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Top Design Welcomes India Hicks
04/21/2008, 14:34 | Original Site: decor8
Here's a little bit about India that you may not have known that I find quite interesting, "Host India Hicks is the daughter of famed interior decorator David Hicks and Lady Pamela Hicks. Born in London, England, she was named in honor of her grandfather, Lord Mountbatten of Burma the last Viceroy to India. Her godfather, HRH Prince Charles, chose Hicks to be a bridesmaid in his wedding to the late Lady Diana Spencer in 1990." - Bravo TV.
What do you think of adding India to the mix to replace Todd as host?
(image from bravo tv)
Outtime Fireplate Grill
00/00/0000, 00:00 | Original Site: Design Mind
This interesting grill and outdoor fire pit has a great base shape that was inspired by natural stones.See You in a Few!
00/00/0000, 00:00 | Original Site: The Peak of ChicDiwali Ki Shubhkamnayen: 1.11.2007
00/00/0000, 00:00 | Original Site: Rang-Decor {Interior Ideas predominantly Indian}
Dust that old spice box, bring out that antique jewellery box your mother gave you, better still if it has some compartments in them.Display it on your center table or that coffee table in your drawing room where you welcome your guests for Diwali.
Fill each compartment with dry-fruits, sugar candies, chocolates, take your pick:-) Drop a tiny tea light candle in one of the slots and see the festive glow it it brings into your home and on the faces of your guests:-)
(Images & ideas by Arch, feel free to get inspired and link to me but if you want to use my photographs for some other purpose please send me a mail.)
Saffron Marigold
00/00/0000, 00:00 | Original Site: Rang-Decor {Interior Ideas predominantly Indian}Saffron Marigold~ The words that bring to mind vibrant colour, fragrance and textures...
Ruby Kilim ~ Designer Red Black Queen Duvet CoverThat'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 CoverAnisha 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 CoverSaffron 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 CoverI 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)
Two for joy, immense joy...
00/00/0000, 00:00 | Original Site: Rang-Decor {Interior Ideas predominantly Indian}Today I am sharing with you not one but two great spaces which have got imprinted on my mind ever since I saw them a couple of days ago.
The first on, is designer Jivi Sethi's ultra-stylish residence in Assagao in Goa.
Jivi Sethi's home which is featured in Vogue Magazine, this month is an eclectic blend of antique objets d'art with contemporary furniture. 
He has styled his home with loads of glass, mirrors & chandeliers. I love the way he had brought in the old goan charm by using antique chandeliers, old wine bottles & loads of floral arrangements:-)
Look at the fusion of antique goan wooden cupboard with contemporary glass & lacquer coffee table designed by him:-)
Flowers everywhere...*sigh* Love the way he floats the 'Parijat' flowers with the orange stalk upwards adding colour & texture to the arrangement
Another thing striking is the use of vibrant colours, his home is filled with art from his friends blending in with his own pieces of heirloom from his family home in Amritsar & Delhi.
There is something fun, colourful, vibrant & eclectic in this space which reflects the personality of this very creative & stylish designer. 
Join me in gliding along the backwaters in a 'Kettuvallam' or the traditional Houseboat. Earlier these boats with coir and bamboo roofs were used as cargo boats but nowadays they are used as 2-3 room houseboats cruising along the Malabar coast. 
A passage along the side of the boat. The boat is lit by oil lamps in the night. You can see a traditional brass lock on the door.
A small deck at the tail of the boat from where one can watch the magical sunsets in the backwaters.
The arches of the boat have been constructed with palm-leaf matting, woven into a bamboo frame and tied together with coir ropes (very eco-friendly, I must add)
Imagine sleeping under this romantic canopy and waking up to the gentle sound of the oars splashing the water.....now that's a thought!On that note, I take your leave for a couple of weeks. I am taking a 'Winter Break' and will be doing some travelling and practicing loads of photography:-)
Meanwhile do check out Neece Clark's Shop Online. She has some amazing paintings up for sale for the holidays.
