Hi folks! Am I glad the sun is back and shining bright in Bangalore? You bet, even if only for a little while, after Nilam brought in much gloom over the past few days. So, are you done with Diwali shopping or is it looming large on your weekend to-do list?
This Friday’s shopping list on dress your home is a bit different. I loved these two images in October’s issue of BBC Good Homes and kept wondering what you’d need if you had to create this look under a budget. Some you may have at home like colorful saris or stoles which could double up as drapes and curtains during the festive season.
I tend to use my various glassware as tea light holders with flower petals floating in them and serve ware across the house. To bring in color and cheer into your home, do you really need to spend a fortune? Nah.
The second half of every year is special because after a dry spell of no holidays during the summer and monsoon months, we get an overdose starting September. The true spirit of the season kicks in with Ganesh Chaturthi followed by Navratri, Diwali and Christmas. This year is no different. Ganesh Chaturthi falls right in the middle of the week, on Wednesday. Huge, tall colorful Ganeshas arrived by the roadside a week earlier complementing baskets and baskets of yellow and orange marigolds lining up the streets. This is what I love about India – the sights and sounds are far from being monochromatic and a reminder that life is a celebration. If there’s no chaos, how much fun can it be.
Every year, it’s the mann pulayar (made of mud) who comes home for the festival but he is there in other forms throughout the year – from glass murals and brass to a huge carved sleeping ganesha. If you’ve been wondering where you can see and get a finely painted ganapati on glass or an exquisitely carved one, look no further than Eka.
This post is about Eka – a store that is famous for its Ganeshas. For a decade, I’ve been mesmerised about the terrific variety on display at the store around this time of the year. Name it – color, form, size and you’re sure to find it. Here are snippets of my conversation with Eka’s owner – the lovely Kimiko. And yes, ready for a store tour?
1. What does Eka mean and when did the store open? How has it grown over the years? How did the idea to open the store come about?
EKA originates from the Sanskrit word EKAM meaning singular or one of a kind. In keeping with our name, we strive to bring forth products that are singular or unique in nature. From a very humble beginning in April 2000 when we first opened our doors, Eka has come a long way. We are now among the leading lifestyle stores in Bangalore and have infact been featured among the top 60 small stores of the world.
2. I understand Ganesha is a special time of the year at Eka. How did the idea come about for your first exhibition?
My husband Kenneth Menzies is a Ganesha aficionado and has an enviable collection of Ganeshas. When we started Eka, we were determined to bring to Bangalore the most fabulous Ganeshas from all over the country. Thus the idea of “Celebrating Ganesha” – our annual tribute to the God of all things came about. Eka has hosted this promotion every year since 2000, and our collection has become more exquisite and varied over the years.
3. Where do you source your products from (inhouse or otherwise)? Any specially proud stories to share with the readers?
Eka is proudly Indian. All our products are locally handcrafted from natural materials and sourced directly from traditional artisans, NGOs engaged in preserving Indian art forms or select export manufacturers who custom craft products to our designs and specifications. Which is why, many of our products are exclusive to Eka. And all of them have stories to tell. Stories that truly reflect India’s heritage of art, craft and culture.We support our artisans and craftsmen with design intervention and process improvement inputs to upgrade their native skills. At Eka, we are committed to bringing forth unique, high quality and design rich products at value prices. Products that both preserve and interpret traditional and tribal crafts in a contemporary context so as to enrich global lifestyles.
Eka is proud to be included among the 60 most exciting and successful new small stores handpicked from around the world and from all retail sectors to be featured in the book Retail Spaces – Small Stores under 250 sq. mtr by Judy Shepard and the editors of Retail Design International published by RSD Publishing, Inc.NY
Alright, I have a confession to make. After falling in love with Turkish lamps, I never got over it. While looking for interiors with those lamps and Turkish ceramics, I stumbled upon Kybele Hotel. The interiors of this stylish hotel in Istanbul is very inspiring and totally eye-candy stuff. No matter how many times you look at it, you just can’t get over it.
From ceilings laden with hundreds of mosaic lamps to lush greenery gardens to intricately designed ceilings in the library, every part of the hotel oozes with oomph. The place is a visual treat. Would you like to see for yourself what I mean?
Lesson learnt: Fabrics in yellow, gold and red can never go wrong in giving a royale look to a room.
Aqua/turquoise is my all-time favorite color. It brings life to any environment.
There’s a shop around the corner where my parents live. It’s a plain, white-colored, non-descript building that houses many Indian and Pakistan antique and handicraft shops. But the one on the corner stood out. Every time we passed by that route, I would longingly gaze into the shop for all its colors and variety displayed on the windowsill. Then one day, I went in and regretted why I hadn’t been here before.It’s one of a kind that you fall in love the first time and long to go again and again. Colors have that kind of a magic over me.
The store is called Pleasant Home and it’s in Adliya, Bahrain. The shop has a wide range of lamps from Turkey, Syria and Iran. Apart from this, one can find quirky items like a old water boiler from Russia with inscriptions in Russia dating back to the 1800s, traditional Arabic incense holders, and dishware called Tajine. So, are you ready for a virtual tour as I take you through the magical world of Turkish and Syrian lamps?
On a closer look, you’ll see these lamps can either be hung from the ceiling or on walls with clamps. Very delicately done with pieces of colored mirrors.
If you live in Bangalore, have you heard of Grasshopper? The stylish boutique-cum-restaurant has received some rave reviews for housing art, food, and fashion under one roof. I’m told the delicacies are made from hand-picked vegetables and it’s a haven for non-vegetarians. But, the one thing that caught my eye was a gallery on the mezzanine floor of Grasshopper that exhibits handmade paper lamps by Jenny Pinto. I’m a sucker for all things eco-friendly; never ceases to fascinate me. How about some window shopping? This conical lamp shade made from handmade paper will look stylish and elegant in any living room. Aren’t you dumbfounded by the creative use of materials – stone, copper and banana fiber? Interesting shape this one, though I have to admit it’s a little spooky for my taste. This chandelier would make for good conversation. Quite unlike the glass pieces our eyes are trained to seeing.…
It’s been two weeks since the last post? In my head, I thought I was away only this past week. School admission and a very active cold virus in the house had kept us grounded for nearly a fortnight. However, I did find some time to hit the home decor stores in between for fresh finds.
I’ve been staying up late nights with a book, and once I’m done, it’s quite a task to walk off the bed and switch off the tube lights. Can you believe the bedroom does not have a table lamp yet? We’ve lead a nomadic life these past few years that some of the essentials never found a place. We are slowly getting our lives back in order and so is the house. Well, I did have two, one of which I gave away when we last moved. I couldn’t find the shade for the other and came up with all these crazy projects t make one myself. It wasn’t worth the effort as the base, though never used, had suffered from the numerous packing/unpacking sessions. So, a table lamp figures high in the list of things to be purchased immediately.
I’ve been busy looking for interesting, simple and budget-friendly (under Rs.700) table lamps for my bedroom. It was quite disappointing to not find even a single tasteful piece at @ Home. It’s been a while since I stopped visiting Home Town. Home Town store displays are rather boring and highly priced. Home Art didn’t stock any either. Can you believe what dismal lighting section most of these big retail stores have? So, I went to a few local light shops to find a clean lamp shade. Yes, I mean clean because most of the lamp shades (including the ones at @ Home on sale) are dirty from being over-exposed or lived a more shelf life than they were meant to. In any case, it was a futile search in person and online to get a table lamp.
