For a moment you may have had to glance up at the header to be sure that you’d landed on the right blog. No, this really isn’t Maryam over at My Marrakesh. It’s me, Holly. But given all the Moroccan influences in design, I have to share with you a lovely shop that I found recently with the most beautiful ethnic prints and patterns. Ready for another mini store tour? Come along with me for a taste of Marrakesh in Germany.
This shop is called RaniPink and it’s located in Hannover where (as most of you know) I just returned after spending two months. Owned by German born Petra Hassan, who grew up in Munich, she married a charming man born in Kuwait with roots in Palestine and now they live and work in Hannover. It is there in north Germany where I had the chance, along with my husband, to meet up in her spacious – the ceilings are maybe 15 ft high – two room store that doubles as her workshop. Petra designs and sews in between customers, creating clothings and interior accessories. She has racks and stacks of jaw dropping textiles that you can select and she’ll custom design almost anything you want.
This is Petra, self portrait, obviously. She definitely doesn’t dress like the typical German which is one of the many reasons why I like her so much, she doesn’t follow the crowd – but follows her heart instead. I love her leg warmers!
To keep her shop fresh and interesting, Petra paints the walls a new and exciting color a few times per year. When I was there, it was turquoise. Now it’s violet. Inspired by the Moroccan design in a very big way, and I must add long before it was so “mainstream”, her store is like stepping into Marrakesh without having to purchase a plane ticket. When we met with her, we were greeted with a feast for all the senses, beautiful music from North Africa, a warm hug and smile, the scent of spices, and the most delicious Moroccan fresh mint tea I’d ever tasted.
Petra is a fashion and accessories designer, her work is intricate and beautiful, colorful and full of the passion that seems to run from her heart, through the needle, and into the fabrics she sews together. She loves her work, I mean genuinely loves it, and it shows as you stroll through her shop/atelier. You can feel it as you look around. There’s this very positive energy in the air, it’s great. I left feeling completely motivated to work on some of my own projects, which is always a sure sign that I’d been in good company.
Petra was on her way to Marrakesh for vacation when we met up, but she is back in Hannover now with lots of pretty things collected from her trip – like these supple leather beaded slippers. You have to visit her store if you live in this part of the world – it’s so transporting, colorful, and inviting.
Has Petra always loved ethnic design? Yes, and there’s proof on her workshop table where she keeps hundreds of sequins, spools of thread, tassels, and gorgeous beads, some that have many years of history with her. She pointed to beads that she’s had since childhood – that’s how long she’s be fascinated with faraway places and beautiful things. This lady truly follows her heart and is doing what she loves. Now how inspiring is that?
Petra thank you so much for sending these beautiful images, sharing tea with Thorsten and I, and for being the special lady that you are.
RaniPink Store — Oeltzenstr. 2 — Hannover, Germany — Tel. 0511-3746711
(images from petra hassan)
For Take Five Tuesday this week, I’d like to introduce you to a few more stores that I’ve been browsing a lot lately, ones with such pretty things that I think you’ll agree that they’d make for very thoughtful gifts. {Although today is Wednesday, I started writing this yesterday so blogger still has it dated for Tuesday.}
UK ceramicist Emma Litten from White Doll Arts creates things for the kitchen that are so pretty, you’ll want to take tea five times a day. And her vases with the delicate lines are a delight for displaying branches, flowers, or handmade paper flowers. If you love cupcakes, don’t miss her ceramic bun trinket pot, it’s a favorite of mine from her shop. I find the pale pastels and organic forms shaped by human hands quite calming and lovely.
If you need some cards that feel a bit Boston, a bit like something you’d find in your grandmother’s desk drawer, and with a slice of the deep south perhaps Beau Ideal is the stationery shop for you. I’m draw in by the unique patterns and what I like to call, happy colors that remind me of sunny Florida. Her dogs are darling too, and if you want to join a card club, she has a fun “Paper Guild” that you can sign up for. via: Oh Joy!
A former full-time graphic t-shirt designer, Sasha Loots now works from home doodling beautiful girls and producing prints. I was going to save her for next Tuesday, but after seeing her work on Bloesem’s beautiful gift guide recently, I knew I’d better get to her before she’s all over the web. What gorgeousness.
First up are the hand painted, handbuilt glazed porcelain from k g + a b, a Brooklyn artist who, by day, works on window displays but by night… She produces these lovely trays with lots of swirls and animal silhouettes.
And finally, I adore Christina’s. She creates the sweetest little things, and I’m sorry, but I have a thing for softies – they melt my heart – and these puppies have to be the cutest things ever. They remind me of larger versions of those little dogs you took to school for all the kids to autograph. Remember those?
Did you miss last week’s edition of Take Five Tuesdays? No worries, click on the hyperlink below.
(images from the etsy sellers linked in this post)
Warp & Weft is a decor8 sponsor and they specialize in antique, modern, custom, and decorative carpets. Based in NYC, they’re an established company preferred amongst New York’s most talented architects and interior designers, and for good reason, they’re carpet experts offering a gorgeous selection hand picked from all over the world. I’ve noticed lots of them in homes featured on the pages of Domino and Elle Decor. They’re exquisite.
I’m drooling for this subtle pastel paisley print or the woodgrain pattern. Oh and have you heard? The paisley is making a huge comeback for interiors in ’08. I especially like the pattern featured above because it’s so soft and okay, I’ll confess, I do imagine it in some posh London Edwardian flat and honestly believe that a rug like this may have the power to take me there the moment it touches my American floors.
If you’re in the market for a beautiful carpet, Warp & Weft is offering decor8 readers a very exclusive discount of 30% off of the following collections: Hampton, Hampton Bay, and all in stock Modern Rugs. You can locate them online only here (enter when prompted Room: sale Password: decor8) and here.
How about these ethnic prints and patterns? Again, just lovely. Great choices for a bedroom or living room. You really can’t go wrong with a blue and white rug in a bold ethnic pattern for most living rooms, at least that’s been my experience.
If you see something that interests you, please email info AT warpandweft.com and don’t forget to specify that you would like decor8 pricing. You can also contact the showroom directly at 212-481-4949. This is a very special savings, I hope you are able to use it. This offer is valid until December 18th – so hurry!
Thank you Warp & Weft for this exclusive deal.
(images from warp & weft)
Don’t forget! Tonight is the Boston Design Salon business lady meet up! The BDS was formed by local ceramist Jill Rosenwald. Their goal is to gather local business women to mingle and talk shop, or whatever it is that you do for a living. Their next meeting is tonight, Tuesday, December 11th @ 7:00 pm and the guest speaker will be Jill Shah of SoLUXE who will cover Network Marketing. The event will be hosted by Kelly Smith Harris of Etcetera Media at The Pink Comma Gallery. The location is 81B Wareham Street and it’s on the block between Harrison and Albany in the South End. Please call 617.833.0330 if you need directions.
If you’d like to attend, please RSVP to Jill Rosenweld: mcrae2 AT aol DOT com.
If you fancy dainty jewelry, especially unique pieces with a vintage feel, DeJarnette New Orleans is a great find on the web for these things. I love them for their Anthropologie-like feel, yet they are super affordable. See that little pup? He is $31 after applying your decor8 discount.
I especially like the sterling silver cuckoo clock necklace, the darling bunbun pendant and of course, vienna the daschund. For a limited time only, please take 20% off of your total purchase by mentioning decor8 upon checkout. Offer expires at midnight on Friday, December 14th.
Thank you so much for this offer, Dejarnette!
(images from dejarnette)
Facebook
Pinterest
Twitter
Google +
Flickr
LinkedIn
