Image: Courtesy of Good Earth
Jaipur is also known as the Pink City and serves the central hub of luxury and royalty in India. It was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2019 for its stunning architecture and exceptional beauty. As a hotspot for art, craft, design and craftsmanship, Jaipur is a popular tourist spot as well where travellers can indulge in endless shopping experiences. Thus, we take you on a tour of the city as a guide for your design and decor shopping needs.
With a festive vibe and culture at its very core, Jaipur is one of the best places to witness both one-of-a-kind contemporary artisanship and traditional craftsmanship across its exhibits at markets dotted throughout the city.
Additionally, while you can find an array of everything antique — from furniture to home accessories like table lamps — in Jaipur, modern innovative creations is also an admirable quality you will notice in the designs. So, without further ado, let’s look at the places you should keep on your radar for decor shopping in Jaipur.
Nila House is an initiative by Carole Bamford that celebrates the traditional Indian craft heritage. The non-profit organisation, Nila, works with craft and design to build a sustainable and empowered community, and Nila House honours and excels at the oldest craft-making processes in the country.
Natural indigo dyeing is an age-old tradition and a regenerative craft. Nila House has been using this technique for years to create new crafts. Although the process is time taking, it leaves a positive impact on the surroundings as it has no severe side effects on health, the wastewater can be easily repurposed for irrigation, and plant waste works as a great natural fertiliser. Other than indigo, they also use natural dyes made from local flowers, herbs, minerals and food waste.
Endangered Indian crafts like hand weaving and the use of the charkha — the spinning wheel system that used to be the pillar of Indian textiles — are essentially used and celebrated here. Besides their beautiful handcrafted apparel, they have a home collection section ranging from stationeries and cushions to napkins and tablecloths.
Lebanese designer Nur Kaoukji and her friends Noor Al Sabah and Hussah Al Tamimi established Ecru eight years ago. Since then, it has claimed its jurisdiction over home decor, homewares and apparel collections. Their recently opened flagship boutique is located in Jaipur’s C-Scheme.
Falling in love with the exquisite designs and fine craftsmanship India has to offer, Kaoukji moved here and spent her fair share of time with stone carvers, blacksmiths, jewellers, weavers and marble sculptors across the country. These in-person experiences enriched her more than any design book or university course ever could.
Every design of the brand proudly showcases the juxtaposition of the art and craft tradition of the Middle East and India. The brand always makes sure that the harmony between these two styles seems nuanced and effortless in every piece. Via designs like date palm trees on cotton napkins, marble candle stands that resemble the shape of Rub el Hizb, tinted mirrors, and Lapis nut bowls, Ecru celebrates Kuwaiti aesthetics and Indian artisanship.
Makaan is one of the newest decor shopping destinations in Pink City. Ace designer and chef Tahir Sultan moved from the Middle East and founded Jaipur’s lifestyle haunt, Makaan, that can easily lure any passerby with its exquisite exhibits.
The concept store is beautifully decorated with unique and contemporary statement pieces, including embroidered cushions, serving wares, bespoke candles, antique brass sculptures, handcrafted crockery and khadi towels. The founder creates the items with an emphasis on both their beauty and practicality, which can be difficult to find.
The warm, vivid, bold yet beautiful colour, hot pink is a representation of the culturally rich Jaipur. And the store flaunts a brilliant collection showcasing Indian craftsmanship with traces of Rajasthan artistry.
Nestled within the grounds of Narain Niwas Palace, Hot Pink is the brainchild of the late Munnu Kasliwal of The Gem Palace. The multi-designer luxury store proudly displays brands with authentic Indian artisanship, including Abraham & Thakore, Kashmir Loom, Péro, Fuschia and Orange, and Rajesh Pratap Singh.
Since 2012, the brand has been operating under Kalpana Kasliwal, and her exceptional take on uniting traditional techniques and modern designs has helped the label grow. According to the official website of Hot Pink, the designer believes that “colours provide a sense of happiness and joy, and a vibrant palette has the ability to heighten design.”
The brand offers an extensive range of clothing choices for men, women and kids, as well as accessories, home decoration items and stationeries.
Idli is another luxury fashion and homeware brand which was originally located in Narain Niwas Palace. However, it has changed its address to C-Scheme. The brand celebrates the union of French aesthetics and Indian art and crafts to create eye-catching pieces with utmost elegance.
You will find men’s and women’s clothing, cushions, crockery, hand-crafted furnishings and carpets among other things here. The store offers a superlative decor shopping experience in Jaipur. Anyone familiar with Thierry Journo’s works knows this is a haven for shoppers who like to own all things pretty. The former copyist of the Louvre Museum is the founder of the brand.
Designer Ayush Kasliwal and architect Geetanjali Kasliwal established AnanTaya together, a globally recognised and eminent lifestyle design studio that honours traditional crafts.
The brand is constantly reinventing the existing craft traditions with new ideas, design, capital, technology and creative collaboration. The products of AnanTaya received the UNESCO seal of excellence three times. Their skilful artistry, sustainable products and contemporary designs are definitely worth every penny. Their product collection ranges from clothing, tableware and accessories to furniture, lighting and fragrances. So, bailing out on AnanTaya while decor shopping in Jaipur isn’t an option.
“Living with fine handcrafted objects uplifts the spirit and adds a quality of timelessness to a home” — this is how founder Anita Lal expresses her love for handicrafts. And this makes Good Earth one of India’s leading home decor stores and the ultimate place to shop for homegrown luxury retail.
Authentic natural raw materials, original designs and skilled craftsmanship are their signature quality. Their home decor items, dinnerware, gift items and apparel, all their eccentric designs tell a story. They are also a brand that works towards a sustainable future.
If you are an art connoisseur or antiquing is one of your hobbies, this is the place for you. Located in the residential area of Jaipur, the store is no less than a treasure trove of collectables and vintage pieces.Chetan Nowlakha, the owner, has a keen eye for antiques, and he collects them from all over the world. The Timeless Vault has a magnificent display of antiques and artefacts from the house of exclusive antiques, Saroj Art Gallery, located at C-Scheme. The wide range of products caters to every taste. It is recommended to make an appointment before visiting the store.
(The hero and featured images: Courtesy of Good Earth)
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