Amp Up a Neutral Home with Boho Style

 

Sometimes adding color and patterns to a neutral home can be intimidating. What if bright colors clash with your existing interiors or the mishmash of patterns don't work together? The best way to learn is through experimentation. Try different things and if you love it, then it works. Simple as that! But if you need a little bit more guidance for adding a touch of boho to your otherwise neutral home, here are some tips that might be helpful.

Layer vibrant colors with a more neutral color, but play around with patterns. In the image above, we've completely changed the look of this couch by covering it with a hot pink Moroccan pom pom blanket. Then we softened and cozied up the space with a bunch of pillows in varying shades of blue. The patterns are all different, but the blue holds it all together.

 

Colorful throws make a sitting area seem more inviting while adding life to your space. We took one of our zinc baskets and flipped it upside down for a makeshift table to hold the Yoruba Ceremonial Crown. Mixing finishes and adding detailed, tactile pieces like the beaded crown adds subtle interest while the blue indigo throw draws your eye in and adds a nice pop of color to an otherwise neutral space.

Start small and work in objects that are neutral but interesting. This architectural stone from India is a perfect accent for a stack of books. Against a soft gray wall, the altar adds warmth and dimension to a flat space.

Don't be afraid of mixing finishes and different textures. These traditional off-white arm chairs make a perfect backdrop for any pillow. To stay with a more traditional look, we chose a pair of our velvety ikat pillows from Uzbekistan. A sheepskin rug will keep your toes warm and we echoed the brown from the rug with a similar-colored throw.

Be adventurous in your decorating and keep trying new things. Share your style with us on Facebook or leave a comment and link to your blog to show us what you've done!

P.S. We added a hidden link to all of the products featured just for our blog readers. You can see it here.

Empowering Women Through Business

Celebrating gender equality and women's empowerment on International Women's Day has been observed since the early 1900s but it wasn't designated as an international holiday by the United Nations until 1975. Today, thousands of IWD events are held all over the world every year on March 8. As International Women's Day approaches, I've been reflecting on how the women I've met during my travels have impacted my life and my business. Without their strength, ingenuity and creativity, I wouldn't be able to live my dream. 

I have my parents to thank for my view point on life. Growing up internationally and having lived in a family that embraces the culture, arts and crafts from each country we lived influences much of what I do. My entire life I was surrounded by eclectic, global people, food and objects. That was a gift and it gave me an innate head start. I have been introduced to the nuances of collecting and buying for my business by so many people that to give one name of who has influenced me most would be impossible.

Over the years, however, I've partnered with a wonderfully diverse group of women throughout my travels. But in many countries, it is a matter of culture that women do not work out front. Make no mistake, they are present and integral to the art, craftsmanship and detail work that you see represented by what I've brought back, but they are often in the background.

6 Favorite Eats (and Drinks) In Istanbul

I'm on a plane to Turkey today! The little red star in the picture above is where you'll find me.

As I'm getting ready for another buying trip in Istanbul, I'm reminded of all the things to love about this country, old friends to visit and shopping of course. However, sustenance is usually first on my mind and it starts as soon as I get on the plane. I love flying with Turkish Airlines. Lots of the men are over-cologned. The airline staff take their jobs seriously, like to look good and are usually friendly and efficient. But it's the sour cherry juice, the raki and the ayran that get me going. It is a part of getting into character! 

Mmmmm….sipping on raki in Nevizade Soka, Instanbul.
This is a scene you will often see me repeating on visits to Turkey.

Raki, the non-sweet, anise-flavored national drink of Turkey, is typically enjoyed with meze, seafood, fruit and cheese. It's a clear alcoholic beverage that turns milky white when mixed with water and is also known as lion's milk. Time Magazine named raki one of the "top 10 ridiculously strong drinks" in 2010. There's a debate going on about changing the national drink in Turkey to ayran…okay, okay you non-drinkers can have balic without raki.

This lovely guy at this particular kebab joint in the Grand Bazaar is always front and center, ever present with his smile. There are so many great places like this one, but when traveling in far-away lands, familiarity and routine make me feel a little bit more like a local. It's usually my first stop before hitting the Grand Bazaar to see what's new and trending in the marketplace.

Ayran is a yogurt-based drink that is served cold and mixed with salt. It's non-alcoholic, a bit similar to Indian lassi and is especially wonderful during hot summer months.

Stuffed grape leaves are pretty familiar in the States these day, especially those who frequent Mediterranean restaurants. They even come prepackaged in various sizes, from snack tins to giant buffet-size tins. In Turkey, everyone does them a little bit differently. I love them rolled up tight and thin.

My picture doesn't do this cheese amazing pastry any justice, but künefe is my all-time favorite Turkish dessert. Made with fresh kadayif (similar to phyllo) and fresh cheese (as in made that day), künefe is best when served piping hot. 

Pide, a flatbread similar to pita or pizza, is so delicious and it's a treat watching it be prepared. Toppings vary just like they do on western-style pizzas. And just like pizzas, they're best when prepared in a brick or stone oven. A Turkish fast food, pide is cheap and can be found sold in street carts.  

I'll be traveling for the rest of the month. Keep up with me on Instagram (@theloadedtrunk) to see more yummy food shots and sneak peeks of what I'm seeing at market.

And if you're hungry for more travel stories, check out some of my older posts….

