OM home®

OM home is launching a baby line

2011-12-12T12:44:00.014-05:00

Oorbee and I first connected as moms. Her daughter Avnee and my Charlie, were born within months of each other and they have become fast friends.

First Date!

What’s nice about toddlers is they’ve yet to develop the contrary ways of the school aged. They are indifferent to what they wear, so as parents we are able to shape their esthetic identity. But if you’re like me – someone that spent many a weekend in high school rummaging for vintage finds and boho-ish textiles – there isn’t much out there for the wee ones.

It's been a struggle to find clothes that aren’t the traditional pink or powder blue. I’m always on the hunt for no-fuss garments that don’t have too many snaps or ties, clothing that is more gender neutral and workable for both boys and girls. I know I’m not the only parent who feels this way.

My boys! Oliver and Charlie.

OM home reflects modern bohemian living and our vision for the baby line is no different – vibrant colours and prints is at the heart of everything we do. The new collection of home decor (yes, we're still in the business of bedding and pillows!) and the baby line will launch Summer 2012.

While we’d rather not be labeled momprenuers, without our kids we wouldn’t have landed on this concept, or realized what a huge opportunity there was. Feedback from retailers, media and most importantly other parents has already been so positive.

Thank you Oorbee for the warm introduction and having the confidence to take me on as your partner. Here’s to a successful (and fun!) collaboration.

We are very excited about this new phase for OM home. Let us know what you think. We'd love to hear from you.

For those new to OM home, check out the current collection here.

OM home is Growing + Free Gift to celebrate!

2011-11-23T13:57:00.000-05:00

I’ve been hinting at this for some time, I have some very exciting news to share!

We’ve been very busy here at OM home these past few months preparing our new line for Summer of 2012. One of the other things that kept us very busy was the birth of our lovely daughter, Avnee, in February of 2010. She is truly a joy and lights up our lives.

Becoming a mother opened the doors to a whole new community of amazing women, including my neighbor and mother of two, Toni Brem Mullen. She is incredibly personable and friendly, smart and stylish and I am proud to announce Toni is my new partner as we relaunch OM home together!

With a career in PR and an itch to sell, she is the perfect addition to our team. We’ve already got some amazing projects in the pipeline that I’ll let her share with you. While there are certainly no set roles here, Toni will take the lead on sales and marketing and collaborate with me on product development.

In honor of Toni Mullen joining us, we are having a sale here at OM home and with any order over $100, you will receive a free 14x14 Mullen Street Pillow cover (kismet!) while supplies last. The sale will last for one week from November 25-December 2.

FREE GIFT WITH ANY PURCHASE OF $100 OR MORE!

Please join me in welcoming Toni! Click here to view our sale.

New line Coming Soon!

2011-10-18T21:01:00.002-04:00

Our new line is coming soon! We're very excited to have a new line in the works! Please send an email to info if you'd like to be informed of our new product launch.

OM home ®

2010-07-19T21:22:00.005-04:00

Well, we've finally done it! Our certificate from the United States Patent Office came today confirming our trademark of OM home. We finally trademarked the business name we've used for so many years. OM home ®... Awesome!

Spring Sale Upto 75% Off, $10 Flat Rate Shipping

2009-04-05T16:17:00.009-04:00

These items are hand screen printed, hand spun cotton and fair trade:
1. C.C.F.C. Napkin in Ebony only $5, C.C.F.C. Placemat in Carmine Rose only $5, Middleton Row Placemat in Drizzle Gray / Vibrant Yellow only $12.50
2. C.C.F.C. Napkin in Foliage Green only $5, C.C.F.C. Placemat in Living Coral only $5, Middleton Row Placemat in Fuchsia Red / Light Gray only $12.50
3. C.C.F.C. Napkin in Sunny Lime only $5, C.C.F.C. Placemat in Sunny Lime only $5, Middleton Row Placemat in Moonlight Jade / Light Gray only $12.50
4. C.C.F.C. Napkin in Mustang only $5, C.C.F.C. Placemat in Sunny Lime only $5
5. C.C.F.C. Napkin in Lavender only $5, C.C.F.C. Placemat in Foliage Green only $5, Middleton Row Placemat in Moonlight Jade / Light Gray only $12.50
6. C.C.F.C. Napkin in Foliage Green only $5, C.C.F.C. Placemat in Bachelor Blue only $5
7. C.C.F.C. Napkin in Carmine Rose only $5, C.C.F.C. Placemat in Lavender only $5, Middleton Row Placemat in Foliage Green / Light Gray only $12.50
8. Living Coral only $5, C.C.F.C. Placemat in Mustang only $5, Middleton Row Placemat in Drizzle Gray / Vibrant Yellow only $12.50
9. C.C.F.C. Napkin in Bachelor Blue only $5, C.C.F.C. Placemat in Ebony only $5

These items are hand screen printed, hand spun cotton and fair trade:
1. C.C.F.C. Runner in Carmine Rose only $30
2. C.C.F.C. Runner in Living Coral only $30
3. C.C.F.C. Runner in Sunny Lime only $30
4. C.C.F.C. Runner in Foliage Green only $30
5. C.C.F.C. Runner in Bachelor Blue only $30
6. C.C.F.C. Runner in Lavender only $30
7. C.C.F.C. Runner in Mustang only $30
8. C.C.F.C. Runner in Ebony only $30

These items are 300 thread count luxurious cotton sateen, printed with reactive dyes, allowing for multiple washes with very little fading:
1. Sammelan Bedding in Seeing Red only $150
2. Middleton Row Bedding in Drizzle Gray only $150
3. Middleton Row Bedding in Jade Gray only $150
4. Sammelan Bedding in Going Green only $150

These items are durable cotton canvas with a 300 thread count luxurious cotton sateen lining, three pockets and zippered pocket inside, printed with reactive dyes:
1. Small Sammelan Bag in Seeing Red only $20, Large Sammelan Bag in Seeing Red only $35
2. Small Sammelan Bag in Going Green only $20, Large Sammelan Bag in Going Green only $35
3. Small Middleton Row Bag in Drizzle Gray only $20, Large Middleton Row Bag in Drizzle Gray only $35
4. Small Middleton Row Bag in Jade Gray only $20, Large Middleton Row Bag in Jade Gray only $35

These items are machine embroidered, hand spun cotton and fair trade:
1. C.C.F.C. Pillows in Foliage Green only $40, C.C.F.C. Pillows in Living Coral only $40, C.C.F.C. Pillows in Carmine Rose only $40, C.C.F.C. Pillows in Bachelor Blue only $40
Also available: Sunny Lime only $40, Lavender only $40, Mustang only $40, Ebony only $40

These items are hand screen printed, cotton canvas and fair trade:
2. Middleton Row Pillows in Foliage Green only $30, Middleton Row Pillows in Moonlight Jade only $30, Middleton Row Pillows in Light Gray only $30, Middleton Row Pillows in Drizzle Gray only $30

These items are hand embroidered, linen and fair trade:
3. Mullen Street Pillows in Retro Linen only $60, Mullen Street Pillows in Mustang only $60, Mullen Street Pillows in Living Coral only $60, Mullen Street Pillows in Retro Mustang only $60

These items are machine embroidered, hand spun cotton and fair trade:
4. C.C.F.C. Bolsters in Ebony only $20,
C.C.F.C. Bolsters in Mustang only $20,
C.C.F.C. Bolsters in Bachelor Blue only $20

Also available in Living Coral only $20, Sunny Lime only $20, Lavender only $20

These items are machine embroidered, hand spun cotton and fair trade:
5. C.C.F.C. Pouf in Living Coral only $60
Also available in Carmine Rose only $60, Sunny Lime only $60, Foliage Green only $60, Bachelor Blue only $60, Lavender only $60, Mustang only $60, Ebony only $60

These items are hand embroidered, hand spun cotton and fair trade:
6. New Market Pillow in Bachelor Blue only $35
Also available in Living Coral only $35
Sunny Lime only $35, Lavender only $35

These items are hand screen printed, cotton canvas and fair trade:
7. Middleton Row Pillows in Fuchsia Red only $30

OM home signs on with Sales Rep Firm Karen Alweil Studio

2009-01-08T19:22:00.002-05:00

We're starting the new year off with some big news! We are absolutely thrilled to sign on with Karen Alweil Studio and feel confident they will help bring our company to the next level. Karen Alweil Studio is known for spotting the latest trends in the market and we feel honored that they have recognized our product line.

Los Angeles based Karen Alweil Studio participates in approximately 10 tradeshows a year and has developed solid relationships with some of the largest retailers across the nation, including Barneys, Bloomingdales and Neiman Marcus. With over 20 years experience, Karen Alweil Studio is a well-known company with a formidable reputation. Visit the Karen Alweil Studio booth and view our product line at the following tradeshows:

Atlanta International Gift and Home Furnishings Market
Jan 9-13, 2009
High Design
Booth 1-809
Atlanta, GA

Los Angeles Gift and Home Market
Jan 13-19, 2009
Permanent Showroom
Suite 338
Los Angeles

New York International Gift Fair
Jan 25-29, 2009
Accent on Design
Booth 4155/4054
Jacob Javits Center

We're very excited!

Sammelan Line Pictures

2008-11-14T16:35:00.017-05:00

We finally have some pictures of our new line, thanks to the lovely and talented Toronto based photographer, Danijela Pruginic. Thanks also to Grace at Design*Sponge for posting our new line here.

QUEEN DUVET SET
Going Green

88 x 92 with 2 matching pillow shams, 300 thread count cotton sateen, printed with reactive dyes, button closure, plain reversible back. $200 USD, Retail. Click here for more information.

QUEEN DUVET SET
Seeing Red

88 x 92 with 2 matching pillow shams, 300 thread count cotton sateen, printed with reactive dyes, button closure, plain reversible back. $200 USD, Retail. Click here for more information.

SMALL TOTE BAG
Going Green

16l x 12w x 4d, 100% Cotton Canvas with 300 thread count cotton sateen lining, printed with reactive dyes, button snap closure, zippered pocket, cell phone pocket and additional pocket. $35 USD, Retail. Click here for more information.

LARGE TOTE BAG
Going Green

16l x 20w x 6d, 100% Cotton Canvas with 300 thread count cotton sateen lining, printed with reactive dyes, button snap closure, zippered pocket, cell phone pocket and additional pocket. $50 USD, Retail. Click here for more information.

SMALL TOTE BAG
Seeing Red

LARGE TOTE BAG
Seeing Red

PLACEMAT
Going Green

100% Cotton Canvas, printed with reactive dyes. $15 USD Retail. Click here for more information.

PLACEMAT
Seeing Red

100% Cotton Canvas, printed with reactive dyes. $15 USD Retail. Click here for more information.

