Meera Dabir
From designing and making props for movie sets, to creating magic on the walls of homes and establishments of many high profile clients in India, to now doing a masters in design in London - Meera is clearly in pursuit of creative happiness! When she started in India 10 years back, she used what ever paints and pigments were available and experimented with and invented her own techniques and colour concoctions, making sure that effect looks organic. Steering clear of the commercial synthetic effects, such as walls mottled using a spray gun, she aims for effect that is well blended and subtle and looks like as if there were worlds lurking beneath the surface - like an abstract painting; not like a pig dressed up for the county fair! She firmly believes that the thing with building colourscapes, is like poetry - it's all about feeling.
You can see more of Meera's work here, and if you would like to engage her services as an artist/designer, or consult with her, send her an email
Hayan Maani
Hayan Maani is a multi talented artist from Jordan, and his work covers a wide array of design directions -from paintings and calligraphy to logos and advertising, all within a journey of over 20 years. He firmly believes in the power of expression, individualism and originality. Take a look at his site for some incredible work of art, the bronze sculptures being my personal favorite.
Sonal Nathwani
Sonal's work reflects a blend of Asian and European influences and sensibilities. She was born in Malawi to Indian parents, and grew up in England, and polished her innate talent at a fine art course at the renowned Charles H. Cecil Studios in Italy. Take a look at her gallery to view her lovely paintings
Plum Pretty Sugar
Charlotte Mills runs and owns the brand of Loungerie (bedding, loungewear) called Plum Pretty Sugar. The fabrics and inspiration, both are from India. Her creations, specially the loungewear are deliciously dreamy and summery. You can buy these from her etsy shop.
The Loaded Trunk
Doesn't the name 'The Loaded Trunk' sound exciting? It reminds me of treasure hunts, and when I looked at Roni's online store, it was like a treasure hunt come true! Incredibly beautiful rugs, fabrics, art objects - all collected from different parts of the world, specially the orient. You have to go and take a look....and buy me a rug while you are at it ;-)
Roni: I'll be seeing you in six weeks. Give me a shout when you land in India!
The Style Saloniste
Dianne Dorrans Saeks, the very well known author of many design and style books, wrote a beautiful tribute to the legendary Rajmata Gayatri Devi, the incredibly beautiful and famous former maharani of Jaipur. The article is a fitting tribute to a princess who has been a symbol of Indian erstwhile royalty for the world. Thanks for sharing the article and your experiences, Dianne.
New blog alert : Mocca & Me
Interior inspiration from Netherlands, a blog written by Natascha Roobol. Click right here to get new insights and ideas for your home!
Rachel Leonard
Rachel is multi-talented person, writing a blog, making jewelry and also working on art projects. Her blog is very aptly named 'My Right Brain' :)
Gypsy Girl Guide
Alessandra de Souza is a photographer, writer and film producer with a 'gypsy' heart! Look through her beautiful site for her photographs, writing, and her exciting adventure: Journey to Jordan along with Tara of Paris Parfait fame! Also take a look at her etsy shop for photographs from India..
3 Bees Paperie
Celebrate the upcoming festival of Eid and Diwali with beautiful cards from 3 Bees Paperie!
thank you for sharing your work and talent with me and my readers!
It's time again for me to share with you the work of some incredibly talented people, products from some unique shops and new launches in the world of design and style blogs! A big thank you to all these wonderful people who have graciously emailed me links to their work, for it to be showcased on An Indian Summer. A whole bunch of more creative links and showcases are coming up next week!
I Me Am Designs
Chetna Vij Sharma, the brain child behind this design firm, is a graduate from The Pratt Institute, NY, and has been working as a graphic designer in India. Look through her portfolio to view some very creative print, interactive and styling projects. She has also launched a line of kitschy Indian bags, boxes and wrapping paper.
Ching Teoh's art work
Ching, from Malaysia, is a self taught painter. Her rich and vibrant paintings are inspired by colors, beauties, patterns and textures of nature, and reflect a multi-cultural influence. See more of Ching's work on her site and you can buy the paintings from her etsy shop.
Eva Hanusova
Eva, from Czech Republic, became fascinated with the handmade jewelry world while taking classes at School of Visual Arts and Parson School of Design in New NY. Besides working on her jewelry line, Eva also designs home accessories and dabbles in the world of folk art using primarily chalk pastels and acrylics
Not your grandma's needlepoint!