• Morocco-Fes
• Marrakech
• Thailand
• Vietnam

A Collection of Altars

This year's Lunar New Year celebrations and articles reminded me of the of altars and offering bowls I have in the shop. A relatively small collection, these finely-crafted altars have wonderfully detailed carvings and gorgeous patinas and textures. It gives us a glimpse to where these treasured objects have traveled. Each one worn away differently by age and time, they are now all truly one-of-a-kind.

The rarest altar and one of my absolute favorites is the Buddhist Shrine shown above. Almost all Buddhist homes in Burma contain a hpaya-zin, a small shrine placed on the eastern wall of the house. These shrines house an image of the Buddha where members of the household perform their daily devotions. Made of thickly lacquered and gilded wood, this shrine contains a tooled reflective tin interior with “jewels” which are pieces of cut glass. I have two shrines, one which went directly into my personal collection. The other shrine will be available through The Loaded Trunk soon (if you sign up for our email list, I'll let you know when that happens!).

The form of these brass Burmese Ceremonial Bowls follows that of monks' alms begging bowls. The interiors have beautiful patinas that have developed over the last 75 to 150 years. Relief work is hand chased and detailed with scenes from Burmese folklore. It seems likely that these bowls were made to be used on an altar before an image of Buddha. They were meant to hold water and thus flowers and would have stood to either side of the image.

This Buddhist Spirit House is another work of art that that is a unique "only one." A representation of a home or temple, spirit houses are typically found in Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and Burma. They are placed in auspicious places in the home and provide shelter to spirits who need to appeased with offerings. I love the symmetry and detailed carvings, a statement piece with so much architectural interest. This currently isn't available in the shop, but please email me if you're interested in more details and pricing.

Sorry, this piece has been sold. No longer available.

Finally, these stone architectural artifacts, recycled from old buildings, were salvaged from the ruins of old houses in India. No two are alike. They are weighty, rustic and fantastic. Lean them in a favorite corner of a book shelf or place one in your garden. Quite large, they're sculptural and unique; their inset nooks make an ideal spot to create an devotional altar of your own. The piece shown above with the blues, greens, and stone and rust tones is no longer available. See the other three right here.

Fabric Collar - Do It!

This week's DIY post was by Santina Cessor, the talent behind the Threads, a blog about sewing and fashion. Santina only started sewing about a year ago, but she was a quick learner and started doing custom alterations on vintage clothes for friends and clients. I asked Santina to take some of the scrap fabric I've been collecting and make us something easy and useful. Keep reading for a step-by-step how-to of how to make a fabric collar. Santina chose to work with one of our vintage kanthas.

DIY Fabric Collar
by Santina Cessor

A simple accessory can update any outfit. You might pile on bracelets, earrings, necklaces or even a scarf, but have you thought about adding collar? Collars, Peter Pan collars in particular,  have been a fun fashion trend we've seen everywhere – high-end runway looks, ready-to-wear-fashion, DIY.

Creating your own collar is simple and can be completed with just a few tools.

Tools

• Cutting Board
• Scissors or Rotary Cutter
• Paper
• ½ Yard fabric
• Thread (matching or contrast)
• Ribbon

1. Create your collar pattern on paper similar to the one above. Be sure to measure your neck to confirm the curve is large enough. Click here for a free printable pattern by Sewing Like Mad.

2. Fold fabric in half and place pattern atop it along the fold. Then pin in place.

3. Carefully cut fabric along the pattern. Repeat step 2 & 3. You should end up with two pieces.

4.  Place pieces right side together and pin.

5. Set up your sewing machine for straight stitch, or thread your needle for hand stitching. You’ll need a standard foot and edge foot.

6. Sew along the curves end to end leaving a ¼” seam allowance. When finished turn fabric right side out and iron.

7. On the open end gather ¼” on each side and fold over towards each other, then pin in place. Sew along the edge with edge foot and leave 1”on each end.

8. Push ribbon into 1” opening then fold ¼” seams toward ribbon, pin together. Fold ribbon to the back and stitch together.

The nice thing about collars is that you can quickly change your look by switching out the ribbon. Change the color palette and slip in a hot pink or black ribbon. Add some texture by trying lace. Swap in a luxurious silk ribbon. Or pin it demurely with a jeweled brooch. The collar offers many, many different looks that can change just about any outfit.

Have fun trying out this new look and we'd love to see what YOU come up with. Also, in case you missed it, see our gift bag DIY with #fabricscraps right here.

A New Year + Our Look Book

With the start of every year, there's the clean-slate feeling that allows us to dream about doing more and being better – at work, at home, with family, friends. Each year seems to fly by in a flash because we're all so busy, busy, busy. For 2014, I'm going to slow it down and appreciate achievements from last year instead of zooming ahead to figure out what I'm doing next.

One of my proudest achievements from 2013 is the publication of my first-ever digital catalogue for The Loaded Trunk. I often received emails from designers asking for a catalogue so I put it on my to-do list. Months would go by, I'd get more emails and then it would be shelved again. Not exactly business savvy. Working with my team, I finally made it a priority and am so happy to share it with you.

Although catalogues showcase the exact same items on the website, it's helpful to see things with other things for reference to scale and just as importantly, for style inspiration. Links are active and will take you directly to the item you're browsing. You can see the catalogue in its entirety here.

Below are some of my favorite spreads from the catalogue. All photography with additional styling by Sharon Gottula.