Furniture Shopping in India

Furniture shopping in India involves patience, endurance, the ability to suspend disbelief, and of course a true love for the hunt.  These are long days.  We always start as early as possible to beat a wee bit of the heat - and we are rarely done til dusk each day.

There are so many wonderful things to see - many of which we can only ooo and ahhh over - although we have been known to throw a full size wooden camel or two into a container... 

Below is a fully mobile sugar cane juicer - I really wanted the cart alone but figured the rotating, interlocking cane crushers had permanent mangling written all over them...

 

This incredible - what? - greenhouse?  Folly?  With all over stained glass upper windows -- wow.  It was explained as an "office" - perhaps in a big warehouse or factory maybe?  A really Willy Wonka type of one?  Had to sadly leave this behind too -- but let me know if you have just the place! 

That said - we did buy a lot of fantastical stuff...  Here the intricate detail of a king headboard sized antique ceiling panel...

Here a giant antique teak door surround - for building into a dramatic entry or courtyard - or for one big, amazing mirror...

We walk miles of warehouse and outdoor yards each day.  The stacks of vintage and antique goods are daunting. After 20 years of these furniture shopping trips in India, it is still just astonishing - it doesn't really ever get old - although it does get draining - especially in the summer monsoon heat.  

For those of you ever wondering if all our talk of reclaimed wood is true -- yes - there is a lot of recycling and repurposing going on in Rajasthan. Not everything we source is reclaimed - but we really try to focus on it. PILES of the stuff...

Linda below with one of the triple arches we are considering... (she just loves it when I surprise photograph her - ha!  Sorry Moz!)

Little things -- and lots of them.  Vintage bells, bowls, water jugs -- mirrors, wall cabinets, pillar bases made from old wood, painted horses and ceiling panels...

Ever popular chakki grinder bases - these will have neutral, removable cushions in them and make fab ottomans...

Stone alla - temple niches for in the garden, built into a wall or bathroom - perfect for little votive candles...

Old crusty things - we love you!

Towering arched teak doors with nailheads and original hardware -- we bought lots of great doors - more pics to come!

Lots of pretty bone inlay coming soon - some of this will be on the first container from this trip - due in September...

Wooden temple niches that will have tiny mirrors placed inside - old frame bookshelves, old carved horse heads on stands - carved panels with hooks inset - more glass wall cabinets (we have like a bajillion coming!)

Can't wait for you all to see it in the store!  We bought quite a few containers worth of goodies - I will update with favorites as they come in. For now, check out finds from this trip and more in our India Collection.

Now I am going to look back on this amazing, ancient stone jali terrace that was out front of our room and try to feel the morning breeze whispering through...