NAPKIN
Going Green

100% Cotton Canvas, printed with reactive dyes. $10 USD Retail. Click here for more information.

NAPKIN
Seeing Red

100% Cotton Canvas, printed with reactive dyes. $10 USD Retail. Click here for more information.

RUNNER
Going Green

100% Cotton Canvas, printed with reactive dyes. $50 USD Retail. Click here for more information.

RUNNER
Seeing Red

100% Cotton Canvas, printed with reactive dyes. $50 USD Retail. Click here for more information.

About Alpona

2008-11-10T20:11:00.015-05:00

Alpona or alpana is a common Indian folk art form, primarily deployed in decorating both the inside and outside of homes, temples and sometimes public buildings on religious and festive occasions. Using simple ingredients, rice powder emulsion, vegetable dye and a strip of cloth formed in a wick, the techniques of Alpona have been passed down for generations. While its sister forms are known by different names, such as Rangoli and Kolam, and used in other parts of India, Alpona is very specific to the eastern Indian subcontinent, West Bengal and Bangladesh in particular.

THE ORIGINS
The name is derived from the Sanskrit word Alimpan, which literally means whitening or painting (of walls, floors etc. on festive occasions), which, in turn, derives from a root that means smearing, coating, plastering or anointing. It is believed that Alimpan predates even the Vedas¹ in primitive religions and cult practices where the local inhabitants in various parts of India used paints and scribbling to appease their gods.

The Vedas themselves were full of descriptions of many rituals and as time went by, local rituals and religious practices like Alimpan merged into this body, increased the collection and eventually permeated the folk traditions all over India. Alimpan itself spread by breaking off into many regional tributaries, becoming Alpona in Eastern India, Rangoli in Western India and Kolam in Southern India and was further diversified and enriched by the numerous subcultures of each area. It appears the derivatives of Alimpan flourished along a belt bracing the seaside villages of India, slowly becoming scarce as one traveled inland away from the seas.

THE PURPOSE
Alpona is a required element of religious occasions or social occasions of joy or festivity, such as weddings, Hindu communions, harvest celebrations and pujas². Practiced primarily by womenfolk using techniques based on local customs, Alpona patterns are meant to adorn the venue of celebration. A form of worship based upon the long standing belief that the artist would express her deepest desires to the one who may fulfill these desires, an Alpona design placed at the seat of worship ensured her desires would come true. To the uneducated, nearly illiterate women who used to decorate the platforms of worship, this unspoken principle was a strong motivator for preserving the art form for almost 4000 years throughout history.

THE ELEMENTS
The basic Alpona consists of a symmetric design with occasional breaks in the symmetry that serve as an element of surprise, making the design unique and appealing. The prime elements of the design are simple geometrical forms, such as triangles, squares and circles and these anchor the design and give it a subtle character and a utilitarian aspect. To these elements are added many motifs, some are common across the region, some are very unique to the subculture. The elements in the Alpona design are either procedural or decorative: elements and structures of the first set are required by tradition to be present in segments of the Alpona whereas a good part of the second set is left to the imagination, training and ability of the Alpona artist. So, in a sense, an Alpona is somewhat like an Indian classical music composition where the structure is specified by the raga³ being performed, but the performer can freely improvise within that structure.

Alpona has invariably been practiced by the womenfolk of the community, primarily agrarian, and the motifs used in Alpona reflect this -- sun, crescent moon, paddy, plow, fish, betel leaves, flowers, lotus, conch shells, ducks and flowering creepers of many varieties. A peacock may show up, as may owls if the Alpona is being used on the occasion of the worship of goddess of wealth, Lakshmi, who uses owls are her carriers. Little footprints often point the way for the goddess Lakshmi to find her way from the entrance foyer to the special seat set up in her honor. Sometimes, elements are symbolic and may not have any relation to reality and are simply a form of artistic expression by the artist.

THE MEDIUM
A level surface is required for Alpona such as floors and steps inside the house or in the atrium, rarely to walls and ceilings. For weddings, Alpona decorates wooden seats, rattan trays and other utensils used in the rituals; for religious ceremonies it is used to decorate the special seat of the idol, the columns in the room of worship and special earthenware used in the ceremonies. Alpona is painted in most applications, unlike Rangoli, where designs formed by piling and spreading multicolored powders are more prevalent. Alpona is usually white, the medium, known as pituli, being derived from the paste obtained by finely grinding a special type of white rice softened by soaking in cold water. The base may be colored sometimes with organic dyes, such as turmeric for yellow, spinach for green or charcoal for black, but such use is rare in Alpona.

THE PROCESS
The process of Alpona painting is very simple and unequivocally freehand. Four fingers of the dominant hand grasp a small piece of rag dipped in the pituli and the middle finger draws the design with the pituli kept flowing from the soaked rag by pressure from the other fingers. Before launching, the artist forms a broad picture in her mind of how the Alpona should look and then the painting starts, almost always from the center. She then fleshes out the design on all sides, making sure that the essential elements are placed correctly with the prescribed orientations. She also embellishes the design around them with the creative aesthetic elements, the proverbial moment where the artist expresses her desires!

THE FUTURE
With rapid urbanization and demise of the age-old traditional agrarian economy in India and the decrease in religious festivals and rituals, the concomitant weakening of crafts including Alpona should not come as a surprise. Gone are the farming villages and their womenfolk who devotedly practiced Alpona, expressing their desires in earnest and hoping for fulfillment. In its place are mass produced stickers, hastily placed on religious occasions, the meaning usually lost on younger generations.

But, even if Alpona dies as a ritualistic practice, the art form of Alpona does not need to die. While the many stairs, floors and Lakshmi's seats may be devoid of traditional Alpona, an effort to make it more secular and open to individual expression and evolution will allow Alpona to evolve into different incarnations and enjoy a much deserved revival. Artists at Shantiniketan⁴, the school founded by Rabindranath Tagore, the Nobel-laureate poet from West Bengal have made a lot of progress in these directions, as have Muslim Bangladeshi artists. Alpona designs of OM home specifically address this need and successfully bring this venerable age-old form into twenty-first century by integrating it with the daily lifestyle of the modern home -- pillow covers, linens, bed sheets, wall murals and more with only imagination being the limit.

Help keep traditions alive. Make your home an OM home.

Photos Courtesy of Claudine Sauvé

Footnotes:
1. Vedas are the ancient Indo-Aryan scriptures dating back to 1500 BC, considered to be the birth of Hinduism.
2. Pujas are occasions of worship where Hindus perform rituals to show respect to a particular God.
3. Ragas are frameworks for musical composition usually comprised of five or more musical notes.
4. Shantiniketan, north of Kolkata in West Bengal and centered around a University has long been a haven for artists and creative minds.

Bibliography:
1. Bangiya Sahitya Parishad. Bharatkosh Vol 1, Calcutta.
2. Sarkar, Sebanti. Stick-on art for Alpona. The Telegraph. 6 October 2006.
3. Alim, M Rafiqul. Alpana (ritual painting). Banglapedia.
4. Aroon, Preeti. "Sari Weaving Unravels in India". Foreign Policy. 30 July 2008.

Thank you to my father, Sumit Roy, for his research and write up of Alpona.

Sammelan Line

2008-08-12T22:33:00.003-04:00

Luckily, I broke my right arm and not my left, so I was able to draw my new line without much incident. Transferring it to the computer was tough (I use the mouse with my right hand), but not impossible. I'm SUPER excited about the product line and will be sure to post pictures from the NYIGF starting this Saturday.

The new “Sammelan” line refers to Banga Sammelan (Bengali Festival), but lovingly called Sammelan. The gathering is an annual festival where the North American Bengali diaspora celebrate their "Bengali"-ness every year with families, friends, music, food and nostalgia about all things that have been Bengali in some other time at some other place. Of course, traditional Alpona adorn the halls at the Sammelan and the designer chose to capture and revive, in her products, this wistfulness for days past and traditions fading. The Sammelan line uses modern colors and pattern placement to capture time-honored shapes of traditional folk Alpona --a new and exciting take on Alpona for OM home.

If you're at the show, come visit us at booth 5506 in the Handmade section.

Broken Arm? Aaah. I Got to Ride a Camel!

2008-08-12T22:00:00.006-04:00

This picture looks CGI but it's real! I was riding a camel named Bob Marley and Sanj was on Jimi Hendrix. Our guide Rashid brought us to a valley in the Sahara Desert where we spent the night under the stars. It was a dream come true for me.

The next morning we climbed up a 100 foot dune and watched the sunrise. Because I'm emotional and everything makes me cry, it should come as no surprise that the sunrise choked me up. Sanj, always loving, pinched my cheek and told me, "that's why I love you." I wonder if he thinks that when I cry during Reality Show finales?

But I digress... Shortly after our return, I was riding my bike down the hill near my house, as I do everyday. I crossed the streetcar tracks, as I always do and then unexpectedly, my wheel got caught in the track followed by my face getting caught on the hot pavement. OUCH!

Scaphoid fracture (the worst fracture possible), broken forearm (getting worse), twisted knee (will I be able to do yoga again) and multiple bruises. Eight weeks later, I am STILL in a cast.

Seriously, in the last two years, I've learned to snowboard and surf, I rock climb and ride my bike all the time and THIS is how I break my arm? Coming home from grocery shopping? How anticlimactic.

But tonight I am excited, not sad because tomorrow morning, my cast comes off!!!!!

Nice People and Gardening

2008-05-13T16:35:00.017-04:00

Ever since the weather warmed up, I've made it a point of smiling at every person with whom I make eye contact. This is probably a more selfish pursuit than it sounds because it is such a pleasurable experience to smile at someone and have that someone smile back. It's a simple, non threatening gesture (like small talk) but since I'm new to town, it also makes me feel like part of the community.

Believe it or not, as cultured as New York was and as cool as Montreal was, those places became home to me mainly because I became a part of the neighborhood. From the cashiers at Gristede's or the college guy helping out his dad at the Pizza place downstairs in Kip's Bay to the saucy Portuguese lady at the bakery or the Bangladeshi dishwasher on our corner in the Plateau were among the things I missed most when I left each of these homes (well, that and the murals I painted).

With each person, it started with a smile and a bonjour and this weekend, we got a taste of home here in Toronto while trolling the neighborhood looking at gardens. We're working on our own garden and needed a little inspiration and direction.

Case in Point

We came across a lovely "low maintenance" garden that we both adored so we started taking notes and pictures when to our surprise, the owner came outside! She was so sweet and spent time explaining her garden, naming all the flowers, blooming times, tips and tricks. Of course, I became overwhelmed (re: I faded out) but Sanj was right there with her writing everything down and asking questions. She must have spent an hour with us and we were so thrilled!

