Roads Well Traveled

Wanderlust, travel, roads, bazaar, unique finds, indigenous crafts, beautiful objects, preservation of craft traditions - all these descriptive phrases, make a recurrent appearance on my blog. And anytime that I find another person, a group, a store, or a project sharing my passion for above, I can not wait to share my delight with you. RoadsWellTraveled, conceptualized and run by Minu Chawla and Sebastin Sager, is one such store that offers not just hand picked products, but also invites you to explore and discover little nooks and corners of the world. An online destination for the nomadic-at-heart connoisseur of world culture, artefacts and objects, RoadsWellTraveled takes pride not just in it's curated collection but also in the mission of doing its bit to preserve dying art and craft in different parts of the world.

Another interesting aspect of of RoadsWellTraveled is their emphasis on art and not just the artisan. As Minu described in her email to me:

"There are enough NGOs and fair-trade organizations trying to provide the artisans with a sustainable livelihood. However not enough encourage them to do so by practicing the craft that they learnt from the forefathers. In the quest of making more functional, more marketable products, the original art/craft practice is rapidly dying. Through RoadsWellTraveled, we hope to honour the artisan traditions in their truest forms."

The Museum is an integral and growing section of RoadsWellTraveled website, and this is the place where Minu and Sebastin document the history, tradition and stories behind the crafts they curate. The aim is to build awareness and preserve that what is original.

 

Both Minu and Sebastin come from a corporate background, and they gave up their jobs to follow their heart. Combining their love for travel, indigenous crafts and entrepreneurship, they founded RoadsWellTraveled in Berlin, a city that's home to both of them.   

Step into the world of RoadsWellTraveled, and shop the bazaars Mesoamerica, Indus, Kalinga and Ceylon. They have exciting travel plans, and I can't wait to see what new treasures they find in the bylanes of the world.

Connect with RoadsWellTraveled on facebook and get inspired by their beautiful boards on Pinterest.

[All images: RoadsWellTraveled. Creative Storyboarding: An Indian Summer]

In the mood for

Some music tonight

Listen to what I am listening to right now

As you step into these beautiful rooms with me

In a sentimental mood - Duke Ellington and John Coltrane

Unrequited Love: Lykee Li

At Dawning: Coleman Hawkins

Hey You: Pink Flyod

I'm a cat: Desa

Sigh. 

Sometimes music is all you want and you that all need

 Some room candy by the side doesn't hurt either :)

[Images from: Here, Here and Here. Second image from here]

Oh, and are you traveling with me this February? Make sure to check out this splendid itinerary, and join me!

Deepak and Aparna's..

There are times when you merrily skip work (aka don't blog) because there is such a holiday spirit around you and you are totally in the mood for taking a vacation. You come across pretty things and you bookmark them, for you want to share them with your favorite people, but umm...not today, maybe later. You think you'll cuddle into that warm throw with your favorite book, just one more day. And then, on one of these lazy days, you get an email, full of such treasures, that your heart skips a beat. You get very excited. You throw that throw off and open that laptop promptly. For you gotta share this exciting new indie store on the block! So my dear readers, here I am, back after a weeks' hiatus, with Phantom Hands! 

Deepak's love for history and mythology, and Aparna's innate interest and skill in art, is what propelled the couple to start Phantom Hands, the online store of carefully selected, unusual to rare antique furniture, collectibles and decor objects. The name Phantom Hands is a metaphor for all the unknown artisans who have contributed to the perfection of each object and artifact, which truly are a culmination of centuries of craftsmanship and skills, passed on from generation to generation.

I love the range of antiquities and curiosities that Deepak and Aparna have collected. From exceptionally well crafted furniture pieces to beautiful figurines, metal masks, old books to vintage flasks and bottles - and everything available at the click of a mouse!

Here's what Deepak and Aparna have to say when it comes to their aesthetic and curation process:

"Phantom Hands evolved out of our personal interest in antiques and curious vintage objects. When we are in the presence of a beautiful antique of vintage collectible, the craftsmanship, pride and attention to detail become obvious - and a certain kind of real energy fills the space around it. To us that's a very palpable feeling. We also feel a subconcious comfort around old/used things.

This is not to say that we genuinely like all antique objects. We like an aesthetic that is less ornate and where the simplicity, lines and proportions and logic of construction stand out. What is really interesting to us is that many antiques have this simplicity and minimalism, qualities that are not usually associated with antiques. Therefore the antiques we offer fit in with our contemporary lives without having an air of oldness or anachronism in its look and feel.

Then there are the fascinating stories associated with these objects. These objects take on a new meaning when you learn about their origins or about people who used them. Antiques hold a part of history, which is largely undocumented and undervalued. We like the idea that the homes of each of these objects become custodians of this history.

At the end of the day, we don't have a checklist to seek out things we like. We just pick what we connect with and then later rationalize why we like it."

What you find in Phantom Hands has been, over the years, sourced from collectors, dealers and antique experts. The couple also travel and hunt for treasures, and often find beautiful objects in the unlikeliest of places - an old printing press, a precision machining factory or through the grapevine. They then go through the process of determining authenticity and provenance from experts and proceed with careful restoration if needed.

Shop for the many treasures at Phantom Hand right here. Each object is well photographed and details of its antecedents listed out. Phantom Hands also takes great care in packing and shipping each item, which takes care of a big concern when shopping for collectibles. I shared my favorites with you in the post; tell me what you like the most!

[All images: Phantom Hands. Creative Story boarding: An Indian Summer]


I'll surface once again later this week, to share with you some very creative folks and wonderful new stores, before I don on my holiday cap and wine & dine the last week of the year away :).
See you then, folks!

Dammit! I miss you.

Eye candy rooms

Lovely corners

Quirky art on walls

Interesting displays

Bright fabrics

Flowers in cups

Twigs in vases

Vintage curios

I miss you all!

Sniff.

Here's my post (card) to you

From Home Life Australia

So I would miss you a little less

Sigh.

I feel much much better now

How about you?

[Prettiness from Home Life Australia. Creative Storyboarding: An Indian Summer]

Have you seen these?

I am reviving my tumblr blog again

And thought that you might like to see a glimpse of the room eye candy I share there

These, and lot more of what I like beyond interiors and decor

Right here!

[All images from An Indian Summer Likes. Source links below each image on the blog]