A reflection of joy, sorrows, and aspirations, a story of successes and failures, a tale written while escaping everyday life; that is the origin story of Kantha. A tradition that saw its birth over 500 centuries ago, Kantha began as community home craft when women would come together in their free time to chat while giving old pieces of frayed rags or ‘Kontha’ a new lease of life.
Threads pulled out of old sarees to embroider motifs and designs across the fabric, meticulous, detailed artistry, and simple running stitch became the cornerstones of Kantha, a process of rebirthing beautiful creations that could be used again, for years to come.
The Story of the Past
A traditional embroidery style native to eastern South Asia, Kantha can be traced to Bangladesh and the Indian states of West Bengal and Odisha, emerging from the impoverishment and austerity in the then-Bengali region of the sub-continent.
Patched, quilted, and meticulously embroidered, Kantha was essentially a woman’s art. In each creation, you could find a voice narrating dreams and musings, a story of their joys and sorrows. Each creation was also a reflection of home-grown artistry and an imagination that allowed them to see discarded fabric and materials in new light and reinvent them.
Do you love refreshing your home aesthetic every few months? Does investing in new furnishings for your space help you design the home of your dreams? Home decorating is an exceptionally satisfying hobby, no doubt. But just like every masterpiece, your home too is a canvas that needs a strong base coat before you go ahead with painting your artistic strokes.
So we’re here to help you set the base right with this list of the absolute bare essentials that it deserves.
BEDROOM & LIVING ROOM ESSENTIALS:
WHITE BED LINEN
There’s a reason why your favourite hotel dons white linen – because it’s a classic that you can’t go wrong with! Our crisp, classic high quality white sheet covers and pillow covers for your bedroom can be used as is or under more elaborate, colourful bed sheets as a protector to your mattresses.
PERSONALISED BED LINEN
Looking for a truly thoughtful gift to give your favourite couple on their wedding? Or perhaps you’re in need for a more personalized option in bedroom furnishings? Look no farther than our Monogram bed and bath sets. Customize them according to your initials, add your very own embroidery border, colour and fonts to make it something that truly fits your style. These are great to customize for separate bedrooms or in second homes.
WHITE AND BEIGE WINDOW DRAPES
The most common concern with regards to any decor by a sun-lit window is that sooner than later its colour will indefinitely fade. Many a curtain has developed a washed out look thanks to the harsh sunlight and that’s where white window drapes can to your rescue. They hang right behind your stylish drapes and help shield them from the bleaching effects of the sun. Being a classic neutral shade it gives your space an organic aesthetic too without tampering with the overall theme you have set. On sunny mornings when you pull back your decorative curtains, keeping the white drapes in place will work a sheer filter for the the right amount of light while providing you with privacy. More than anything, these window drapes will promise that you reap the benefits of your expensive curtain investments for years to come.
PILLOW PROTECTORS AND PILLOW INSERTS
Most home décor lovers would confess to shopping for new accent cushion cover every couple of months! Undoubtedly, a cushion can work as an instant makeover to any room but the unsightly yellowing of every pillow insert is invariably a concern in most homes. The solution to avert this mucky yellowing of any pillow is opting for a pillow insert. Our cotton quilted ones are durable, removable, washable and reusable. Moreover, you can also carry them with you when you travel and use them in hotels and resorts to ensure hygiene and sleep easy.
Our pillow inserts on the other hand, are crafted from premium cotton and polyester filling that will last you several years. They are available in a range of sizes to fit all design requirements.
KITCHEN ESSENTIALS:
APRONS
Cooking is often a messy business requiring you come in contact with several textures and colours where spills and splashes are the norm. The next time you step into the kitchen to don your chef’s hat, try on our natural fibre aprons in off-white. Strong and durable they are crafted specifically for rough wear & tear to ensure cleaning up is a stainless affair.
SPICE POUCHES
Our pure cotton muslin spice pouches are every tea lover’s answer to a wonderful experience minus the disturbance of ginger and cardamom bits. Use them as a dipping pouch to infuse flavour into any concoction. These come in packs of 4 and 6, are reusable by mere washing and are biodegradable too!
WOODEN TRAYS
Our Mango wood trays come in all sizes to serve mini snacks or elaborate desserts in style. Keep these handy for your next dinner party! Better yet, they are stackable and so take less space unlike regular elaborate wooden trays. Alternatively they make for a very chic jewellery holder at your vanity and as thoughtful housewarming presents.
STORAGE ESSENTIALS:
WAFFLE NESTING POUCHES
Our waffle fabric gives these nesting pouches a lovely ‘pinched’ appearance that bears an uncanny resemblance to our much-loved breakfast staple! These pouches come in a classic ivory and work great as utility and travel pouches to store everything from toiletries to jewelry and makeup.
WHITE CANVAS BASKETS
Use ‘em as planters, laundry baskets, cupboard storage, and craft or magazine storage spaces – our natural white canvas baskets are easy to maintain and recyclable.
BATHROOM ESSENTIALS:
WHITE BATH LINEN
Love hosting guests at home? Stock up on our classic white plush bath towels in varying sizes. Made from 100% fine Indian cotton, they are highly-absorbent, incredibly soft, and easy to maintain.
PERSONALISED BATH LINEN
Monogrammed towel sets for your guest or holiday home is a wonderful option to make regular visitors feel special. Customize your bath sets according to your initials, add your very own embroidery border, colour and fonts to make it something that truly fits your style.
And there you have it folks, all the must-haves that will ensure your favourite furnishings last longer. At VLiving, we pride ourselves in being a one-stop-shop for all your home décor needs from the basics to fanciful embellishments – choose from over 1000 products that would appeal to minimalists and maximalists alike.