Laura's brainchild, Not your Grandma's Needlepoint is unique, whimsical one of a kind, canvas design. Using her photographs as inspiration, she has created customized canvases by borrowing fantastical imagery from a variety of pop culture influences, including pop art and sixties psychedelia - bringing the traditional craft she loves so much into a contemporary context.
Linda Arthur
Linda, a self confessed textile junky, is an artist from Canada with a passion for painting. Do look at some of her brilliant work on her blog..
Milgayi Style Diary
Milgayi is an premier image based directory of fashion and lifestyle web sites dedicated to South Asians worldwide. Sudeepa Khanna, the creative woman behind Milgayi brings to the readers the finest web links in various categories such as world-class South Asian designers, exquisite apparel, beautiful home decor, and timeless jewelry
DecorStyler
Décor Styler is a log of interior design trends and ideas, focused on inspiring the finer things in life!
Bloom.acious Cafe
Bloom.acious cafe is a spot where readers can get ideas and info about a range of subjects, as well as post updates about design/lifestyle projects they are working on. Readers can also start a group that focuses on their favorite topics, or join one that has been already started and add ideas and information there!
Maharani Wedding Blog
Maharani Weddings is a majestic blog soley dedicated to the elaborate, detail-oriented Indian bride. Conceptualized by Shawna, this blog bring you the most opulent ideas and unique vendors all with style!
Home Addict
Home addict, has been conceptualized by Caroline Gauci, a French textile designer working with weavers in Cambodia and Thailand on Ikat textiles. Following fair trade principles, her creations are modern, with graphic designs, using age old weaving techniques.
Design and Asia
Falling for the charms of Asia, Amandine and Sacha, a french couple, launched Design and Asia, an online 'traveling boutique'. They travel for months at a time in search of new products that come from all four corners of Asia. Each item is found with special care and is shaped by best artists, each item is unique and made in the rules of a responsible and ethical trade
Terra Furnishings
Terra Furnishings support an eco-conscious lifestyle and like to work with people who share a similar philosophy. They welcome the opportunity to work with design professionals and provide industry incentives to assist with your client and project needs. Do check them out - they are offering a discounts for retail showrooms/stores & can do wholesale pricing on many of our products.
Teo Jasmin
Teo Jasmin is an interior design company based in Paris. They have an eclectic collection of furniture and furnishing, each inspired by a geographical region or city. Check them out for their interesting use of photographic prints..
Sixx Design's Book Launch
Downtown Chic, co-written by husband and wife team, Robert and Cortney Novogratz of the NYC-based firm SIXX Design, has been launched. For over more than a decade, this young, hip and artsy couple has developed and designed many unique properties in Manhattan, rebuilt entire city blocks and turned funky into fabulous, with every detail considered and executed with the utmost taste and luxury. See all on their site and the book!
These lovely people wrote to me over the last couple of months, sharing their work, ideas and new products. Take a look at all the goodness:
Manreet Deol's Jewelery
Manreet is product designer based out of Brooklyn and Delhi. She has recently started working on jewelery and here is what she says about her work: "My jewelry is often organic in appeal, inspired by travels to Borneo, Bali, NY and my interpretation of the textural vocabulary of each culture ( Rice grains, Frangipani flowers, corals, wisteria wines etc ). They are made of recycled polished brass in the sand-casting method. I love using this ancient casting process in which my clay sculptings are cast into recycled metal from a fresh new sand mold each and every time.I enjoy collaborating w/ craftspeople who would ordinarily utilize this casting technique for making household goods"
Manreet is looking out for retailers in India and all over the world. Reach out to Manreet in case you would like to stock her gorgeous collection!
Art by Aarohi Singh
Aarohi a self taught artist paints in oil, acrylics, watercolor, pastels and works on paper, canvas, metal, cardboard, wood and fabric! Phew! To say the least, she is extremely talented! In her own words: "My art is sometimes coloured by chalk pastels, other times ink, sometimes by oils, even charcoal; but always, always finished with my view of the world"
See more of her paintings and her interpretation of kitsch, at her blog - Art by Aarohi
Psst: Aarohi, I am looking forward to see you exhibit in Delhi/Gurgaon sometime soon :)
Post-its Notes left to their fate...
...in public places! 'Copywriter' leaves little hand-written/drawn post-it notes in the city (Singapore) for people to find and take a few seconds out of their busy lives to think about the 'things we forget'.
