A Prince among men.......

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There have been mighty kings, fierce warriors & chivalrous knights, those who forged great empires in their sleep, felled foes for breakfast & dazzled a damsel or two at dinner....so too, princes who pounced & poets who brooded, men seeking knowledge & beauty, others only pomp & power....yet, few among these could lace a boot, petit-point a cushion or give a jolly toss for the finer elements of 'House & Palace'......that was the stuff of ladies, that is until.....'Henry Wilson'. Sure, there are countless, caravans full of creative men.....but for the 'Indophile', there is only one. To the unacquainted, Mr Wilson is a notable photographer, designer, writer & interminable interior-design-guru with a singular appetite & appreciation for all things India.

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While Henry's design books are widely available & showcase the gloriously rich, colourful & diverse interiors of India lovers, lesser known & viewed, perhaps, are photographs of his own heavenly abode. Below, you can take an exalted walk through his magnificent, (self-styled) majestic kingdom.

Holy Maharajah!

Wall-to-wall wondrous wallpaper*

Mhmm, he sews!

Luxurious velvet cushions with 

'petit-point' stitch* 

Regal is as regal does

Beaded skirting & gilded door-ways*

It is not uncommon in many Indian Palaces & homes, to find every square inch of space, carved, painted, tiled, tinseled, mosaiced, marbled, furnished, fussed-over, rugged, 'joojed', color-strewn & bedazzled. It is merely a part of the Indian aesthetic to 'layer-on' the love & adornment. There is a sense of intimacy that comes with this.......knowing that nothing has been overlooked, neglected or given that extra regal touch.

Deep jewel-toned walls of warmth...

Yes your Majesty!*

Pomegranate vines & dramatic contrasts*

  Gold, sandstone & wood  

for his OR her 'Palace'*

Vibrant & earthy, characterize 

the stylish Indian home*

  

No Rani or Indian-Interior enthusiast need face life without a little piece of style on their dial. 'India design' & 'India contemporary ' by Henry Wilson are staples of lavish livelihood & I have spent many an evening drowning deliciously into the pages of both. Few wouldn't be intrigued by his  keen eye for colour & detail & none unaffected by his bold & imaginative celebration of the Subcontinent - layer upon layer of vibrancy, design, history & ideas, all melded into the perfect decorative soup.

A bath & a half!

Interesting tribal & geometric designs

add masculinity* 

A cosy kitchen-bench of 

 Henry's stencils*

  

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Style sensibilities are so personal & individual, rendering it nigh impossible to say who or what's best....all possess the genius to beautify & enhance, but only some have that rare ability to exploit the imagination, give expression to it in the most abundant & complex way. I've known a chap or two in my time who have each created a rare item of beauty, but I tell you sincerely, a man who can decorate, match a paint to a tile & loop a thread through the eye of a needle.....is truly a man worth knowing.

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# Photos from the 'House of Rani'

* Other images taken from 'Elle-Decor' - Celebrating India, Collector's Edition. (Personal copy)

#All Writing & Photography by Rani.C (Char) 

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Collections & Reflections

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To whomever wrote 'A thing in & of itself is sufficient ', (i.e., one thing is enough), while I mostly adhere to the principle & honor the sentiment, I need, at this precise & divine moment, to fully shut-out such thoughts......because here comes Rani in her chariot of clinking, clanking collectibles, happy as hell & unlikely to ever get off!

One genie's lamp does look dashing, 

but 10 in a row takes you to Turkmenistan #

Oh, the joy of a colourful new 'find' to christen a solitary interior space or, even better, to add to a bevvy of existing beauties. Any decorative house, homestead or Palace can attest to the cumulative bliss of a spectacular collection. Items that stand soulfully on their own, when placed together, create a splash & a symphony.

Yes, I'll take 15 pairs thanks

There's no doubting the fact that placing, spacing, styling & arranging beloved items of worth &/or sentiment creates a wondrous visual story. Whether it be the perfect alignment of tea-pots in a row or the seeming disarray of a pile of oriental shoes. What matters most is the theme, the element of quirk, of whimsy, that circular path of interest that propelled your passion in the first place.

