Funk.licious
October 19, 2011
Hi everyone! Richa from MalaHandmade here with a love letter to Funk.licious, an amazing line of funky home furnishings that I adore. Back in early spring, I wrote about moving being inspired by a recent trip to India and the amazing style of Good Earth, one of India’s audacious new design stores. My husband literally had to pry my hands off of the pop art inspired pieces throughout the store: graphic scenes of Bollywood heroines silk screened onto bedspreads and trays, tea sets with kitschy quotes. I had absolutely no space left in my packed luggage for another funky cushion, no matter now: Funka.licious to the rescue!
Self described as kitsch, retro, pop, colorful, and unconventional, the line’s punchy cushion covers are a lot of fun. Bollywood images are collaged on top of traditional paisley motifs for a majority of designs, making this the perfect accent piece for Bollywood lovers among you. I’m love with the pictures of old Maharajas with stars in their eyes, which would be a great conversation piece. It’s fun to browse through the designs and pick out a favorite, but a few of you might be wondering how to actually incorporate such a bold piece into your home. I’ve found that these pieces are best used sparingly to pack the best punch – as the lone accent pillow for a side chair, or the focus in a group of other colorful pillows. I also really love really bold pieces like this set against white and other light colors. Share tips for how you incorporate Indian pop art into your homes in the comments below!
source: funk.licious
by ST in Accessories, Art, Bag, Fashion, Gifts, Global, Handmade, India, Richa Gulati
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Diwali Greetings Cards
September 30, 2011
It’s on October 26th!!!! What? I am so late in posting this but there’s still time, people! Diwali is right around the corner. I’m so happy to see all sorts of invitation greeting card companies designing for all types of holidays from Christmas to Diwali. Here is a list of companies where Diwali cards can be purchased.
3 Bees Paperie collection can be purchased through the 3 Bees Paperie website or from their store on etsy.com (3beespaperie.etsy.com). Each set of 25 cards and envelopes is USD $37, plus shipping.
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Minted.com, one of my favs when it comes to ‘papel’ has introduced their very first Diwali card collection. All the designs are sourced from independent designers from all over the world who enter design challenges on their site. I LOVE that! They are tapping into every ethnicity and acknowledging all cultural traditions.
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TinyPrints went a little further than just designing Diwali greeting cards. You can also order your Diwali party invitations, which can be fully customized. Mix and match your favorite designs and colors then have your Diwali cards printed with labels and choice of colored envelopes.
source: 3 Bees Paperie, Minted, and Tiny Prints
by ST in Accessories, Art, Events, Global, Paper Facebook this Tweet this Email this- 2 Comments
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raju says:
October 15, 2011 at 2:46 am
simply good site design. good posting…
good work.
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raju says:
Anthropologie Film from India
May 12, 2011
Holy Moly! My favorite shop, Anthropologie once again travels to India and as always creates a lovely catalogue but this time, they came back with some gorgeous footage too. No other shop can capture the detail and subtle designs of India as does Anthro. The film is short, sweet, and captivating!
source: Anthropologie
by ST in Fashion, Global, India, Inspiration, Travel Facebook this Tweet this Email this- 0 Comments
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Influence of India in Home Decor
May 4, 2011
Dear readers, it’s Richa from Mala Handmade I’ve been MIA for a couple weeks recently, but I’ve got a legitimate excuse: moving! I’m both excited and exhausted from moving apartments this past week in NYC, and I only moved 5 blocks south from where I was living before! I’ve got more space than I had before, including a small space for an office and…and outdoor terrace! But all of my excited has been tempered by the headache of searching for new furniture to fit the new space. It sounds exciting, especially for someone as in love with design as me, but it’s also overwhelming to make choices. The last space I lived in was full of color but I’ve decided to focus this space on a neutral palette with a lot of white…I need some tranquility!