Of course, talking to her also gave us an idea of how much effort it actually takes to start a low maintenance garden. So, we decided it was best to do our research and build the garden up in stages.

Imagine our surprise when we found a package at our front door the next day. Our neighor had left a bag of some gardening magazines, a card and a bunch of notes on local nurseries.

Together now, "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwww."

Is that the sweetest thing you've ever heard? We were so touched and inspired to work that much harder on our garden. Besides, another great way to feel like a part of the neighborhood is to be outside gardening, everyone stops to say hello!

We're so happy we have a new place to call home.

Riad Fever

2008-05-09T13:46:00.022-04:00

Riad Najma in Marrakesh, picture courtesy of Eleanor Bird

Sanj and I are planning our trip to Morocco and have become obsessed with the amazing Riads we’ve been researching. Riads are traditional Moroccan abodes with open air central courtyards and traditional Islamic architectural design that have become a cornerstone for authentic lodging. Hidden in the maze of winding lanes and back alleys, behind relatively unassuming doors like the one pictured above, Riads are usually found in the Medina, close to the souks and market centers.

There are so many amazing spaces, it's been really hard to narrow down our selection. We admittedly cannot afford many of the places, so that's helped. We're also so grateful to have Trip Advisor to help us weed out the losers.

I would consider spending a day just Riad hopping to visit all the inspiring spaces we've seen in pictures. Here are a few of my favorite outdoor spaces, photos courtesy of each riad's website.

Courtyard at Night
An opulent haven in the middle of the medina, the Riad Al Moussika in Marrakesh is one of the more expensive places to stay ($350-$500).

Courtyard During the Day
I must have contacted Dar Cordoba in Fes at least 5 times asking them in different ways if they had availability. The inner (well, not so inner) child in me just didn't want to take "no" for an answer because this place is so beautiful and affordable. Alas, it wasn't meant to be!

Another Stunning CourtyardI picture myself sitting here having a cup of mint tea, do you think they would notice that I'm not a guest there? I love this tranquil space at Riad El Borj in Marrakesh. It's so ornate and detailed but subtle and calming at the same time, I wish I could transport it to my backyard.

Terrasse
We've been trying to figure out what to do with our upstairs patio and the all the beautiful terrasses we've seen are so inspiring. The space at Riyad el Cadi in Marrakesh is not as ornate or complicated as some of the others we've seen, but that's what makes it within our reach. We've been trying to figure out a nice simple way to gain some privacy and shelter from the sun and this tent is a winner! Thanks to Maryam in Marrakesh for pointing this place out to us.

Another Terrasse

While I really like the tent from the last Riad, I like the more traditional seating and lush greenery of Terrasse des Olivier in Marrakesh. This is truly an oasis in the city and one I hope to create the same lush and relaxing space at home.

There are so many more outdoor spaces that inspired me, it would take me days to go through them all! I am so, so, so excited to get out there and touch the tiles, smell the flowers, trace my fingers along the carved wood doors, accidentally leave behind an OM home pillow in our room...

As some of you already know, we've had a tough few months and we're really looking forward to spending some time away. Sanj has been so wonderful and supportive the last few months, it's amazing how tough times can bring a couple closer together. Of course, it's much less stressful and equally amazing how fun times can bring a couple closer together as well! We deserve this trip and I cannot WAIT!

OM home in the Globe and Mail

2008-05-05T18:26:00.003-04:00

Thank you so much to Maggie Wrobel over at the Globe and Mail for her piece in this weekend's issue. What a thrill for us!!

OM home in Food & Wine

2008-05-05T18:05:00.005-04:00

Thanks to Jessica over at Food & Wine magazine for using our Middleton Row Placemats in Loreto Sweater in their May issue.

The dessert looks delicious and makes me eager for summer to come so I can pick up fresh berries from the farmer's market. It’s the perfect topping to granola, yogurt and honey!

This dish reminds me of Bonjour Brioche, a delightful bakery & cafe down the avenue on Queen Street in Leslieville. I understand that I am an emotional person and many things make me cry (ie, norther Canadian starry nights, Terms of Endearment, Kobe beef, the final results of Pussycat Dolls presents Girlicious) but seriously, their brioche was such a welcome surprise, I cried without shame. Never mind that I had no idea what brioche was, that just added to the surprise. I can't believe how very delicious the dish was, wow! But I digress…

Thanks again Jessica!

Pleasant Surprises

2008-04-28T11:22:00.007-04:00

Once in a while you chance upon something that makes you feel warm and fuzzy. We had the pleasure of such an occasion last week on our drive back from visiting family and spring snowboarding in Montreal.

Where I grew up, we have the Turnpike and Parkway but here it’s all about the 401. A means to speedily (some more speedily than others, ahem) travel from Toronto to Montreal, with time only for a few quick pit stops, most people don’t venture into the little towns scattered around the highway along the way.

Lucky for us, Sanj had a meeting in Belleville and so we, along with a visiting and newly engaged cousin from England (congratulations Radhika), spent a wonderful evening in a beautiful town. Belleville even means beautiful town in French!

Since Sanj is in the food business, our little side trip started off as a tour of a cannery, Sprague Foods. Similar to the opening sequence of Laverne & Shirley, except with cans, we were really impressed by the operation. Seriously, how often do you think about the canning process? It’s pretty neat and thankfully, super clean!

On our way to dinner, I stopped into a quaint used furnishing store, Funk & Grüven and was so thrilled to spend time getting to know the owner, Mark Malachowski and his employees. I actually LOVE small talk. Some people garden or skateboard, but my favorite hobby is small talk. Pleasant, unobtrusive conversation that’s non threatening, warm and makes people smile? I’ll take one of those, please. You learn a lot more about people then you think when you small talk and I love it.

I also love great finds! I bought this 1950’s pitcher while in the store for $30. The color stood out in the store and matches our new lights but what I really love about it is the shape!

We had dinner with Rick, the owner of Sprague Foods and his wife, Jane at a restaurant with fresh, homemade, locally stocked produce (I’ve been watching too much Gordon Ramsey), the Dinkel Family’s “Paulo’s Italian Trattoria”.

High school sweethearts and married for 25+ years, Rick and Jane were one of the nicest, most sincere couples we’ve met in a long time and it was a pleasure spending the evening with them. The best part of the night was when Sanj noticed Rick and Jane were holding hands during dinner. How sweet is that? Seriously, how often do you see that in Toronto or Montreal or New York?

A small town with big surprises for us city folk! We learned about canning, the secret to staying in love, where to shop for bargains and how lovely small towns are down the 401. We’ve even been invited to the town bash in June, celebrating 30 years in business for the Dinkel family and 10 years for Funk & Grüven. We’ll certainly be back!

Holly Dyment Design

2008-04-17T19:34:00.006-04:00

Today I had the privilege of meeting the lovely and talented Holly Dyment who was kind enough to both invite me into her home AND to view the OM home line. While there, she *gently* reminded me that I needed to update my blog (she's right!) so I thought posting about her would be an awesome way to get back into blogging.

Our shared love of all things Tricia Guild, color and India brought us together on this wonderful spring day. After seeing her amazing house in last month's issue of Canadian House & Home, I was THRILLED to have the chance to see the live show, Holly's house is truly stunning!

Cascading down the walls in her main living space (pictured above) are different but equally vibrant faux finished murals that Holly stenciled herself. The scanned pictures here don't do the walls justice, there is so much depth to the patterns, it's like sitting in a sari shop in India watching the sari walla wave the latest styles. My favorite is pictured above, the classic Indian look of the light blue and purplish pink against the textured gold background reminds me of one of my mom's most precious saris.

I think the egg chair is the most versatile piece in the room. I love the way the chartreuse color both ties in with the wall color and accents the spicy reds, fuchsias and pinks in her living area. I also appreciate the modern touch of the egg chair and how it ties in with the zebra wood floors.

Holly's kitchen is so bright and fun! She hand painted the dining table herself using an inexpensive table as her base. It looks amazing and it's one of a kind!

The entryway itself is quite stunning but I was really thrilled by the staircase and walls, green and blue is one of my favorite combinations. I don't remember the pink bedroom but I love all things pink, especially that headboard!

The walls in the bedroom are stunning. The headboard has a similar shape as the one above but is done in a different way. It's so elegant and classic and ties in well with the look and feel of the room.

Sanj and I are planning a trip to Morocco and the wall on the right reminds me so much of Riad website that I love for it's colors and patterns, Dar Cordoba.

There were other parts of the house that aren't pictured but are equally as stunning. Holly is a kindred spirit indeed and I feel so privileged to have met her and spent time with her in her lovely home.

Holly, thanks for reminding me to update my blog!

Position Filled

2008-01-30T22:39:00.001-05:00

Thanks to everyone who applied for the assistant position!

Another Sneak Preview

2008-01-27T23:39:00.000-05:00

We've also expanded our existing lines with some new colors and products. We haven't had the chance to put it up on our website (tomorrow) yet but I wanted to share them all the same.

If you'd like ordering information, send us an email.

Thanks!

*NEW PRODUCT*
C.C.F.C. Table Runners Shown here in Foliage Green (new color)
100% cotton khadi, 14x42, hand silk screened, available in 7 colors, $50 USD

*NEW PRODUCT*
C.C.F.C. Poufs
Shown here in Foliage Green (new color), Living Coral and Mustang
100% cotton khadi, 26x6, machine embroidered, hidden zipper, available in 7 colors, $100 USD

*NEW COLOR*
C.C.F.C. Pillows
Shown here in Carmine Rose, Bachelor Blue, Living Coral and Foliage Green (new color)
100% cotton khadi, 18x18, machine embroidered, hidden zipper, available in 7 colors, $70 USD

*NEW PRODUCT*
New Market Poufs
Shown here in Carmine Rose and Living Coral
100% cotton khadi, 10x16, hand embroidered mirror work, hidden zipper, available in 4 colors, $100 USD

*NEW COLOR*
Mullen Street Pillows
Shown here in Living Coral (new color), Retro Mustang, Mustang and Retro Linen
100% linen, 14x14, hand embroidered, hidden zipper, available in 4 colors, $80 USD

Middleton Row Collection Sneak Peek

2008-01-27T17:13:00.000-05:00

We're super busy getting ready for the show but I couldn't resist posting some of the pictures we took last week. We're also taking pre-orders for May delivery (see below for more information or click here). If you're going to be at the NYIGF, please come by and visit, booth 5506 in the handmade section from February 1-5 at the Jacob Javits Center. Thanks for taking a look!