A cornucopia of copper, bells & brass #

Mixed metals for the Maharajah

Collections of any kind exhibit keen, if not astute, interest. From modest, artful home displays to powerful posturings of wealth. Which Palace or stately home ever failed to impress with its fine gatherings of silver, armoury, furniture, glass-ware, brass-ware, pewter & paintings? Collections that speak of grand-eloquence & the history of ages.  From the Russian Hermitage all the way to the magnificent Topcapi Palace of Istanbul.

Coloured glass of varying sizes & aperitifs

Some collections, however, need not be palace-guarded. They can take shape using virtually anything. Items of common material, colour, cultural interest, size, texture, pattern, era, theme, function, sentiment......& infinite other inspirations.

Turkish tiles of distinction

No object of beauty was ever diminished when placed side by side in Rani's Palace

A selection & 'collection' of coffee-table books

Roses of Ribbon

In keeping with my palace textile passions & collections, rolls of trim & ravishing ribbons, make for beautiful floral substitutes & displays. Pile high into glasses, vases & brass cups.

Maharani's mountain of cushions

A mass of marvellous, mosaic tea-light holders #

Whether it be the simplest decor items or the most highly collectible, a discerning art collector or a lover of modest, market buys.....all can create a tableaux of equal impact & sophistication.

No Palace would be complete without

vintage perfume collection

Such is our nature to want to repeat the thrill of a first-time buy, to partner, pair & place together pretty items of import & significance, to add value to them by 'arrangement', to reflect upon each with fondness & love, to tell a story, create a lasting impression....& for those among us with a penchant for veritable 'altars' of admirable adornment, the temptation to keep adding to our decor-family is always irresistible & never, ever 'entirely' sufficient.

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*All images are from inside the 'House of Rani' except (#) which are my personal travel photos.

#All Writing & Photography by Rani.C (Char)

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Every pilgrim's home is their Palace

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Those who are an intimate to the Rani know it is with not too little irony that her humble abode is referred to as a 'Palace'.......the irony lies in the fact, that in actuality, it is but a small, unassuming, unintentionally sparkling spot on a busy highway (not exactly the sprawling desert setting of ones dreams!) Yet neither its tiny size, nor its positioning, diminishes its individual 'grandeur' or its ability to keep friends coming back, time & time again, for a little piece of  'Palace-Pleasure'.

  

Do valuable saris, size, silks & sequence 

maketh a palace?

 It got me pondering common notions of grandeur, wealth & beauty - particularly after one very gormless guest to the Palace squealed at how 'small' it was (a reaction that betrayed a certain condescension, namely 'If it ain't the Taj Mahal, it just ain't special'). She now languishes in the 'tiny' Palace dungeon!. I hitherto came to regard the pervasive idea that 'Grandness' derives solely from the proportions of a dwelling & the expensive contents of it's corners as pure, palatial, puffery.

Grand Bhavan / Ashram of Rabindranath Tagore #

Sure the Versailles, Winter Palaces & stately homes of this world fill our hearts to the brim with 'decor'-ous rapture (& our mouths too heavy with lead, forcing them to the floor!). But so too do the lovingly filled, small & modestly furnished homes of those less fortunate, but no less rich, in creativity.

Stunning painted interior of a tribal hut #

Seems what the pocket forgot, the imagination makes up for. All across the Orient, & world at large, there are boundless examples of decorative dexterity that rival the grandest of palaces.

Bright blue & red washed walls  

add some drama to the ordinary #

Happily discarded becomes 

happily included #

Pots, painting, plaster & textiles

Pedestrian or palace-worthy? #

A one-room wonder-hut #

Tiny house-caves in Cappadocia,Turkey #

A bag & a blanket

The pilgrims prize essentials #

While tribal arts are all the rage in the western world, they reflect a lifestyle of near-often, subsistence living for the artisans. The importance of these crafts for the continuance of culture, history & survival is often taken for granted. These simple, yet beautiful & inexplicably intricate textiles & crafts, indeed 'furnish', lend character, texture & warmth to earthen, modest spaces, & are also bartered in marriage as prized possessions.