I’m really in love with the idea of a handblock quilt for my bed, and though I’m a bit annoyed at myself that I didn’t scoop one up from Good Earth in Delhi, I’m excited see the lovely designs at Nandini and Sang and Serena. I love how the cotton weave balances the pops of color, and love the purple and white of the tribal design (Sang and Serena). They’ve also got an amazing collection of inlaid bone furniture. My eye instantly was attracted to the pop of pink, but I think that a console in creamy white (or paneer!) is lovely.
I was also in the predicament of moving from an apartment with a traditional square shaped living room to a long, narrow rectangle that didn’t fit my existing coffee table. So while that’s off to the study, I’ve got to have something for me to kick my feet up on! I repurposed these gorgeous charpoys from Ouma productions as an amazing table in the my living room, and I love it! The long bench also makes a unique coffee table, and though I got it in a really pretty metallic white, I was really tempted by the multicolor creations, too. I found mine at Calypso Home though I know there’s a version at Anthropologie…and of course several at my grandparent’s house in India! I’m still searching for a lovely rug to go underneath – and since it’s going to add a pop of color to the room, I really want to get it right. Any suggestions from you all? Where do you go for unique elements, and has anyone else done an about-face recently on color and gone all white (or vice-versa)? I can’t wait to hear from you all!
source: (from top to bottom) StyleBeat, Sang and Serena, Ouma Productions
by ST in Accessories, Global, Home Decor Facebook this Tweet this Email this- 2 Comments
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Anu@MyDreamCanvas says:
May 5, 2011 at 1:08 am
What a lovely post. The console is beautiful.
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Sundeep @ Designwali says:
May 7, 2011 at 7:10 pm
congrats on the move! can’t wait to see your new space!
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Anu@MyDreamCanvas says:
BollyInstyle’s Online Collection of Global Shops
March 16, 2011
Hi everyone! It’s Richa from Mala Handmade. A week or so after returning from India, I’m trying to get my eyes adjust back to the grey, dreary end of NYC winter after two visually stimulating weeks in Rajasthan! I love going to India because creative, colorful goodies nearly everywhere you turn, ripe for inspiration. But indulging in these amazing crafts is no longer confined to shopping trips abroad – online shopping sites are popping up everywhere and provide access to designers and goods that used to require a long flight!
Styled after the flash sale model of Gilt, Exclusively.In is one of my favorites of the group. The sales are typically live for five days and are broad in scope: from traditional and contemporary wear to jewelry, home goods, and even vacation and spa certificates, the site does a great job in providing access to a variety of Indian designers that aren’t available in the U.S. and looking at their list of designers has opened my eyes to the many rising talents from India and elsewhere I totally want to keep my eyes on.
Red Patang is another site to be excited about! Founder Swapna Mehta founded the site as a one-stop shop for Indian inspired products that are unique, fun and usually hard to find. As a new mom, Swapna was disappointed at not being able to find a single online shopping portal for Indian families, so she created Red Patang where you can find Amar Chitra Katha, hand crafted lacware toys, kurtas for children, and much more!
As opposed to the flash sale model, StylishDesi lets uses both buy and sell on its website which is designed to let buyers and sellers of Indian fashion and accessories find each other. Users can select an item, which are refreshed often, and ask a seller directly each and every question they have and check out through Paypal for the transaction. I love the Etsy style individual boutiques on StylishDesi and the ability to communicate directly with sellers is convenient!
Last, but certainly not least, is Indagare Souk – a lovely marketplace of world goods ranging from fashion and accessories to books and old maps. Users can shop by region as well as by product or artisan, and I love seeing the range of items from Columbia and Morocco mixed with India – a true global mix! The site is two-fold: Indgare hosts limited events tied to specific markets that allows for direct interaction among the Indagare community and with the designers themselves. The Souk online allows broader reach and attracts a wider market, as it is open year-round to people all over the world. Both formats focus on sharing the stories of the designers and artisans and ties to their country’s indigenous craftsmanship.
Happy shopping!
by ST in Accessories, Fashion, Gifts, Global, Handmade, India, Jewelry, Lifestyle Facebook this Tweet this Email this- 0 Comments
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October 2, 2011 at 8:45 pm
These are lovely!