Xavier's Jersey Front: Vibrant Yellow and Drizzle Gray on White

Back: White and Drizzle Gray on Vibrant Yellow
18x18 Pillow: White and Vibrant Yellow on Drizzle Gray

Front: White and Vibrant Yellow on Drizzle Gray
Back: Drizzle Gray and White on Vibrant Yellow (not shown)
Napkin: Vibrant Yellow on Natural Gray

Xavier's Primary
Front: Vibrant Yellow, Plume Blue and White on Drizzle Gray

Back: Vibrant Yellow, Plume Blue and Drizzle Gray on White
18x18 Pillow: White and Vibrant Yellow on Plume Blue

Front: White and Vibrant Yellow on Plume Blue
Back: Vibrant Yellow, Drizzle Gray and Plume Blue on Natural Gray (not shown)
Napkin: Drizzle Gray on Natural Gray

Loreto SweaterFront: Fuchsia Red and Drizzle Gray on White

Back: White and Plume Blue on Fuchsia Red
18x18 Pillow: Fuchsia Red, Bright Turquoise and Foliage Green on Natural Gray

Front: White and Plume Blue on Fuchsia Red
Back: Fuchsia Red, Bright Turquoise and Foliage Green on Natural Gray (not shown)
Napkin: Fuchsia Red on Natural Gray

Loreto UniformFront: Bright Turquoise and White on Plume

Back: Bright Turquoise on White
18x18 Pillow: Plume Blue and Bright Turquoise on Foliage Green

Front: Plume Blue and Bright Turquoise on Foliage Green
Back: Bright Turquoise on Natural Gray (not shown)
Napkin: Plume Blue on Natural Gray

Some more information about the line:

Duvet Cover: Luxurious 350tc, hand silk screened, hidden button closure, reversible, $300 USD. Click here for more information or to purchase.
Pillow Shams: Luxurious 400tc, hand silk screened, button closure, available in 3 designs per style, $50 USD. Click here for more information or to purchase.
Pillow: 100% cotton canvas, hand silk screened, hidden zipper closure, reversible, $60 USD. Click here for more information or to purchase.
Placemat: 100% cotton canvas, hand silk screened, reversible, $25 USD. Click here for more information or to purchase.
Napkin: 100% cotton canvas, hand silk screened, reversible, $25 USD. Click here for more information or to purchase.

Middleton Row Collection

2008-01-22T12:24:00.000-05:00

Even though our trusty photographer Darren is heading down from Montreal on Thursday to take some shots of our new line, I just couldn't wait to post a sneak peek so I begged Sanj to take some shots... I think they turned out pretty nice!

Loreto Uniform

Xavier's Primary

The Middleton Row Collection, named to honor the top schools in Kolkata (more on that later), consists of luxurious 350tc cotton sateen reversible duvet covers and pillow shams along with cotton canvas pillow covers, reversible placemats and napkins in four different styles. All of the products in the new line are hand silk screened by artisans in Kolkata, India. The result is a full line of luxurious, modern, colorful, fresh and bold products to help make your home an OM home!

Stay tuned for more information regarding pricing and availability!

House and Home

2008-01-22T12:05:00.000-05:00

What a treat to come back from a trip to New York City and read the article on our Montreal pad. We were really thrilled to be a part of such an amazing magazine. Thanks! Pick up a copy of the February Issue of Canadian House and Home or read our feature here.

We'd also like to take this opportunity to thank En Route magazine and LDB Interior Textiles Magazine for their features on OM home late last year. We were so excited to have our table linens flying all over the world in Air Canada's En Route magazine, check it out here.

We also really enjoyed being interviewed by the lovely and super friendly Candace Sheppard over at LDB. The article was awesome and we were thrilled to be in the same article as so many talented people! See for yourself right here.

Happy New Year!

2008-01-02T14:55:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year from all of us at OM home!

2007 was an amazing year for us... two high profile tradeshows, almost 40 pieces of press, over a dozen new stores, exceeding our sales targets. WOW, we feel incredibly fortunate to have such an amazing opportunity to build our business. We're truly living our dreams!

We're even more excited for 2008 and incredibly thrilled to finally have our bedding line (almost) ready to go. The design will be similar to the ceiling design from our old apartment except more patterned. Needless to say, we think it looks pretty awesome. We'll be sure to post preview pictures up as soon as we can!

We're also super excited to be featured in February's issue of Canadian House and Home magazine. It's a whole spread on our old apartment and will be a great keepsake for us. I'll be sure to post the pictures as soon as it hits newstands! Now if we only had time to get our new place looking good...

We're also getting ready for the NYIGF tradeshow from February 1-5, come visit us at booth 5506 in the Handmade section!

Stay tuned for a sneak preview of our new line in the coming weeks!

Design*Sponge 2007 Gift Guide

2007-12-03T16:28:00.000-05:00

Grace has been posting some awesome gift guides over at Design*Sponge. I was checking out all her lovely finds and was pleasantly surprised to see our Mullen Street Pillow listed in her Buy Handmade Gift Guide. How sweet!

Be sure to check it out and buy handmade this year!

We're Hiring!

2007-12-03T15:23:00.000-05:00

Do you live in Toronto?
Do you need some extra cash?
Do you need flexible hours?

We're expanding!

We're looking for a skilled, detail-oriented, friendly and driven Assistant for help in our studio, located in the Riverdale area, just east of downtown.

Flexible hours about 5-10 hours/week to start, can go upto 20 hours if we like your work and as the business grows. This is a great opportunity for students or budding entrepreneurs who want to learn how to run a small business... a paid internship!

We're very close to public transportation, TTC on the corner, Broadview Subway up the street. Opportunity to bring work home.

Position includes but is not limited to:
Ironing Products
Sewing in Fabric Tags
Fixing Zippers and seams
Preparing shipments
Building our customer lists (get paid to surf)
Preparing Press Kits (cropping, assembling)

Tell us about you! Please send us an email with some information about you and your work. Photographs of sample work will be a plus. There will be a short proficiency sewing and assembling test onsite.

Compensation is ~ $8/hr!
Flexible start date!
Learn how to run a small business!
Serious replies only!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2007-11-22T09:07:00.000-05:00

Fresh snow on the ground, a frozen chicken thawing on the counter, it must be thanksgiving.... in Canada!

The one holiday Canada and the US don't celebrate at the same time (Canada is colder, therefore it harvests sooner, go figure) is the one holiday the Roy family celebrates religiously, we're religious about non-religious events, see?

So this year, we're unfortunately unable to make it south of the border for turkey basting and mashed potatoes (my job), stuffing (my brother's job), salad (my cousin's job) and the other 10+ dishes (my mother's job, we just do some token work at the end for praise, but she actually gets up early and does everything else). No men vs women Celebrity or fighting for the best spot on the couch for that tryptophan induced nap, no stuffing our faces with pumpkin or pecan pie even though we're full and the worst of it all -- no leftover (organic) turkey sandwiches! MAN!

Well turkeys, I'm going to shove my chicken in the oven. Happy Thanksgiving America, I miss you!

ps Can someone pick up a copy of the NY Daily News Monday edition? I hear OM home might be featured as part of Poppy's Handmade Market!

OM home Inventory Clearance Sale

2007-10-26T21:26:00.001-04:00

We're still reeling from the fabulous press we received from HGTV a couple weeks back. What a thrill to say, "As seen on HGTV!" We're also super excited for our new line of bedding, to be launched in time for the NYIGF next February. We just finished the new designs and love, love, love them!

With all this activity, we're clearing out some inventory to make room for all the new goodies!! From $15-$65, that's up to 50% off on select items from now until the end of November!

With the holidays approaching, OM home products make great gifts for your co-workers, friends and family with a sense of style and social responsibility! All of our products come with a little pamphlet detailing the story behind our line. Just in time for the holiday season, these are gifts that give back AND are easy on the wallet!

Mullen Street Line
This is one of our most popular products. We've reissued the Mullen Street Pillows in linen and have discontinued the white and natural varieties. 14"x14" or 18"x18", 100% cotton, hand embroidered, hidden zipper closure, solid fabric backing, poly fill insert. Pillows originally $90, now only $65 and small pillows originally $80, now only $40!

Mustang Pillow
View Product

White Pillow
View Product

Natural Pillow
View Product

CCFC Line
CCFC is our signature line and has been featured in several publications across North America. The Lavender pillows themselves can be seen in Style at Home! This color has been very popular at OM home but we're discontinuing the lavender color entirely to make room for a bolder shade of purple.

Lavender Bolster
12"x16", 100% cotton, machine embroidered, hidden zipper closure, solid fabric backing, poly fill insert. Originally $55, now only $30!
View Product

Lavender Pillows
18"x18" or 24" x 24", 100% cotton, machine embroidered, hidden zipper closure, solid fabric backing, poly fill insert. Pillows originally $70, now only $50 and floor pillows originally $90, now only $70!
View Product

Lavender Placemats
15"x15", 100% cotton, machine embroidered, solid fabric backing. Originally $25, now only $15!
View Product

Lavender Napkins
20"x20", 100% cotton, machine embroidered, solid fabric backing. Originally $25, now only $15!
View Product

New Market Line
We love the amazing detail behind the New Market line, the embroidery is exquisite! We sold out of this line several times throughout the year and we're sad to see this one go. We think the new color will be pretty great too, change is good!

18"x18" and 24"x24", 100% cotton, machine embroidered, hidden zipper closure, solid fabric backing, poly fill insert. Pillows originally $70, now only $50 and floor pillows originally $95, now only $75!

This makes a great gift for a teenager!

Lavender Pillow
View Product

Tolly Club Line
We're revamping this line to be more eco-friendly and to include bedding! We're clearing out the old inventory to start "fresh". This line will find it's way into the hands of readers all across the globe in next month's issue of En Route Magazine!

Tolly Pillows
18"x18", 100% cotton, machine embroidered, hidden zipper closure, solid fabric backing, poly fill insert. Originally $70, now only $40!
View Product

Tolly Placemats
14"x20", 100% cotton, machine embroidered, solid fabric backing. Originally $25, now only $15!
View Product

Tolly Napkins
20"x20", 100% cotton, machine embroidered, solid fabric backing. Originally $25, now only $15!
View Product

OM home in Silent Auction

2007-10-23T12:21:00.000-04:00

It's that time of year again and I'm happy to announce that OM home has once again donated some of our product line to help a wonderful school located in New York, the East Harlem School.

Located in East Harlem, a poverty stricken area of New York where many talented youth are unable to receive the education they deserve, EHS provides a unique program for students.

This is the second year OM home has donated items to their annual benefit and silent auction, last year we had multiple bids and the winning bid was over $300.

We're so thrilled to be a part of this and we hope this year will be even better!

