12 February 2008

Auroville, Pondicherry

First, a big thanks to Masala Chai for the "You make my day" Award. I really appreciate it and also the post on 'The Dune' which kind of brought back lovely memories from our Pondicherry trip a couple of years back & inspired this post on Auroville:-)) My door obssession in Pondicherry, when I didn't have a digital camera, scanned from old photographs:-) The history of Pondicherry can be traced back to 1672 when the French bought this port town from an India King. The French connection grew when Sri Aurobindo an Indian scholar & mystic set up an ashram here in 1926. Mira Alfassa his French-born spiritual companion, also known as 'The Mother' established Auroville in the sixties.Image of Matrimandir in Auroville.
Auroville is a series of self-supporting communities in villages which are very close to Pondicherry. Auroville's New Age ideal drew many Indians & Westerners including French architect Roger Anger who was the chief architect of the township of Auroville.

Featured here are a couple of homes from Auroville.
A fusion of natural & modern home of Frenchman Jean Legrand & wife Joy.
Natural light streaming in through the circular shapes on the ceiling and that is echoed by the natural rocks & granite slabs in Legrand's bathroom.Love the angular and circular shapes of the kitchen & dining area, which has been designed keeping the light in mind.
Home of designer William Netter, an American Spiritualist and Sri Aurobindo follower.
The white-tiled kitchen with simple modern lines and ample natural light.The design here is Minimalist with areas designated for different purposes. Here is the space for praying with 'The Mother's' and Sri Aurobindo's photographs with a votive candle burning in the centre and his work space.

A house designed by French architect Roger Anger for Christine Devin & her husband in 1976 in a design resembling toadstool shapes.Beautifully designed circular bedroom with movable slats to adjust light & air flow. Love the red-oxide smooth flooring and a simple portrait of the Mother on the wall.Locally made paper lantern and couple of floor cushions & wooden chest adorn the dining area. I absolutely love the shape of the windows ( reminds me of railway train windows:-)

The township at Auroville is heaven for architects from India & abroad trying to create something different, something new. You can read more about the various styles of architecture in Auroville here.

(images from Indian Interiors- Taschen & Auroville.org)

Thursday 24 January 2008

Saffron Marigold

I was really excited when I received an email from Anisha Ghosh of Saffron Marigold.

Saffron Marigold~ The words that bring to mind vibrant colour, fragrance and textures...
Ruby Kilim ~ Designer Red Black Queen Duvet Cover
That's the name of this amazing online 'Luxury handcrafted Bedding & Linens store' that is owned & run by Anisha from two home offices, one in California and the other in India.Starry Nights ~ Modern Contemporary Blue Queen Duvet Cover Purple Moon ~ Floral Indian Print Luxury Queen Duvet Cover

Anisha designs and prints traditional blockprinted home furnishings working closely with artisans in India. Saffron Marigold is comitted to the fair trade movement & revival of arts & crafts of India.Spice Route ~ Red Orange Exotic Queen Duvet Cover

Saffron Marigold has a range of products from Bedspreads, Duvet Covers, Sheer Curtains, Pillow Covers, Table Linen, Cushion Covers & many more.
Ivy Lace ~ White Tab Top Cotton Voile Sheer Curtain Panel Ruby Kilim ~ Red Cotton Dinner Napkins & Purple Moon ~ Floral Cotton Dinner Napkins
Tropical Garden ~ Floral Decorative Cushion Cover & Memories of Shalimar ~ Green Gold Decorative Cushion Cover

I am absolutely in love with the beautiful blockprint motifs and the rich colours. If you love a specific print, you can also shop by print...wow, now that is awesome:-)

Do check out Saffron Marigold to bring in that Indian luxury & elegance into your homes...

(images from Saffron Marigold.com)

Tuesday 8 January 2008

Bed, Breakfast & Fireplace...

...said a small wooden board below the name 'King's Cliff'.King's Cliff~ Yes, that's the name of one of two places we stayed during our trip to the beautiful hills of Nilgiri in Tamilnadu.

I absolutely love places with a history and this old colonial mansion which now is a hotel is charming. The well manicured green lawns with white wrought iron chairs & exotic varieties of flowers almost takes you back hundred years when butlers in white served hot cups of high grown Nilgiris tea to the 'Sahebs'. Well, they still do:-)
So we sat back and soaked in the beauty of the view of the hills through the windows of 'Earl's Secret'- The restaurant which lives up to it's reputation of serving delicious food.
Sinfully delicious brownie with ice cream & chocolate sauce which they serve you on the porch after a heavy afternoon lunch & before you doze off reading a delightful novel.

The nine rooms are named after the works of 'Shakspeare' and each comes with a fireplace. *sigh* well it's been a while since I have been near a fireplace and slept to the sound of crackling wood.
A live-band playing our all-time favourite rock numbers, the bright winter sun, the chirpy birds, the waiters serving hot tea with chocolate cream cookies... Night falls, temperature dips, peaceful silence & a knock at our door. In comes a man with chocolate-mint candies, an extra woollen quilt & firewood to light our fireplace:-)
We were in heaven:-) Sweet dreams people, next post when I wake up;-)