Find more about these notes at the To Do blog.
Indian/Asian Graphic Designers - Submit your link!
Johnny, the author of the blog Spoon and Tamagi is an artist and writer based out of New York and Tokyo. And he is writing a book on graphic design in Asia, with the objective of exposing the great quality work being done in Asia that might not necessarily be mainstream. 
So, if you are a graphic designer, or know of one, do make sure you submit your details here!
iukbox - Art production agency
iukbox is an European art production agency that aims at the promotion of designers and artists. At the crossroads of design and contemporary art, iukbox invites artists and designers to invent objects that can be edited in limited series. The agency proposes a follow up from conception to execution and takes care of the distribution.
You can also invite iukbox to your home or office. They can arrange an exclusive presentation of their collection in the comfort of your surroundings… your very own private opening!
Spunky Sprouts!
Spunky Sprouts is a one-stop shopping for modern, unique and colorful products for kids with fabulous style—and their parents! Spunkysprout.com is also the best place on earth to find exceptional, must-have lifestyle gifts from Europe and America for the sophisticated family
BEHR - The one stop paint shop
Behr.com has been relaunched and has many features as part of its new avtaar. You can view inspiration galleries, use the virtual color center to replicate the retail experience, create your workbooks and explore many more exciting DIY options.
Click now to give your room a virtual makeover!
Thought I'll share with you some goodness from the blog world focused on design and decor from India. I have stumbled across them over the last some months, and have enjoyed their personal unique style, design insight and creativity.
Enjoy more of Indian design @:
Girl About Home by Chandan
And Another by Kanika
Window Seat Design by Ashwiny
Indian By Design by Kavita
The Key Bunch by Sharon and Rekha
Nush Designs by Anusha
Mochatini by Manvi
Rajee Sood by Rajee Sood
Colors Dekor by Particia
Once Upon A Tea Time by Aditi
Tudo de Om by Fernanda R. Lima
Sajavat by Sangitha
And of course, some of my other favorites from the Indian design world are on the links page.
And while we are on the topic of new blogs, I would nudge you to the young blog -Urban Legends, from my über creative sister! Urban Legends is a photo journal of a curious, covert, yet honest voyeur, documenting the many legends, big and small, told and untold, of a city. Hop over now to Urban Legends to peek at the streets of her current city - London!
[Images courtsey: Feature article on India in a swiss online mag]
Another round of goodness from the world of design and home decor!
Special Offer from Garnet Hill
Garnet Hill is offering 20% off on the products available on its site. An Indian Summer readers can use source code 20off to avail of the offer. Hurry, the offer ends October 8th!
Psst: John Robshaw, one of my favorites, also available @ Garnet Hill..
Green Somethings
Green Somethings, a first of its kind online store in India, offers beautiful indoor plants arranged in chic, contemporary pots. The plants are handpicked to make sure they are healthy, strong and low maintenance. Ideal as home decor or a green gift! Green Somethings currently home delivers in Mumbai
New blog: Textile Swatches!
Textile Swatches is the space where Seema Krish, an Indian textile designer now living in Boston, shares her passion and knowledge of textiles. Seema is also in the process of launching her own signature collection of decorative fabric products- including pillows, rugs, blankets and throws. All the products will be manufactured in sustainable environments using textile crafts in a contemporary way.
Looking forward to your collection Seema!
Zabitatz.com
Zabitatz.com is the latest entrant in the e-world of home design and decor. Zabitatz describes itself as the fun, never-intimidating and always informative site where passionate members meet to share advice, insight and inspiration about everything home-related
Thank you Belette!
And last but not the least, I would like to thank Belette for honouring me with "You are a beautiful blogger" award! I am touched and honoured by this beautiful gesture!
Visit Belette's insightful blog here
It's that time of the year again! Time to pick your favorites amongst design blogs and vote for the most influential design bloggers. Stan and Kus, my favorite blogger duo from Home Rejuvenation, have taken up the impressive task of putting together a list of design blogs (from last year's voting results) and inviting readers, bloggers & net surfers to vote for their favorite design blogs. The voting is open till Oct 15th, after which the results of 10 most influential design bloggers will be out on their blog.
So, don't wait! Have your say here!
[psst....An Indian Summer is also part of the compiled list. The fact that I have been grinning ear to ear since is purely co-incidental ;-)....my thanks to all those fabulous people who voted for An Indian Summer last year!]