As seen on HGTV!

2007-10-15T09:54:00.000-04:00

The incredibly nice and talented color forecaster, Catherine B Stein from The Color Council, stopped by our booth at the NYIGF in August. During a phone interview sometime later, we spoke about everything from color to Aurora Borealis to the colors in Aurora Borealis, it was a real pleasure to speak with her.

It was an even bigger pleasure to see the posting on Caren Baginski's HGTV design blog this morning, New York International Gift Fair: Asian Style. What a thrill, thanks Catherine and Caren!

Etsy Buy: Ceramic Owls

2007-10-12T10:28:00.000-04:00

While I was away visiting family in New Jersey, I received my next etsy purchase, lovely Ceramic owls from Fruit Fly Pie out of Tabor City, North Carolina. A popular shop with lots of vintage style ceramics and embroidered linens, Wendy, the crafter behind Etsy, was a pleasure to buy from!

Ceramic Owl Spoon Rest Vintage Design Spring Green, $14

Ceramic Owl Scrubby Holder or Ashtray 70s Orange, $9.99

I wanted something vintage, colorful and crafty for the kitchen to go with the scheme of our open concept living/dining/kitchen area and I think these are a great fit for the space. Sanj thinks they're too crafty for his taste, mainly because the brush strokes are visible and the glaze isn't opaque (unlike the picture) but we both love how unique and colorful the pieces are, a great addition to the space! Nicely done Wendy!

Poppytalk Handmade is Live!

2007-10-04T10:12:00.001-04:00

"Poppytalk Handmade is a monthly online street market to showcase, buy and sell handmade goods of emerging design talent from around the world."

Thanks to Jan at Poppytalk for including OM home in her first ever online market, we're very thrilled to be a part of such an amazing group of talented indy designers!

They're still working out a few kinks, but what I see so far looks really great, check out our table here!

Etsy Buy: The Spicy Pumpkin Scarflette

2007-10-04T09:59:00.000-04:00

Unlike the spicy pumpkin latte at Starbucks, this has no calories! Meredith, from SnipSnap Designs, is the creator of the lovely item and I was very happy with the whole process. Her packaging was so sweet too, I felt like I was opening a gift from a friend!

Only $16 for a unique, handmade, high quality scarflette? Thanks Meredith!

My First Etsy Buy: Chickadee Fabrics

2007-10-02T15:14:00.000-04:00

I received my first etsy purchase in the mail today from Chickadee Fabrics out of Virginia. I was happy to see the picture was very close to what I received and now that I learned how to use my sewing machine (thanks to Nathalie-Roze's Workshops), I can use it for curtains and a seat cover!

Thank you to Judy from Chickadee for making the process so painless, no wonder she has 100% positive feedback on Etsy, I'll definitely order from her again!

Mintu's Shop is Flooded!

2007-09-30T22:24:00.001-04:00

Just got word that Mintu's shop was flooded during last week's heavy rains in Kolkata. Because many of his artisans were celebrating Ramadan with their families back home in their villages, Mintu is continuing to fill orders with only a skeletal staff while he repairs his shop.

We're not sure of how extensive the damage is but we're glad to hear everyone is ok. I'll post more information as it comes!

One Year Anniversary at OM home

2007-09-14T17:48:00.000-04:00

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWEEEE.

I can't believe a year has passed since we officially launched OM home. What the? Seriously, so much has happened, I can't believe it's only been 12 months... let me just check my calendar.

...

...

Yep, one year since Grace posted this in her blog. What a ride it's been!

Last September, I wrote down five short-term but very specific goals for OM home in the areas of sales, marketing, product development and philanthropy. Leave it to me to lose said list and then somewhere along the line, forget about the list entirely. But, in a stroke of luck during all the packing and unpacking, I rediscovered the list and believe it or not, we had actually succeeded in reaching those goals in just 6 short months!

Needless to say, I am incredibly excited about all the plans we have in store for the coming year. Stay tuned for more details...

In the meantime, I'd like to extend my gratitude to our retailers, consumers, press, family and friends, thank you for your support and patronage.

OM home in the Blogs

2007-08-30T20:46:00.000-04:00

Thank you to everyone for their support of our new 4490 line and the bathroom from which the line is based.

Toronto Craft Alert
Moving to Toronto would be so much harder if it wasn't for the super nice blogger Jen and her chock full o' resources blog, Toronto Craft Alert. She was kind enough to post our tradeshow bulletin, Thanks Jen!

Poppytalk
Thanks also to Jan over at Poppytalk for her posting. Her continued support of OM home and other independent designers is amazing! She's taking it to the next level with her new venture, Poppytalk Handmade, a wonderful opportunity for people like me to get some exposure to her ever growing readership.

sfgirlbybay
The lovely Victoria over at sfgirlbybay was also kind enough to post our tradeshow announcement. A visit to her blog is worth it to see pictures of her beautiful apartment. Thanks for the posting, Victoria!

Thanks also to:

Browner Brown: A delightful blog by Elizabeth from Oakland, she has some great Etsy picks as well

Designed for Living: A very comprehensive blog that extends beyond design into clothing and food as well. I gotsta try one of her recipes

Kix Inredningskoll: A swedish blog, I don't know what it says, but it looks positive, lots! of! exclamation! points!!

OM home on GTA Yoga

2007-08-30T20:34:00.000-04:00

A very delayed thank you to Rajen over at the all new GTA yoga website for adding us to their yoga style page. This is a very comprehensive guide to all the GTA yoga studios, I think there are 10 studios just up the street from me so I imagine putting this guide together was exhausting! Hope they got a chance to unwind at one of the studios... hope I get a chance to unwind at one of them too.

*sigh*

OM home at NYIGF

2007-08-27T12:19:00.000-04:00

The NYIGF was an amazing experience! Being at the show was a proud moment for me, a testament to how far I've come and it was also an incredibly humbling experience for me, I have such a long way to go!

I was overwhelmed by the sheer number of people at the show, both exhibitors and attendees. But I took the time to walk the show a bit and I think meeting other designers was the real highlight for me. There are so many talented people out there, I felt honored to be a part of the crowd.

For the most part though, I stayed in my booth, we were right by the cafeteria so after lunch the booth was buzzing with activity! We had press and buyers come by and even some faces we recognize. Hmm, I think it was the painting that got everyone's attention as they walked by the booth!

Thank you to Sanj for taking the pictures (among soooooo many other things), check out more pictures from the show here. Thank you to Rohini, Sameet and Sangi for helping out as well!

I'm taking a trip to India in October to check in and can't wait for all the new sourcing opportunities there. We'll launch our new line of bedding and other exciting stuff at the next tradeshow so stay tuned for lots of exciting updates!

It's not all work!

2007-08-24T23:27:00.000-04:00

I sat down an hour ago to upload pictures from the NYIGF but I played hooky instead. Sanj and I just took a bike ride in the rain, it was wonderfully .... wet. Sometimes I need a reminder that it's not all about work.

So this weekend, don't rush inside if it's raining, enjoy a summer shower with someone you love.

Have a great weekend!

Sale at Etsy!

2007-08-24T13:56:00.001-04:00

We're selling off some of our inventory to make room for new ones! Check out our Etsy Shop for more information or to purchase the items!

Retro Mustang Mullen Street Pillows

14x14 Pillows for only $35 down from $60
18x18 Pillows for only $50 down from $80
One of our most popular pillows! Due to popular request, we're reissuing these pillows in a high quality linen. These pillows are made with a soft, plush cotton and hand embroidered with exquisite detail. Poly Filled Insert.

Natural Mullen Street Pillows
14x14 Pillows for only $35 down from $60
18x18 Pillows for only $50 down from $80
These pillows have sold very well for us but we're focusing the Mullen Street Line in a more Retro vibe (browns, oranges, beiges). These pillows are made with a soft, plush cotton and hand embroidered with exquisite detail. Poly Filled Insert.

Bright White Mullen Street Pillows 14x14 Pillows SOLD OUT
18x18 Pillows for only $50 down from $80
These pillows also sold very well for us but since we're refocusing the Mullen St line, these must go! Like before, these pillows are made with a soft, plush cotton and hand embroidered with exquisite detail. Poly Filled Insert.

Radio Interview!

2007-08-23T12:38:00.001-04:00

We're still recovering from the amazing experience we had at the NYIGF last week (photos to come), but I'm too excited to wait to post the radio interview I had yesterday with Dr Vidushi Babber on Voice Over America.

Since she's a doctor, much of her show focuses on women's health issues by sharing her own experiences and advice as well as those of her expert guests (not me). She also does a segment interviewing positive role models who have successfully balanced various aspects of their lives (me)!

Ironing pillows and shipping out orders is far from glamorous, so it was wonderful to step out of the daily grind of running a business and speak a little about the positive side of following my dreams. I am incredibly flattered to be considered a role model and thank Dr Babber for the opportunity!

I was so nervous before the show, I forgot to record it! Luckily, my doting father remembered, have a listen. Be sure to tune in next week at 10:45 EST for my dear friend Rachna Vohra's interview, she definitely fits the bill of a positive role model!

OM home on Design*Sponge

2007-08-04T16:09:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Grace for posting information about our new line! Thanks also to Desi Dish (formerly the Daily Desi), Cuteable, Indie Love and the Indie Guest for their posts a few weeks back!

NYIGF Preview

2007-08-02T17:48:00.001-04:00

I'm so excited about our new products, I just couldn't wait to post a little sneak preview. If you remember our bathroom ceiling mural, then these pillows will look familiar. Named after our apartment (number), we'll be officially launching the new luxury "4490" line at the NYIGF next week.

Here's a closeup view of the AMAZING artistry of zardozi embroidery. Dating back to the Mughal Empire via Persian influence, the thread is actually metallic!

If you're coming to the show, please come by and say hi, Handmade Lobby Booth 1D209, August 11-15 at the Jacob Javits Center. Check out the website for more information about the 4490 line. Hope you like!

OM home in Canadian Home and Country

2007-07-18T20:45:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Canadian Home and Country magazine for featuring me in their summer issue. OM home was listed in the first story, a milestone for us! We're especially grateful to be introduced to a whole new crowd, many thanks!

OM home in Flare

2007-07-17T17:59:00.001-04:00

Thanks to Flare magazine for featuring me in their must have section last month. I really like how they put the bright carmine rose C.C.F.C. pillow in their tropical section. It's a whole new setting to an old favorite. Thanks!

Marketing Tips

2007-07-11T16:04:00.000-04:00

Since my interview on the DesiConnect, I've received a lot of inquiries from fellow entrepreneurs for marketing tips. Rather then write everyone back individually, I thought I’d share my experiences here. I'm incredibly flattered by the response I've received since the interview and I'd like to thank the DesiConnect Magazine, especially Sheena Singh, for allowing me the forum to showcase OM home to my peers.

