Indian Selections

…bringing India to you

Lehenga – The Perfect Attire of Indian Brides

Posted by indianselection on May 30, 2012

An Indian wedding is, more or less, a festival in itself! The stunning décor, the bright colors, the dazzling lights, the ‘shehnai’, the abundance of flowers and the fragrant spices – it looks like something that has jumped right out of a fairy tale book. It goes without saying that the wedding day is the most important day in a woman’s life and it is of paramount interest that she looks absolutely stunning. And it is only fair that at an affair as lavish as an Indian wedding, the attire of the bride is nothing short of amazing. Even though, every part of India has a different wedding dress deep rooted in the regional culture, ‘Ghagra choli’ or ‘Lehenga’ has been accepted as the most common form of wedding dress by the Indian women in recent times.

There can be no denial to the obvious fact that Indian fashion has seen some massive changes in the last century. However, ‘lehenga’ has somehow managed to retain its charm. Elegant – that is the word that comes to your mind when you see a woman clad in a gorgeous ‘lehenga’. It is one of the most beautifully crafted garments in the Indian bridal wear and comes in stunning fabrics like chiffon, silk, crepe, net and brocade. When it comes to the styles of wedding lehengas, Indian brides have a wide variety to choose from. While the traditional ghagras still come with an elbow-length or full-sleeved blouse and an overly round skirt, over the years, new styles and patterns of this dress have also emerged.

It must be mentioned here that modern fashion designers aim at making the fashionable Indian bride look like a traditional yet modern woman of substance. And that is why they have started thinking out of the box. Today’s lehengas come in a variety of colors, materials, styles and embroidery work. While there are the fancier ones like georgette lehenga, satin or net lehenga in fish cut, mermaid style, there are also short-length or a crepe lehengas available with a fancy ‘neemzari’ choli. Indian brides are very fond of lehengas that have a maroon short top heavily, embroidered with thread work with a green or beige maroon combination skirt with full zardosi and kundan work.

Posted in ethnic Indian attire, Indian national garment, traditonal clothes | Leave a Comment »

How to Care for Velvet Curtains

Posted by indianselections on May 20, 2012

Add a touch of elegance to any room with the soft, plush texture and rich, deep colors of velvet curtains. Plus, the heavy weight of velvet keeps out extra light and provides maximum privacy, making them the perfect curtains for bedrooms. However, this elegant three-dimensional fabric requires special care when used as window curtains. Read this guide for the basics of caring for your new velvet curtains.

Caring for Velvet Curtains:

Opening and closing: You should always use a string or rod to open and close your velvet curtains; too much hand contact will bruise and crush the texture of the pile, and, eventually, you will be able to see handprints where you grab your blackout curtains to pull them back.

Cleaning and washing: Because velvet is a delicate pile fabric, your velvet curtains should almost always be taken to professional dry cleaners for cleaning. Velvet curtains designated as washable should be hand-washed or put in a washing machine’s gentle or hand-wash cycle in hot water with gentle soap and dried slowly on a padded hanger or in a tumble dryer. If in doubt, take your velvet curtains to a professional cleaner. As a general rule of thumb, you should have your velvet curtains dry cleaned about once every 12 months, although this varies depending on daily use and maintenance.

Maintenance: Gentle brushing and vacuuming is usually fine for dust. Brush or vacuum in the direction of the pile to maintain the texture of the velvet. If spot cleaning is required, gently scrape any soil or mop any liquid from the velvet and be cautious when using soap or detergent and water. Using water to remove soap residue after the spot cleaning can lead to over-wetting, water-marking and other stains or damage. Always test on a hidden area before cleaning visible spots.

Removing creases and bruises: When you take proper care of velvet curtains, creasing and bruising is generally infrequent; however, when it does occur, a light steaming to the back of the velvet can restore the velvet’s original texture and look. Make sure the water does not contact velvet curtains designated as “dry clean only.”

Storing: If you decide to change window curtains for a season or holiday, follow these storing guidelines to keep your velvet curtains looking fresh for the next time you use them. It is preferable to roll your velvet curtains for storage rather than fold them to avoid creasing and bruising. Roll with the pile on the inside and in the same direction as the pile. If folding is the only storage option, place tissue paper between the folds to support the pile and reduce creasing and bruising.

Posted in Home Furnishing, How to | Leave a Comment »

Bring the Elegance of Raw Silk Curtains to Your Home

Posted by indianselection on May 19, 2012

Indian raw silk curtainsAh! It’s spring finally. Time to bring some freshness to your home! Add a bit of color to the living room and style will follow automatically. Are you worried that you neither have enough money nor enough time to invest in the redecoration of your place? Do not worry. Just manage a little bit here and there, think cleverly and you will have enough resources art your hand to give your home a new look in a jiffy. And that too without draining out your pockets! What do you think about raw silk Indian curtains?

For centuries, raw silk curtains have been considered a symbol of wealth and elegance. In the past, only well-to-do families had the privilege of using such materials. While those days are long gone and now everybody can afford raw silk curtains, one thing that has not changed is the silk’s quality of elegance. It is this quality that has led silk to be highly regarded in the interior design industry. In fact, the popularity of these items is so high that sometimes embroidered raw silk curtains are priced more than a few thousand pounds.

Indian raw silk curtainIn India raw silk generally signifies completely hand woven pure silk. Here it is called matka silk. It is significantly heavy in weight and thus, creates good fall for curtains. It is because of this weight that raw silk is considered to be a perfect material for drapes. Well, besides the obvious fact that it can give a touch of royalty to your interiors. Matka silk has a beautiful shiny luster that makes it a wonderful choice for many furnishing applications. Besides curtains, it is also used for making cushion covers, table covers and wall hangings.

Raw silk curtains might be the most ‘in’ thing in the international market right now, but in India the material is widely used for making upholstery, wall coverings, and window treatments.  Sometimes, it is mixed with other fabrics to produce different kinds of rugs, bedding and wall hangings. Indian raw silk curtains are available in various shades and styles. They are often decorated with embroidery and embellishments like mirrors and beads. So what are you waiting for? Think of your room décor and take your pick!

Posted in Home Furnishing, Raw Silk Curtains | Tagged: , , , | Leave a Comment »

Made to measure Blackout Curtains and Drapery @ indianselections.com

Posted by indianselections on May 17, 2012

While many of us enjoy the sunshine, sometimes there are reasons for rooms to be kept dark during the daylight hours. The most common reason for darkened daytime rooms is to allow for comfortable and restful sleep. Whether the sleeper is a night time worker that sleeps during the day, a baby that rests better without the light shining in or someone who is sick and needs dark to rest well, there are many reasons for keeping a room dark for part of the day. Blackout curtains are the perfect solution, as they can be set up to truly block out 90% of the light coming in the windows.
At Indian Selections our blackout curtains are much heavier than the average curtain in order to give you the darkness when you want it. Our curtains are specifically designed for nurseries and children’s rooms to help those little ones get a restful nap during the day, and block out night time lights, as well.
If you are looking for blackout drapes that can be both energy saving and light blocking, look no further than Indian Selections.

Posted in Home Furnishing | Tagged: | Leave a Comment »

 
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