artnlight

Loose Ends

Saturday, October 13, 2007

A little store tucked in a little lane in Bandra, Loose Ends has the charm of an idea that works. I’ve been here quite a few times. Each time when I had to make sure the gift had to be different. As you browse through the small shop, your face won’t stop smiling. Each object you pick has an ingrained quirk. And engages.
All it took Madhumita Goswami was 5 years as a media professional (with the Times of India & LeoBurnett) to figure out this was not what she wanted to do for the rest of her life. (Smart girl she!) This decision + a creative bent of mind + friends who shared her vision (the likes of Agnello Dias- no less) made Loose Ends happen. So what we have is a store full of ideas in the shape of a Bhagat Singh-cushion, a urinal-ashtray, a lunch carrier-lamp .... this isn't working. You are better off seeing the pictures. Thank god for cameras...

Cushions can become art. The aforementioned 'Bhagat Singh cushion' next to which is an Indian poster art inspired creation. And 'side BY side' is the best gift you can give your friend who is about to get married.

A barrel shaped ice bucket & a bottle shaped photo frame

This one just cracked me up! Shot glasses with gun toting "Daaku's" (Hindi for dacoits) on them. Superb!
Coasters with local train station names. These are made from photographs of the originals.
Let me introduce you to 'Zipper coconuts' These coconuts zip open & make for the sexiest gift wrapping/packaging. In Indian coconuts are big on auspicious occasions. This coming diwali, put a tiny Ganesh idol in this cushioned in marigolds & no one will forget this gift in a hurry!
The star attraction! The Indian loo ashtray.
A tiny iron- a miniature of the original, with a flip open lid. Tip in your ash in place of hot coals.
We are Filmy!! Typical and vintage Hindi film posters make for great kitschy art on walls.
Love this blue bottle lamp!
Loose Ends also keeps these funky cups from funky guys called 'Happily Unmarried' click here to know about this concept. Its hilarious! and highly recommended reading :)

Coffee mugs for history enthusiasts. Printed with old lithographs of Bombay these make brilliant keepsakes for all who feel proud of 'Amchi Mumbai' (Local term for 'Our Mumbai')These are traditional ceramic jars (Bharnis) which was used to store pickles & provisions. Trays & interesting colour pencil coasters.
Darling little ceramic umbrella fridge magnets

Its not that they don't keep pretty stuff. They do. Loads of it.
Dressy purses in Indian brocade fabrics.
Beautliful tea light holders that can be hooked on to the wall. I love these.

Loose Ends has a neatly designed site which also makes for an entertaining read.

I don't know if you'll noticed but all the products had a brand of humour that was distinctly Indian and this is not happenstance. In a time when contemporary & 'cool' decor ideas are usually 'from US' "from Bangkok' or 'made in China' , Loose Ends is 100% Indian. And Madhu feels proud of keeping it that way.

decor

Curtain Raiser

Friday, October 12, 2007

Fellow Bloggers

Artnlight Mentioned

Sunday, October 07, 2007

decor

Bohemian Rhapsody

Thursday, October 04, 2007

Blogging works. It opens up your world, gives you voice- good. Gives you an audience- better. An interactive contributing audience- best. This post is proof of that. I wrote about Tribal Route- this most amazing store. And Nihar Mehta whose brainchild that was, called me up one weekend & said - there's this house I just saw, its interesting- maybe you want to cover it. Great! Infact, awesome. Numbers were exchanged & I called to hear this accented voice give me directions- she warned me it's not luxurious or anything-only colourful. I muttered something about- in a home, imagination & love is all that matters. And landed up. The door opens to show this seriously pretty firang in her terrace flat. Diana Linda turned out to be an Italian who works with 'Doctors without Borders' and has lived in Nicaragua, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan & Pakistan. Wow.
I entered this colourful space which was rather bohemian & very yes- definitely kitschy. This home was a patchworkof collages, colourful curtains, Tibetan paintings & life sized illustrations of aliens. As I was moving around taking pictures, we got chatting & Diana told me that of all the countries she's lived in and says India gives her a 'buzz' -an energy like no other country.

This is for all of you out there who are renters, paying guests and generally people who can't drive nails & hang pictures on walls that can't be painted. Some neat tricks on how to make the space you live in, your own.

Diana's dressing table/box. She wore the most interesting jewellery & stores her collection in this antique jewllery box. The painted mini cupboard & the painted Tray are both local (Bandra) finds. The purse (diana is a huge bag collector) is from Goa.

Diana makes these super colourful collages. She told me she wanted to capture the colour, spirituality, modernity, tradition, Bollywood, Glamour & the various faces of India.

She also loves Tagore's poetry & picked this poster & the antique mirror from Delhi.

Another unique feature in this house is the way she has treated the floor. Vibrant patchwork quilts add colour. Aren't the Tantra coasters a brilliant touch?

The floor pillows are from Zeba & Fabindia ( another fantastic place for contemporaty Indian fabrics & furnishing) The floor comes alive with various materials and types of mats, carpets & quilts.

Tibetan Mandala paintings are from Ladakh & this super kitschy sequinned bag is from Ogaan, Delhi adorn the walls.

And this is the idea that gets my vote. Diana is a traveller & has moved cities & countries more often than some of us vacation. She lives out of boxes. Literally. So what does she do? She paints them to suit her style- what a fantastic way to turn functionality into aesthetics!

The box right on top is the FishFry box in which came psychadelic sports shoes designed by Manish Arora (Diana loves this designer's colourful extravagant style) These photographed like a dream and you can see the results on my flickr.

Diana has herself designed this bag (which she doesn't carry around, but is a clever storage and decor idea!) & jacket which she loves to wear.

And these are the beautiful & beautifully adorned hands that created the colour & magic you just saw. I just HAD to photograph her hands. The jewellery is from Afghanistan & Rajasthan, India.