Although this is specifically geared towards designers based on my own experiences, hopefully it’s relevant to any small business owner. But be sure to research your specific industry to see how others gain momentum and don’t be afraid to contact people in comparable industries for advice as well. Chances are they’ll be flattered!

The advice I received from other entrepreneurs has been invaluable and continues to be eye opening. But I think it took me more than a year of stumbling around somewhat aimlessly to really absorb their insight: If you want to be taken seriously, you have to look serious.

Here's what I did:

1. Professional Pictures: For people in the design industry, this is perhaps the single most important marketing investment. Even if you have a very limited amount of money, make it a must! Also, make sure to take two sets of pictures, one with a white background and one in a setting. The two sets can work together on your website and for the media.

Tip: I went to the websites of local small businesses to find a photographer in the area and was very fortunate to discover Darren Curtis of Actaeon Photo, an awesome photographer with reasonable rates. Other people have put up fliers in trade schools to find talented students at very reasonable prices. There are a lot of affordable options!

2. Where to Buy: Media outlets won’t feature you unless there is an easy way for their readers to find your products. Either in a store or online, this one is crucial.

Tip: Etsy.com is a website for designers to sell their wares for a very modest fee. Even a fax order form on your website will go a long way. You don't have to spend a lot of money to jump start your business.

3. Website: This one isn’t vital but it helps (a lot). But you should definitely have a front page with a picture of your products, some contact info, links to press and how to buy.

Tip: There's no need to waste a lot of time and money building a fancy website, that can come as your company grows. Setting up a simple blog showcasing your company with links to an online shop on Etsy.com will be a manageable way to start up your business and give you the necessary online presence.

4. Press Release: Everyone is busy and people in the media are no exception. They receive dozens of inquiries a day so make it easier for them by doing some of the legwork. More likely than not, if you’re a small business owner your story is interesting. How did you get into business? When did you start learning your craft? What makes your company stand out?

Tip: Ask a friend what they admire about you, your business and your craft. Start telling people your story and see how they react, see what catches their attention and what doesn’t. You’ll be able to create a cohesive press release based on their feedback.

5. Marketing Kit: Create a compilation of your business card, pictures, press release, press pieces and any other promotional material into a folder and/or online. Media outlets often need information very quickly and you may not be able to keep up with the demand. If you already have an online section for them to access or a kit to send them, you’ll be prepared and they’ll be grateful.

Tip: If you’re creating an online section for the media, make a password protected section with hi-res images available. Make sure to include the name, color and price of the product as well. For a marketing kit, create a folder that stands out amongst the many other kits they receive. It can be fun and creative but make sure it still looks professional.

6. Target and Timing: Be sure to target your efforts to the right audience at the right time. If you create Christmas country wreaths don’t waste your time contacting Metropolitan Home in April, it’s just wasted time and you’ll have disappointing results.

Tip: Often, someone will love your stuff but may not be able to find the right fit for it at that particular time. If they've replied to you, don’t be afraid to contact them again in a few months or when you have new products, they might have a space for you!

7. Think Big but Start Small: It’s ok to start out in some of the local or smaller magazines or up and coming blogs and work towards the bigger outlets. It’s harder for magazines with large advertising budgets and corporate ownership to take a chance on an unknown artist. The smaller ones have more freedom and take chances, start there and you'll likely get positive results.

Finally, I am incredibly grateful for each and every person interested in my products or story, including other entrepreneurs, the media, stores, buyers, customers, family and friends. The feedback inspires me to continue and keeps me focused on growing my business. I’m never shy about my gratitude and express this freely to people I encounter. It is possible to be friendly and professional - it’s exciting to build a business! Make sure your personality and enthusiasm shines through every time you reach out to someone.

If you find this helpful or even if you don't, please drop me a note and I would be thrilled to hear how it's going for you.

Good luck!

OM home at EyeSpy Gifts

2007-07-01T22:22:00.000-04:00

We're super excited to have our first retail outlet in Toronto, EyeSpy Gifts. A super chic and colorful store combining Adler and Mid Century Modern with eclectic gifts and quirky books, Eye Spy stands out in the up and coming Leslieville. The ladies over at EyeSpy are super down to earth and design saavy, they all love the business which makes it a pleasure to be there.

They have a wide range of OM home pillows, so pay them a visit if you're in the Queen Street East area:
1100 Queen Street East
Toronto, ON M4M 1K8
416.461.4061

Happy Fourth of July and Canada Day!

It's almost July already?

2007-06-29T15:25:00.000-04:00

I feel like I went to sleep last night in May. I can't believe how fast time is flying by, it's almost July already!

We've been very busy here but more on that later... Right now I want to share the latest news at OM home, we'll be exhibiting at the New York International Gift Fair this August 11-15 in the Handmade Section, Booth 1D-209!

This has been a long term goal for OM home right from the start. I remember when I first started my research way back in 2002, I walked the aisles of the NYIGF in wonderment and awe, both inspired and intimidated by the number of talented independent designers exhibiting.

So to actually be in the show now is such a thrill for me. Wow. We'll be launching some exciting new products there and we hope to see you!

OM home on Hostess with the Mostess

2007-04-23T19:10:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Jennifer Sbranti over at the Hostess with the Mostess blog for her amazing graphic spread of OM home's surprise giveaway. Congratulations to Taylor for picking up a set of four OM home placemats!

Be sure to check out this hip hostess' new website with awesome entertaining ideas, great job!

Bon Appétit, Sweetspot for Chocolat, Home and Décor, Montréal Gazette

2007-04-23T13:49:00.000-04:00

WOW, we're incredibly thrilled with recent features in Bon Appétit, Sweetspot for Chocolat, Home and Décor and Montréal Gazette.

Thanks to the gang over at Bon Appétit who are super nice and down to earth. Getting a plug in their magazine was a huge milestone for us! An added bonus was their story on the Plateau section of Montreal in the same issue (this May).

Sweetspot was one of the first publications to feature us and we sincerely appreciate their continued support, thanks ladies!

Susan Semenak over at the Gazette did a great job of focusing on the human element of OM home and her story was much needed encouragement for me to continue on my path to help artisans in India and to revive a dying artform, thanks so much for the support.

Amy Tokic over at Home and Décor in Toronto featured OM home as a highlight at the IDS. US? a highlight? WOW, that is soooooooooooo cool. Thanks!

Rachna

2007-04-16T09:58:00.000-04:00

Every once in a while, you meet a person and immediately feel as though you've known that person for years. That's how I felt when I met Rachna.

Last year, we both attended the Yes Montreal business seminars aimed at budding entrepreneurs like us. While the seminar was helpful at the time, I admittedly don't remember much from the series. I was probably excited to have made my first friend in Montreal more than anything else.

Rachna Vohra is a dreamer and she dreams big. Fortunately, her tenacity and talent are a winning combination and she will surely realize whatever dream she sets her sights on, no matter how big.

Already on the road to living her dreams, Rachna spends her days as a technical writer for a large clothing company (which explains why she's always so well dressed) while building her ever growing editorial and translating business, S'apostrophe. All of this ties into one amazing thing: Her writing. Holy smack, this chick can write!

Rachna says, "I started writing when I could hold a pencil, and I started editing people's papers and projects when I was in grade school! I officially started my company in 2006 because I realized that proper grammar and spelling are lost in today's world. I can't read anything without editing it (even friends' emails!) and I am a writer at heart, so I thought to put it together and start up in this business. (and holding that red pen makes me feel so powerful - but that's a secret!)"

When she's not marking up other people's work (surely, this blog will need to be edited), she finds the time for her writing. Some of her work includes, The Distance Within and The Acorn and the Caterpillar and next month, Rachna will be a speaker the Kriti Festival, an event for South Asian Writers.

She's also got a huge heart. A few years back, she spent several months with the Parikrma Humanity Foundation teaching English to street, slum and orphaned children in India. Since then, she's joined the Make A Wish Foundation, donated proceeds of her book, The Acorn and the Caterpillar in memory of a friend as well as contributing to a book aimed at raising Breast Health Awareness. It's no wonder the United Divas website named her Diva of the Month!

She credits her parents for her unwavering drive to success and all creative dream seekers (and realizers) for her source of inspiration. She recalls an inspirational meeting with author and animator Jessi Thind, "It was wonderful to see a local writer stepping over boundaries and obstacles as if they were pebbles in the road. He encouraged me to start taking my writing to the next level...It was a wonderful feeling to become friends with a successful writer because it gave me the motivation I needed to believe that I could actually go somewhere with my passion."

And she has!

SIAL Montreal

2007-03-31T21:53:00.000-04:00

Last week, it was my turn to help Sanj out with his tradeshow, SIAL Montreal. I gained 5 pounds and skipped the gym to partake in the gluttonous wonderment that is a food show. I don't care, I got to see my husband in action and that was hot.

Speaking of hot, the talented and witty Chef Ali Hassan of Lime Catering, cooked up some spicy Moroccan Lamb on day 2. The aromas wafting from the booth during his three demonstrations were a real crowd pleaser and with promise of exotic foods, he successfully lured prospective buyers over. Even I got a chance to add my own flavor by creating the recipe cards! For three days, my sister in law Neige and I passed the cards (along with tamari almonds, curry and ginger beer samples) out to overstuffed but still curious passers-by.

But the real winners were Sanjeev and his brother Kamal. The first tradeshow for their second generation family business, Shah Trading and the unveiling of their new look, I was completely floored by the 300 sq feet (almost the same size as my old NYC apartment) booth they put together. I wasn't the only one impressed, these guys connected with big buyers (HUGE) and they did so with as much respect, confidence and humility as they did with little buyers. WOW. Great job guys, I learned a lot from you last week and was happy to be a part of it.

Off to the gym!

Tally

2007-03-29T08:41:00.000-04:00

A documentary filmmaker, an author, a radio producer and a really good cook, Tally Abecassis was one of the first people I met here in Montreal.

A longtime friend of Sanj's, Tally was my own private welcome wagon when I first moved here and her kind gesture helped me feel settled here. I'd always think, "Wow, I can't believe someone this cool is taking the time to welcome me here." Yeah, she's cool.