News about good stuff happening and launching, courtesy my inbox!
Indian designers @ Maison & Objet Fair, Paris
Six designers have made the Indian design community proud by being invited to the iconic Maison & Objet home fair in Paris. All these designers have the distinction of creating beauty and art by marrying traditional techniques and contemporary design. I was also very happy to see Aline Design being one of the budding talents to be part of the show. An Indian Summer Bazaar had introduced Aline products to the international market in its Feb bazaar, and I am quite chuffed to see Kapil and Shilpa continue to make an impact in the national and international design scene! The other designers part of the show were: Ayush Kasliwal, Gunjan Gupta, Jigisha Patel, Puneet Brar and Varsha Sharma.
WeFew - Online design community
WeFew is a new online design community and marketplace. Its primary purpose is to bring together talented independent designers and design lovers, and provide emerging designers the support they need to establish and grow their creative businesses. Based out of Singapore, WeFew is a good resource specially for those on the lookout for emerging Asian talent
Fun on the floor
Its time to make floors fun again! In their own words: "Fun on the Floor has recently launched a new website bursting with ideas on how to use carpets when decorating the home. With the help of interior designer, Danielle Proud, we hope to inspire you and your readers: Danielle has turned a stunning Georgian townhouse in London into a live and interactive showcase of the way that carpet can transform any room and it’s sometimes overlooked versatility, all of which can be seen on the site. Our website is also packed with great facts, helpful advice and a great feature called the Lookbook which can help people decide what look to go for"
Year of Creativity 2008
I got intrigued by the tag line of YOC 2008: 'Be the change you want to see in the world'. As I explored their site further, I found out that its a project meant to encourage people to reinvent themselves every day and stimulate their creativity. The very first initiative in this project is encouraging people to express their (multiple) identities through a set of personalized 'business' cards. Nice! :)...I decided to make some for myself and Mr. Shaking Head....
New blog: Kim's Kitchen Remodel!
Kim, of the Desire to Inspire duo extraordinaire' fame has launched a new blog that will keep us updated with the progress of her kitchen renovation. The renovation is being sponsored by GreenTea Design (one of the sponsors of An Indian Summer), and I can't wait to see how Kim's new kitchen shapes up!
New blog: Ofifteen
A new design blog, written by five women passionate about interior design, art, architecture, gardening and cooking, among many other things! Visit them to get your dose of inspiration :)
I am way behind in posting about some new product and store launches I got to know about when the brilliant people behind these products wrote to me. Today, I end the procrastination and present to you the latest in the world of products and design:
TUKAANI by Lincoln Kayiwa
Lincoln is a young designer who has started his brand product design company Kayiwa. He wrote to me introducing the super useful eating device known as TUKAANI. In his own words: "TUKAANI is Finnish for the toucan bird species. The sterling silver TUKAANI is a hand made eating device for oriental food consumers in the West. It may be held as traditional chopsticks. But unlike the disposable wooden chopsticks, TUKAANI is both machine and hand washable and much easier to set on – and use at table. The matt surface and taut movement allow steady grip in the hand. The curl at the end of the TUKAANI provides eased food picking and delivery to the mouth. The loop also allows easier hanging, storage and display. The Toucan's bill provided inspiration for this cutlery project"
I can't wait to try this one out! *Lincoln: When do you launch in India? :)
TowelTender by Wallace Clay Design
Wondering where to hang the hand towel in your bathroom? Well, hang it on the TowelTender! A soon to be patented design, by Wallace Clay Design, the TowelTender is designed to fit the most common round-style pedestal sinks. The company is also coming up very soon with a design to fit square pedestal, vanity, or kitchen sinks.
Thanks Matt, for introducing the product to us!
Online decor boutique: Stylkist
Stylkist is the new online home decor store targeted at design conscious consumers in India. Check out their range of contemporary decor which includes furnishing, wall decor, candles, vases and table decor 
Petals by Shades of India
Good Earth, one of my favorite stores, has exclusively launched the new range of furnishing by Shades of India. The email announcing the launch was a teaser...I will need to check out their store for this exciting new range!
Talking about Good Earth stores, I would strongly recommend Good Earth's new store at Saket to my readers in Delhi, and those visiting Delhi. Spread over four floors, the store is a visual delight - a contemporary translation of Rajasthani and Mughal architecture.
