indian artisans – The Interiors Addict

Indian homewares for the modern Australian home

Karmin Kenny always loved Indian furniture and homewares, but she just couldn’t make them work in her own home. The wood was just too dark and the bright colours just that little too much, especially living on the coast. Then she had a brainwave: to transform the antiques using an all-white palette.

“I’ve learnt that refinishing everything in a palette of whites, greys and bleached timbers creates a look that is light, modern and calm,” explains Karmin. “The best part is that it works with most interior styles. I’ve decorated three very different homes in the look – a heritage Queenslander, a beach house and a fishing shack. It worked equally well for all.”

Finding her aesthetic, Karmin decided to share it with the world, opening lifestyle store Alabaster Trader. With both a retail space in Noosa, Queensland and an online presence, Karmin travels to India and sources every piece herself. “I focus mostly on one-off antiques from Rajasthan and Gujarat and I have every one of them refinished to achieve the Alabaster look. When I see a piece that speaks to me, I visualise what the best finish would be – white, whitewash, grey, bleached or natural.”

The range also includes textiles designed by Karmin and made in a small village in India, using the ancient art of wood block printing. In line with the rest of the collection, the tablecloths, cushions and quilts are available in a palette of soft neutrals hand-printed on natural fibres.

Only opening its doors late last year, Karmin didn’t know how the concept would be received. Turns out, she didn’t have to worry. “I had to rush back to India just five weeks after opening to source more stock! Customers have been really surprised at how different ethnic furniture looks when refinished in a light palette. It’s like magic.”

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The bohemian, handmade treasures of Sage and Clare

When we first talked to Phoebe Bell of Sage and Clare her business was just one week old! Solely online and offering a collection of homewares she both designed and sourced from across the globe, we knew we had stumbled upon something special.

Jump forward two years and Sage and Clare is a much bigger beast. With their homewares available through a range of stores across Australia and New Zealand, including their own showroom in Northcote (which you can visit on appointment), Phoebe no longer sources, designing every piece herself. “With Sage and Clare expanding, I’ve moved away from sourcing to now designing every homeware here in Melbourne. I absolutely adore the travel side of things but it was become increasingly difficult to spend three months at a time away from home, the business and my family.”

Still the bohemian brand it always was, it’s now a little more polished and cohesive, thanks to there being just one designer. With a strong ethos that all their products be ethically handmade using ancient artisanal techniques, Sage and Clare has evolved naturally while maintaining a strong identity of colourful, layered, artisanal and bohemian.

[contextly_sidebar id=”kxuKV3CScYII2c1WCidIrmhrXkeVlk4V”]Its latest offering, the Caravan Collection, sings true to this. Inspired by vintage textiles from around the world, it takes references from traditional African mud cloth, vintage Moroccan Berber blankets and Aztec patterns from South America. This melting pot of cultures culminated in a range that was made by the clever hands of Sage and Clare artisans in India, using traditional time-honoured practices of block printing, screen printing, embroidery and weaving.

“The range offers a variety of textures, signature prints and playful embellishments for the modern bohemian home,” explains Phoebe. “Offering everything from bed linen, coverlets, throws, cushions, jewellery and hand-painted enamelware, our products have a strong textile focus and all of our pieces really champion the skill of our artisans and the nuances of handmade.”

Predominantly a one-woman show here in Melbourne, Phoebe’s two years in business have seen a myriad of successes and challenges. Undoubtedly a highlight has been seeing Sage and Clare featured in most of Australia’s interiors magazines, as well as many of Phoebe’s favourite stores… but on the flip side, the trials and tribulations of running a small business have been plenty. “Sage and Clare has grown so much since the beginning but it’s meant my workload has grown a lot too. While I get casual help on the side from friends and family when I need it, it is still a brand that is predominantly run by one person (me!) and sometimes it can feel incredibly overwhelming. At the same time though, it’s exciting to be growing and I can’t wait until we’re able to employ someone next year.”

As the business continues to grow, so does the homewares offering, with a new collection in the works for next year. “Without giving too much away, my new range is inspired by Moroccan Riads and their traditional tiling known as Zillij. A strong ’70s vibe has been worked into the range too — the rest, you’ll just have to wait and see!”

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