Since graduating from Concordia in 1996, Tally has worked on various film, TV and radio projects. Some of her current and recent work includes:
-- A long term documentary on small stores, "Think Big"
-- Directing a few episodes for a new French documentary series by local creatives at Urbania magazine, UrbaniaTV
-- Several radio pieces for the CBC
-- Curating "This Really Happened", a bi-monthly non-fiction reading series
-- An engaging book on Barbershops with amazing photographs that's been receiving excellent reviews

-- A major achievement in her professional life was the documentary film she wrote and directed, Lifelike. A quirky film on a quirky topic, Lifelike delves into the world of taxidermy by following the lives of four taxidermists and one customer. From InformAction, "Funny, touching, and sometimes just plain absurd, Lifelike will make you think twice about human nature and our relationship with animals." Lifelike quickly caught on in the filmmaking world and her movie was featured in several film festivals around North America

One of my dream projects is to do a video press kit for OM home with Tally. A piece on the often wacky production process of OM home's textiles, including some history on the art of Alpona. Hmmmm, someday. In the meantime, Tally's next major documentary piece, Radio Waves will focus on children in West Africa; how they see their lives and their future. For this documentary, Tally traveled solo to Burkina Faso to gather some initial data, we were all very inspired by her diligence and creativity-- we are all very inspired.

In the spirit of this blog entry, I've asked Tally to send me some information about someone that inspires her. She wrote me about Marci Denesiuk, her friend and colleague. Tally writes,
"Marci Denesiuk is my wonderful friend and a wonderful writer. Marci is always pushing herself creatively to try new things. For the launch of her book she put together a quirky claymation film (very hard to do!) to accompany her readings. It was hilarious and a great way to change the dynamics of a reading. And of course, her writing is beautiful."

Thanks Tally, I'll miss you in Toronto!

OM home on Apartment Therapy

2007-03-27T12:12:00.000-04:00

Thanks so much to Lisa over at San Fransisco's Apartment Therapy and to AT reader Kizha, for posting a photo of our bathroom! If you'd like to learn more about our apartment, including sourcing, we've put together a list here.

Lots of people have been writing us about the bathroom ceiling for a stencil of the pattern. Besides being completely flattered, I'm also intrigued. I'm looking into sourcing for the stencil and will keep everyone posted.

SOLD!

2007-03-27T00:04:00.000-04:00

To everyone for their genuine appreciation of our apartment and the few inquiries that came our way for those that are looking to move, we are truly flattered, thank you.

Yesterday, we accepted an offer from a young Parisian guy who really loved the space, we hope he enjoys it as much as we have. We got the price we wanted and feel fortunate to have sold the property so quickly. We're also relieved to have this off of our plates so we can focus on our move (well, we won't actually start packing until the last minute because we tend to procrastinate, but it seemed like the thing to write) and the next stage of our lives.

But we're really going to miss it here! We spent most of yesterday walking around the Plateau, people watching, croissant eating, shoe shopping (couldn't help myself), meeting up with Sanj's brother and his wife (Dixx and Neige) and I really felt thankful that I had the opportunity to live in such a funky, young, artsy, easy going area that inspired me everyday (except the really cold days, that made me cranky mostly). Our move out date is officially May 31 and we hope to enjoy our hood as much as possible before then.

Merci beaucoup Montreal, you will be missed.

Toca Imports

2007-03-22T17:46:00.000-04:00

Beautiful Montreal, a city I've called home for the last year and a half and a city I've come to love not only for the beautiful architecture, fashion forward women, yummy bagels and the low cost of living but for the awesome friends I've made and the family (Sanj's) that's become my own.

In honor of Montreal, I'm going to post bi-weekly about local entrepreneurs that I've met, admired or patronized during my time here.

My first posting is about a jewelry import business, Toca Imports that I first discovered last summer at a local shop. Imported from jewelry designers in Brazil, Montreal based owner Liliana Turecki has assembled a full range of jewelry to suit any style or budget. Liliana sent over some images yesterday of some new pieces that I think are gorgeous!

I love the colors and concept behind Sonia Coelho's BAI line of jewelry. Made from recycled materials like paper and fabric, Sonia creates colorful works of art! Starting at $40 CAD, her products can be found locally at Quelles Sensations on Sherbrooke or via Toca's website.

OM home on Design*Sponge and Product Sourcing

2007-03-21T13:27:00.000-04:00

Thanks soooooooooo much to Grace at Design*Sponge for posting our apartment on her blog yesterday. We are really touched by her kind words and overwhelmed by all the positive feedback. Who knew? We certainly didn't! *blush*

As most of you already know, we're relocating to Toronto so we had Darren Curtis take these awesome apartment shots during our photo shoot for OM home's new products. Don't hesitate to contact me if you'd like more specific information on the property.

We've been getting lots of emails from people asking us about different pieces in our apartment so I thought a list of references would make it more readily available. We took a lot of trips to area second hand stores and purchased items on our travels, so my apologies for some of the vague references. If I've missed anything please contact me and I'll be sure to post it. Hope the information helps!

Thanks again to everyone for their kind words, it means a lot to us!

ENTRY

The entryway was a spur of the moment weekend project last summer. This space is on it's own floor so we kept it black and white to offset all the colors in the rest of the house. SOURCES: Coat Hooks: Harry, G Bench (spray painted black): West Elm (circa 2002), Wall mural and Bottom Framed Drawing: Me!, Chandelier: Urban Outfitters, Yellow hat: J. Crew, Top Drawing: Street artist on Queen St, Toronto, Curtains: IKEA, Walls: Benjamin Moore Simply White Semi Gloss (2143-70), Mural: Home Depot Black Enamel Paint

LIVING ROOM The main living area is a constant evolution for us as it’s usually the initial resting space for all of our new purchases. SOURCES: Chair in the back nook: A hand me down from Sanj's folks! , TV: A gift from my folks (Both sets of parents have donated to the space so I had to get them both in to be diplomatic)! , Other furniture: A second hand store in the Mile End area, name TBA , Painting above the fireplace: Street artisan in New Delhi, India , Pillows: OM home , Photographs on Bookshelves: Sanj! , Book on the Coffee Table: Barbershops, Wedding photograph on Mantel: my sister-in-law Anita, Walls: Benjamin Moore Simply White Semi Gloss (2143-70)

DINING ROOM

We love the extra cabinetry we built into the dining room side of the kitchen counter. Because of the extra storage, we didn't have to crowd the area with a credenza. We heart the table. SOURCES: Dining Table: We've gotten some inquiries about the custom made table in our dining room. If you're interested in getting one made, feel free to contact me, Chairs: A second hand store in the Mile End area, name TBA , Clock and frame: Local second hand stores (amazing what you find if you keep hunting) , Table Runner: a piece of Americana for when I’m homesick: Antique store in New York near the Canadian border, Vases: IKEA and West Elm, Red painting: Street artisan in Buenos Aires, Argentina , Antique Cabinet: Abhishek Accessories Store, Kolkata (I think?), Walls: Benjamin Moore Simply White Semi Gloss (2143-70)

KITCHEN By far our largest remodel, we started last year after our honeymoon and finished 5 long weeks later. We're very happy with the way the bottom cabinets soften the rest of the space. SOURCES: Cabinets: Covered with walnut veneer by a local artisan friend, a different (and fairly cheap) way to update cabinets , Bottom Cabinets: Benjamin Moore Nacho Cheese (2018-40) , White Shelves: West Elm , Magnetic Spice Holders: Bed Bath & Beyond , Lighting: Local secondhand store , Storage rack above stove: IKEA, Walls: Benjamin Moore Simply White Semi Gloss (2143-70)

BATHROOM

I freehand sketched and painted the ceiling when I first move to Montreal, I suppose as a way to mark my new territory! The vanity was custom made to match the kitchen but we added one of my designs onto the vanity and mirror to make it more fun. Now it’s my favorite room in the apartment. SOURCES: Bathroom vanity: A local artisan friend built the vanity and mirror from my designs and specs. I've actually received several emails about this piece... We can custom make a similar piece (or other piece of furniture) for you, contact me to discuss details! Walls: Benjamin Moore Simply White Semi Gloss (2143-70), Ceiling: Betonel Teal (8612 M) closest Benjamin Moore match is Teal Blast (2039-40)

BEDROOM

We love waking up in this room every morning because it’s so bright and airy. By keeping the room simple and clutter free, the warm woods are able to contrast well with any colorful accessories we put in the room. SOURCES: Wood Furniture: A second hand store in the Mile End area, name TBA, Bed: West Elm, "Peter Hvidt" daybed (closest find to what we have, the back is removed): A second hand store in the Mile End area, name TBA , Hanging Lamps: Bombay Kids , Right lamp and frame: Local secondhand stores , Handmade Paper: Au papier Japonais , Blue Mirrored light: Spoutnik , Retro Reproduction Stereo: TEAC, Walls: Benjamin Moore Mirage White Hi Gloss (2116-70)

UPSTAIRS OFFICE

This is where you’ll usually find me working on OM home, either on the drafting table or in front of the computer. Growing up, my father’s office was orange, so it only made sense to make this space orange too!SOURCES: Handmade Paper: Au papier Japonais , Antique Chinese Table: Tola , Orange Cabinets: CB2 , Orange Accessories: Hold Everything (defunct) , An original Joe Colombo Boby Storage Cart next to the drafting table, they have started production of these carts again: Spacify , Couch: A store in NYC on the SW corner of 30th and Park near my old apartment. The manager was extremely rude to his employee while I was picking out the fabrics. I’ll never go back there again and never recommend them to anyone , Mini Storage Unit on left: Target, Walls: Benjamin Moore Simply White Semi Gloss (2143-70)

Meg's Call for Submissions in Toronto

2007-03-16T11:42:00.000-04:00

Jen over at Toronto Craft Alert and Irene over at Bloesem have been kind enough to help me on my quest to find other home stylings with an ethnic twist.

Meg Mateo Ilasco over in California is working on a book showcasing the homes of everyday people who have successfully incorporated their culture into their homes. Sanj and I are super super excited to be a part of this and feel very fortunate to have the chance to share our rich heritage with others.

In order to make the trip north of the border more fruitful, if there are other homes in the Greater Toronto Area (we'll be in Toronto by the time she starts her trek) that might fit the bill, check out Meg's Call for Submissions or send her an email!

Thanks again!

OM home Gets to Make a Wish Come True!

2007-03-12T14:27:00.000-04:00

The lovely and talented Rachna Vohra joined Make a Wish Foundation recently and helped a child in need fulfill a wish.

Sweetly, the child's one wish was to have her parent's bedroom redecorated because they couldn't afford furniture and were sleeping on the floor. The foundation was kind enough to decorate the child's room (see picture).

I feel very lucky to have been asked to donate a C.C.F.C. Bolster to the cause and frankly, would have done whatever they asked of me for such a sweet and inspiring little girl! Thanks Rachna for including me in such a wonderful cause.