All that glitters is NOT gold #

Camel couture as palace regalia!

It is these 'possessions' that come into focus. For how does one put a value on what is most 'valued' by any given individual. Utilitarian utensils, toys, paper, bottles, tops & other objects are routinely collected & used in novel, innovative ways to create colour, character & ambiance, often culminating in eye-catching displays of creative wealth & ingenuity.

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Disused light-bulbs, painted pots & glass,

bindis & boxes, turbans & tea-strainers all take centre stage. 

Recycling, up-cycling & all the other latest trends, owe a debt to centuries of resourceful artistry.

To the Rani, richness, grandness, palatial living are all a matter of perception, if not imagination. It comes from a sense of knowing oneself & one's place in the world. A sense of history & geography, culture & economy, of wanting more but accepting & cherishing less. From understanding the gap between inspiration & aspiration, reconciling that difference, then sitting back comfortably in one's little Palace, safe in the knowledge that what you have, what you've worked for & created, is surely enough.

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*All images are from inside the 'House of Rani' except (#) which are my personal travel photos.

(***) Is a collage created by Rani using photos from 'Rajasthan' by Pauline Lynden & 'Indian Interiors' by Taschen books. Both copies owned by Rani.

#All Writing & Photography by Rani.C (Char)

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The Princess & the Peacock

*MPW featured in 'An Indian Summer'

From time immemorial, the peacock has been regarded as a highly symbolic bird. Exotic & vain, with a plume so dazzling, even humans gush & blush brightly. Its symbolism is steeped in centuries of noble decadence, glory & excesses, with the ancient Greeks attributing to it power & caution, the Indians, knowledge & compassion, & the Persians, royal guardianship. Is it any wonder then, the Grand Palaces of the past rendered the pretty pheasant to 'domestic deity' status?....a garden pet of flaunting, racy, regal magnificence.

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Who's a pretty peacock?

The vibrant, iridescent feathers of the peacock, not only illuminated the manicured lawns of the Royals, but also served as the perfect decorative feature to their bold, sumptuous interiors & exteriors, by way of painted motifs, tiles, sculptures & more........

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Precious peacock gateway, Jaipur Palace

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Painted peacock tiles, Bundi Palace

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Velvet peacock tapestry. 

Ephesian stately home, Turkey

Nothing speaks Mesopotamian-magic louder than pretty peacock feathers & other peacock paraphernalia. Plonk a partial plumage into a vase today & you'll have yourself a tiny slice of Cleopatra's Crib, Zeus' Ancient Acropolis or even Rani's heavenly Palace!

Long stems, short stems or 

baby plumes, all create a

magical, whimsical feel

Dainty marble peacock coasters

Serving it up, Palace style

Large peacock-feather earrings 

hung from bamboo-reed blind

The striking blues, greens & golds of the peafowl (a perfect combination of primary colours ordained by the Gods) blend brilliantly with earthy browns, yellows, pinks & sandstones, as well as contrasting strikingly against white, black & navy.

Peacock-fans of handy handbag size to

full-body frou-frou, elevate any interior

Colourful devotional deity
'Lord Murugan' with peacock

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Peacocks emblazoned on white 
village walls in Rajasthan

The Rani (and other 'bonafide' Princesses before her) has lived and luxuriated happily amidst the sublimely hued feathers of the peacock, been protected from the evil eye & passionately propelled towards knowledge, beauty & compassion. Bold & enigmatic, it takes confidence to style with these colours & items -- especially given such popular beliefs as 'blue & green should not be seen'. I would hazard a guess, whoever uttered these eternal words, never had the privilege of witnessing the seductive, magnetic power of the Regal Peacock on 'display'....in its manifold varieties & exuberant expressions, in either home, garden, zoo or Princess Palace!

*Rani's Palace on 'An Indian Summer'

http://anindiansummer-design.blogspot.in/2012/05/rani-amrita-and-shawn.html

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*All images are from inside the 'House of Rani' except ###, which are my personal travel photos, and ***, which is courtesy of Gill Davies' 'Spirit of India'.

#All Writing & Photography by Rani.C (Char) 

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