Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Black Magic

I love silver jewellery. And black onyx holds a special place for me as it has a great design potential when paired with silver beads and other semi-precious beads.On its own it creates a mystery and combined with warm-coloured stones like garnet, carnelian, coral, it offers a striking contrast. It has a special affinity with Turquoise.

            
     Onyx comes in different colours, but black is the most popular.Usually it is found in black or brown with white bands.But on rare occasions, it can be found in shades of orange, red, or honey coloured. Onyx is widely available in Germany, Canada, Uruguay and the US. They come in different shapes, sizes and cuts-- round, oval, oblong, square, faceted.


       Black has been associated with regeneration and new beginnings. Black onyx is thought to have protective qualities, making it advantageous to carry when one is traveling. It is also said to be useful in fighting basic fears and in helping to create the opportunity to move beyond bad relationships--and to heal old emotional wounds. The Romans associated it with courage and it is thought to be useful when one is defending himself/herself against unfair criticism.
     
       Contemporary authors say that onyx brings increased vigour, strength, stamina, and self control. 
      
Here are some of my favourite designs....

Black onyx and Turquoise



Rectangle Onyx bead bracelet


Silver and oval Onyx beads

Simple-- Onyx and Garnet

Onyx and hematite 5-strand necklace


Onyx silver choker

Onyx and silver Choker

Onyx strand necklace

Floral ring

Pearl and Onyx flower pendant

Faceted Onyx with Pearls

Onyx, Turquoise and glass beads

Onyx filigree pendant
Onyx beads and dotted glass beads

Pearl and Onyx

Pearl,onyx danglers



Onyx round flat bead and pearl necklace

Onyx and stick pearls

Onyx heart

Onyx discs

Brazil supplies the best multi-colored raw material, but onyx is found worldwide. Grey chalcedony is found in India and China. For more gemstones, check here.

Images via novica.com, jewelryimpressions, beemanjewelrydesigns.com, firemountaingems.com.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Buddha at Home



Buddha figurines have become a popular aspect in Asian interior decor scene. The meditating figure ushers in peace and spirituality into any room. Whether big or small, indoors or outdoors, in your drawing room or bedroom, meditating or dancing-- Buddha, with a zen-like  smile-- immediately becomes a centrepiece! Some like to put Buddha on the wall, some on the table, some even in their bathrooms....

So where is your Buddha statue?

Buddha on vignette at the entrance


Holding the light


Buddha on a console in living room

Buddha in bedroom

Buddha on a mirrored cabinet

Buddha lamps adding a touch of class

Inviting good vibes in an office




Creating drama with over-sized Buddhas







In other rooms...

Buddha in bookcase

Presiding over the dinning area

Looking down benevolently

In the foyer

In the study

Next to the sunken tub

In Zen-like bathroom

On the table

Thai Dancing Buddha
Calm and tranquil

I have added a few more images and am sure you would appreciate them all. 

Feel free to leave a comment as it would brighten up my day!!

Images via: Apartment Therapy, Decorpad, Livingetc, Housebeautiful, Designtoinspire, femalenetwork.com, decorista, nehomemag, scandanavianthaihomes.com designtoinspire.com.

Monday, February 7, 2011

Wall -to-Wall

What do people put up on their walls? I often observe this when I visit someone's place. The wall decor always adds a dimension to the interiors. Besides, it reveals the tastes of the hosts or tells stories about the owners' travels to different parts of the world. 

       In India, for centuries, women used to paint the walls with colours and motifs, borrowing forms and symbols from nature-- like flowers, birds, crops, leaves, shells, fish etc-- popularly known as  Warli art, Alpona, Rangoli etc.--in different names in different Indian states. Similar forms were also popular in the western world.

While this is still being practiced in villages, we modern city-dwellers decorate our walls with paintings, embroidered pieces, graphic art, puppets, wall paper, mirror..... what else?...

Have a look....

Chinese wallpaper


Framed Butterflies

Painting framed by a mirror

Vibrant wallpaper

Serene






Masculine





Images via: Elle Decor, Apartment Therapy, Lonny Magazine,  Style at Home, Living Etc