While being a part of the design community is wonderful, being a part of the volunteer community is even more wonderful (and addicting). Last October, I was lucky enough to be a part of a silent auction for the East Harlem School Annual Benefit and OM home products raised $300 for the school. I hope they ask me again for this year's benefit! Speaking of EHS, if you're free tomorrow night and in the New York area, EHS is holding their annual Poetry Slam to raise money for their school, should be fun!

OM home on Trunkt Blog

2007-03-12T10:28:00.000-04:00

Trunkt was kind enough to post a write up about OM home on their blog! Trunkt was also recently listed in Zagat's, how cool is that?!

Thank You!

2007-03-08T20:49:00.000-05:00

Thank you to the design community for the wonderful comments pouring in from all over the world about our apartment. I'm overwhelmed by what people have been saying. Wow.

When I did the mural on the ceiling, I had just moved up to Montreal and really missed my family and friends. Alpona designs, which I've based the patterns from, are usually painted on the floors. Because I felt a little like my life turned upside down, somehow painting the ceiling was a way to make me feel at home in an unknown city. Now it's as refreshing as a summer day (especially good during the Montreal winters) and Sanj and I will be really sad to leave our comfortable nest.

But we are also really excited to start the next phase of our lives! On Wednesday, we found THE house of our dreams and after an emotional afternoon of imagining our future together, we feel very fortunate that our offer was accepted! The house itself has wonderful bones and doesn't need any major work on it (thankfully) but I can already see some nooks, crannies and ceilings that wouldn't mind a personal touch!

The New Pad

Clockwise from top left: Front of the house, main living area, upstairs
sun room and master bedroom. Photos are courtesy of Sutton Realty

Thanks again to everyone, it's very touching to hear people respond so positively to my work. If anyone decides to paint their ceilings, please send me a picture, I would love to see it!

Some Blog Mentions!

2007-03-06T20:28:00.000-05:00

Got some sweet blog mentions over the last few days:

Susan over at art esprit, OM home
Holly over at Decor8, OM home New products
Jan over at Poppy, OM home for Spring
Terra over at Love My Earth, Spring and New Beginnings
Jen at Toronto Craft Alert, IDS Coverage and Blog Love
Mel at Mighty Nice, In my spare time
Audrey at Bijou Kaleidescope, What you can do to Add some Pizazz above you

Thanks so much to all of you for the kind words and support, it makes running a small business a little bit easier and a whole lot sweeter.

OM home at Trunkt in NY

2007-03-06T10:36:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to let New Yorkers know, our products can now be found at:
Trunkt
393 Greenwich Street
New York, New York 10013
212.625.2997
betw N. Moore and Beach Streets.

For those in Brooklyn, we have some products at:
FABRICA
619 Vanderbilt Ave
Brooklyn, NY
718.398.3831

Pictures of Our Apartment

2007-03-05T13:12:00.000-05:00

We're moving to Toronto soon and will be sad to leave our little apartment that's been home to me for the last year and a half and 7 years (off and on) for Sanjeev. I asked Darren to document our apartment this weekend while he was here taking shots of my new products. We're really going to miss this house!

Our Entry This space is on it's own floor so we kept it B&W to offset all the colors in the rest of the house. We used "Harry" hooks and I painted the mural on the wall.

Living Room Always filled with light, this is our main living area. We've filled the space with splashes of color, including a painting over the mantel that we picked up from a street artisan in Delhi during our honeymoon. All the way in the corner by the window is a somewhat kitschy represenation of Saraswati, the Hindu Goddess of knowledge, music and creative arts.

Kitchen and MezzanineWe redid our kitchen February by getting new corian and granite countertops and having a local artisan walnut veneer our cabinets with one long horizontal strip of veneer. Although you can't see it in this picture, the bottom cabinets are painted Benjamin Moore's Nacho Cheese color, a deep yellow/orange color that warms up the space. The lighting and frame were vintage finds and Sanj bought the red painting from a young artisan in Argentina. We designed the table and had it custom made here in Montreal. In the back is the door to our bedroom and upstairs is my office space and a lounge area. There are lots of pillows and fabrics in the office and bedroom, so I didn't post those spaces *blush*.

Bathroom

We had our vanity and mirror custom made locally from my designs. The ceiling design is another take on alpona that I painted one day when I first arrived here in Montreal. A way to make the space feel like home. Our first purchase as husband and wife was the washer/dryer set. Coming from a small apartment in New York with questionable laundry facilities, this was a momentous occasion for me and I refuse to cover it or hide it.

Birthday Wish for my Wonderful Husband.

2007-03-05T12:43:00.000-05:00

You are my favorite person in the world and I feel lucky to be your wife. Your positive outlook on life is always an inspiration to me and I am extremely grateful to have that influence in my life.

You have my utmost respect, admiration and love and I look forward to living out the rest of my life with you. Happy Birthday Sanjeev, I hope all your birthday wishes come true.

New Products at the IDS

2007-03-05T09:47:00.000-05:00

Darren Curtis over at Actaeon Photo came by this weekend to take some shots of our new products. The Tolly line, named after the Tollygunge club in Kolkata is a more sublime line in our collection, in honor of the acres and acres of green found at the club. You can find more information regarding our products at OM home products. Here are some of the shots:

Tolly Pillows in Avocado and Almond

Tolly Napkin in Avocado, Tolly Placemat in Walnut

Tolly Pillow in Walnut and Lime Green

Tolly Pillow in Lime Green and New Market Pillow in Bachelor Blue

Interior Design Show Update

2007-02-23T22:41:00.000-05:00

Things have been really exciting here in Toronto during the Interior Design Show. The press has been super warm (including a TV plug), other exhibitors really supportive and interest from the stores has been overwhelming! I'll write more (including information on our new products) when I get home (and some sleep) but I just couldn't wait to post up some pictures of the booth.

Toronto Craft Alert

2007-02-20T11:00:00.000-05:00

Jen over at Toronto Craft Alert was kind enough to announce our booth (Studio North, Booth 1) at the Interior Design Show to her readers... Have a look at the posting!

dbO Home

2007-02-08T15:43:00.000-05:00

I also contacted Dana over at dbO Home earlier this week for some information on Trunkt and wanted to post her work here as well. She creates ceramic home accessories with a real organic look. I love her colors, shapes and embossing work. Amazing!

Have a look at her website: dbO Home

Shevon Gant Ceramics

2007-02-08T15:32:00.000-05:00

I first contacted Shevon Gant earlier this week to ask her about Trunkt. She's super nice and her work is beautiful! She's a Brooklyn Based ceramic artist and I really love the way she softens up her work with the ribbons. What a unique feature to her work!

Check out her website to see more of her work: Shevon Gant Ceramics

OM home at David Smith & Co

2007-02-08T14:50:00.000-05:00

We're very excited to be working with the wonderful people at David Smith & Co all the way in Seattle, Washington. They carry several of our products, so please visit them if you're in the area! David Smith & Company is located at 1107 Harrison Street in Seattle, 206.223.1598 or visit their website.

Premier Member on Trunkt!

2007-02-06T15:41:00.000-05:00

We're very excited to be a premier member of Trunkt. Membership is by invitation only and our products will soon be on sale directly through both their online store and their brick and mortar store in Tribeca. More details to come! In the meantime, check out my page on their site!

OM home in Chocolat Magazine

2007-02-05T23:23:00.000-05:00

Mélanie Pratte over at Chocolat Magazine online was kind enough to feature me in her article on cozy cushions to buy online. Here's the article, thanks Mélanie!

OM home in LOULOU, en francais

2007-02-01T23:34:00.000-05:00

LOULOU featured OM home in their French version's January/February edition! The same article from December's English issue translated into French. Check it out here. Merci Beaucoup!

More Awesome Blog Mentions!

2007-02-01T22:57:00.000-05:00

OM home had the honor of three more blog mentions in the last day. It's so exciting to be received so well by the design community, thank you!

Here they are:
Pinky Brown & Jenn, she also has another great blog that I visit everytime I need an Anthropologie fix, Craving Anthropologie

Toronto Craft Alert is a wealth of information for crafters, independent designers and design lovers alike. Since we're moving to Toronto in a few months, this site has been invaluable to me in getting ready for the move! She was nice enough to list me in her "buy local" links, cool!

Love My Earth from a blogger in BC, her slideshow shots are so beautiful!

Visit OM home at the IDS Feb 22-25, Studio North Booth 1

2007-01-31T12:51:00.000-05:00

Just got the IDS07 Show Guide and posted it because I'm super excited about the trade show. OM home will be debuting a new line of products at the show so please come visit us, Booth 1, Studio North Section.

For more information: Interior Design Show. Stay tuned, we'll post some previews of our new line right before the show.

OM home on Poppytalk!

2007-01-31T11:25:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Jan over at poppytalk for the awesome posting on her blog. She's got a great sense of design and I feel honored to be amongst some other fabulous designers. Thanks again Jan!

OM Sweetspot home!

2007-01-30T12:38:00.000-05:00

Sweetspot.ca listed us nationally yesterday and they said the nicest things about OM home, have a look. As a result, visits to our website have skyrocketed. What a wonderful honor and opportunity for OM home, thanks again!

On a side note, today is my parent's 40th wedding anniversary. My parents are wonderful, supportive people, not to mention my best friends. Through thick and thin, they have only gotten stronger. Happy anniversary, thank you for being awesome parents! I love you both very much!

Etsy

2007-01-25T10:31:00.000-05:00

I stumbled upon the Etsy shop after seeing products from their site all over the blogwaves. What a great opportunity for emerging designers to post their wares. So, that's just what I did: Have a look.

Listed on Trunkt!

2007-01-22T16:59:00.000-05:00

OM home just got listed on the Trunkt.org website, a popular site for independent design. Check it out, here, How exciting!

Namaskar!

2007-01-19T12:14:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year and thank you for visiting our blog! We hope you’ll take some time to check out our website: OM home.

We have been very busy at OM home since launching in September, 2006. Our website is finally done and we’re accepting orders from the United States and Canada. Look for us at the Interior Design Show in Toronto from February 22-25, 2007 at the Direct Energy Centre, for more info, Click here.

Thank you to all the people who have received us so well over the last few months. We’re thrilled that so many people like our story and our products. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank some people who have really helped move this company forward: Paul Phoa for teaching me how to really understand color, Sumit Roy for ghost-writing, Darren Curtis for the amazing photographs, Alive Pro Studios for helping me with the website development, Sujata Guhathakurta for coordinating the product line in India, Grace Bonney at Design*Sponge for posting an amazing blog entry on OM home and last but certainly not least, Sanjeev Shah for believing in OM home (and me).

To show our gratitude to our customers, the first 25 retail orders from our website will receive a 20% discount (to be refunded after check out)!

Thank you!
Oorbee Roy