Will also be keeping my eyes open for fellow blogger An Indian Summer's Bazaar which is opening in January 2008.So do visit her too where she will be bringing to you '...an eclectic mix of select Asian and Indian crafts and products of exquisite design and high quality.'
Auroville, Pondicherry
00/00/0000, 00:00 | Original Site: Rang-Decor {Interior Ideas predominantly Indian}
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)
Update
05/06/2008, 07:28 | Original Site: k style
Hi everyone,Just a quick update on upcoming move. So much to do and so little time. Our move in date is June 2, and I have been pretty overwhelmed with the years of accumulation that have to be boxed and sorted and of course we will be having the expected garage sale. I have also been doing some furniture shopping and lots of browsing looking for inspiration like the gorgeous lanterns I found on Gumps today. Will try to check in with some of my finds as we count down to the big move. It's going to be sporadic here at Kstyle until we settle in so thank you in advance for your patience. k
Bed, Breakfast & Fireplace...
00/00/0000, 00:00 | Original Site: Rang-Decor {Interior Ideas predominantly Indian}
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.
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;-)The Marrakech medina: and buying babouches at the slipper souk
09/08/2008, 09:47 | Original Site: My Marrakesh(Sigh, let?s face it, the blogging girl was simply trying to rationalize why she so often found herself in Marrakech?s slipper souk, known as the souk de babouches. At this rate, it might just be easier for her to set up a small cot nearby.)
PS Many thanks for all the comments on my Marrakech magazine articles! So sweet:)
Villa Balquisse
00/00/0000, 00:00 | Original Site: Rang-Decor {Interior Ideas predominantly Indian}
My International pick today is from one of the most exotic places~ Bali.Villa Balquisse- a tropical retreat set between coconut groves & mangroves in Jimbaran. The retreat has old Balinese Villas that have been restored and decorated in an eclectic style.
The interior designer's latest travel ifluence her designs- you'll find exquisite cushions & bed linen created from Java silks & Jaipuri sari's.
You can relax by the emerald swimming pool made out of natural stone or walk down to the beach which is only a 300 meters away:-) 
Enjoy a sumptuous dinner made by their Chef under the twinkling stars...
Each Villa is decorated in a unique style.
They have 3 bedroom, 4 bedroom, 5-bedroom & a 9-bedroom villa! So take your pick, enjoy a great mediterranean style holiday with family and friends...
Exotic flowers displayed in unique artifacts handpicked by the owner. You can buy some of the furniture & lamps from their online store Villa Balquisse Living
Absolutely love the cream canopy drapes & simple rustic furniture.
Soak in the Balinese hospitality, the great attention to detail, de-stress with some amazing massages & enjoy the heavenly food prepared by the Chef.(images from Villa Balquisse)
Road Trip: Monterey and Carmel
08/29/2008, 17:02 | Original Site: katiedid
We will be seeing the famous Lone Cypress tree:
Visiting the Cannery in Monterey:
Shopping. Did you even doubt it?
Hitting the spectacular Monterey Bay Aquarium (I think there is an interiors color scheme here):
I love seeing the Carmel Mission:
And downtown Carmel is full of shopping: art, antiques, boutiques and restaurants (a little spendy all the way around, but sometimes you find a treasure you can't live without!):
Carmel is famous for it's artist colony, and there is no need to wonder why:
We plan to do some of this:
And visit Julia Pfeiffer State Beach in Big Sur (if there is time!):
So I wish you all a wonderful long Labor Day Weekend! I will be back on Monday....late.
BYE!
All photos from flickr
Vacation time
06/24/2008, 22:11 | Original Site: Karin's Style Blogparty perfect
00/00/0000, 00:00 | Original Site: studio wellspring
Pitch your tent...
00/00/0000, 00:00 | Original Site: Rang-Decor {Interior Ideas predominantly Indian}
Soak in the local flavour sitting by the bonfire and listening to the folk songs or wake up to call of peacocks just outside your tents...
The concept of Manvar Desert Camp dates back to the 17th century when Mughal Emperor Jehangir known for his luxurious lifestyle used to set up royal tents with all the amenities during their hunting trips. 
Manvar Desert Camp has 30 tents arranged in a semi circle around a central 'durbar' hall. 
The central dining area from where stunning sunrises & sunsets can be seen.
The interiors of the tents are extremely luxurious with custom designed block print motifs & large teak wood beds. Huge windows with pull up flaps allow the fresh desert breeze to come in and nets to keep insects out:-)Live like royalty from the bygone era. Spend some amazing time under the starlit skies of Rajasthan in Manvar Desert Camp.
( images from manvar.com)
Jivi Sethi
00/00/0000, 00:00 | Original Site: Rang-Decor {Interior Ideas predominantly Indian}
A colonial daybed with vibrant cushions by Jivi, Sadr, Iris & Soleh. Glass paintings of Lord Hanuman & Ganesha on a Kashmiri screen. 
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 Singh
Painting 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)
Prefab For The Kids
00/00/0000, 00:00 | Original Site: Design Mind
These are fun modern structures for the kids to play with that wont break the bank the way some modern play structures will. They even have furniture to finish off the home.
Nesting Coffee Table
00/00/0000, 00:00 | Original Site: Design Milk
I really love this nesting coffee table I found over at Burke Decor.
Beautiful Dar Beida guesthouse: or where to stay in Essaouira
08/27/2008, 09:53 | Original Site: My Marrakesh It was hot in Marrakech. Oh, very hot. So she escaped to that town on the Moroccan coast, Essaouira, her favorite Summertime (and anytime) haunt.
Now she was no longer a Spring chicken (sadly, so sadly). And so she had stayed in quite a few guest houses and hotels in her time. Some luxurious with down pillows and beautiful bath products and some......well, not much better than sleeping on the floor of the bus station (oh dear).
But had she ever stayed anywhere - anywhere at all - like Dar Beida? No never. It was organic and Moroccan and African and modern and high/lo all at the same time. This was the sort of place that you could imagine yourself staying in, well, forever. This little house on four floors was so lovely, that she promptly began thinking up all her best arguments to get the British owners to sell it to her. (My, weren't they tired of Morocco yet? What did they mean, No?)
It was all in the details, you see. Now she couldn't possibly share them all in one batch. But here's a few to start..........
A charming place to hang the house keys........Each key with a treasure from nature attached.
Two chairs in the entry where you could sit and gaze at.......
This darling little rustic steer display....The blogging girl was quite fond of cows, and this suited her to a tee.
There was an interior courtyard in the center of Dar Beida and African art placed here and there. (The girl had her very own body masks like the one in this image that she had collected in Tanzania, South Africa, and Kenya.)
Oh yes, please do perch on this little stool and read from the enormous trove of interior design magazines...........Heaven!
This vintage African chair was covered entirely with tiny beads. How very amazing.
The chair was in this charming little bedroom. The bed was covered with a fine wool vintage haik, worn by Moroccan women once upon a time. (The girl had several of these horded for her shop.)
Oh the view from the roof terrace......She could smell the sea. (And the girl had these very same mod chairs for the roof of Peacock Pavilions. Could it be that Dar Beida had everything she liked?)
The girl sat and talked on the phone while checking her Blackberry. She told everyone she might be staying in Essaouira for a good, long time...........Could she be a stowaway at Dar Beida?
***********
Dar Beida, Essaouira, rented only in its entirety (which is a good thing because you'll want it all for yourself...)
emma@castlesinthesand.com
mobile: +212/67965386
Great Color Research Journal
00/00/0000, 00:00 | Original Site: Hue
A sneak peak:
(click to enlarge to read text)
visit a museum this saturday for free
00/00/0000, 00:00 | Original Site: shelterrific
Here’s a timely way to enrich yourself without spending anything at all. Thanks to Smithsonian, you can visit one of hundreds of museums and culture venues nationwide for absolutely free. They’ve designated tomorrow, Saturday, September 27, 2008 as Museum Day. Visit the Museum Day site to download your free general admission card — you can use the site to search for participating museums near you, too. Get your card here.