M&R: A Creative Journey Scripted in Block Prints…

A BIG hello to my people! Hope you all loved the 2nd edition of Spring styling by the Instagram Divas last month. If not, the link is here. And while you reinvigorate yourself with a hot cuppa in Reshma’s wonderland Spring garden and feast your imagination with the eye-popping yellow chrysanthemums from Honey’s living room, I want to tell you a story…

Once upon a time, there were two little girls, living happily, far away from the humdrum of city life, in Shillong, or as it is popularly known – ‘Scotland of the East’. Post the completion of their higher studies from Kolkata, the girls moved to India’s Silicon Valley – Bangalore for pursuing their respective careers. Job, marriage, family – with all their major milestones achieved, these two ladies were still looking for something to satiate their creative appetite. That’s when M&R was born.

Meet the talented duo behind this absolutely creative venture – Reema Saravanan and Mohua Dey. Both ladies have their roots in one of the cleanest and most beautiful north eastern states of our country and have imbibed the best of the Meghalayan culture – in terms of aesthetics, decor sensibilities, imagination, and entrepreneurship.

Reema and Mohua began their entrepreneurial voyage by participating in flea markets with their hand stitched cushion covers and runners; however they soon realised that either their choice of prints were in short supply or they were pricey. That’s when they decided to do their own prints to have more flexibility and experimentation. Their first project didn’t go down so well but for their second deployment, they did a lot of homework from fabric selection to cost analysis to print design decisions which took a month! Mohua says – “The artisans made the designs come to life with the creation of blocks. It was an absolute magic to see a piece of wood getting converted to an exotic block.”

Block printing is not as easy as it sounds – right from mixing colours to procure the perfect ‘mera wala blue’ or ‘tera wala pink’ to getting the precision of block placement right, its a journey that Reema and Mohua live with every project. Scroll down to see some of their completed projects –

The ladies executed a slew of projects in 2018. While all of them will always be special to them, one of them definitely takes the cake. And since it was a long distance project based out of Nashik (Maharashtra), they used to have lot of weekend calls with the client. Her ask was to create something quirky for her home. That’s when Reema suggested to convert Jamini Roy prints into blocks and the rest as they say, was a party. The colours for the wooden blocks were chosen from a vibrant jharokha adorning the client’s living room. Take a look below as to how amazingly and effortlessly these unconventional Jamini Roy printed blinds, cushions, and runners blend with Bhakti’s eclectic home and reflect her personality. (Image credit: Bhakti Achara)

*Jamini Roy prints go beautifully with Meenal’s Kamdhenu artwork*

I first met Reema when she came home to pick up a few tiles for her home (she stays very close to where I live). And I had been following her Instagram page for quite sometime and marvelling over their handmade runners and cushions. But it was Bhakti’s home furnishings that sealed the deal for me.

I had been looking to change my living room curtains for quite sometime – I had no choice you see. Little Miss A had made gaping holes in the diaphanous sheer curtains which were big enough for a full grown person to pass through! And I wanted something uniquely handcrafted but also durable at the same time. That’s when I roped in these two women for their expertise. They clearly understood my requirements – Persian motifs on an off-white/beige fabric in bright colours, preferably red and green. And once the design was chosen, it was hardly a matter of time before they customised it for my home! Take a look…

Aren’t they just absolutely gorgeous? Since the span of the sliding doors is almost 20 feet, I wanted something off-white to complement my home and also to evoke a sense of space; I have always loved neutral walls since the veneer woodwork is dark walnut; it gives me scope to play around with the wall decor. And the curtains also being in the same shade, are amalgamating so beautifully with my decor and tying up all the elements cohesively. I was so so pleased and emotional with the entirety of this beauty that I almost crushed Reema and Mohua with my hugs. That’s them posing with their newly deployed curtains!

https://instagram.com/mnrdecor?igshid=96fkr8fd3y04When it comes to creativity, I have always believed in work ethic and being honest – there’s no other way around it. When I met Reema and Mohua, it was like talking to another me. They both have been extremely open to ideas while understanding my requirements, been diligent about updates, finished off the project within the committed timeline, and have an exceptional work ethic. I was really pleased with their professionalism. I wish both of them and their stunning M&R venture all the best for their future endeavours. You can follow M&R Decor on Instagram and Facebook Before I sign off, I leave you with these gorgeous images from their handcrafted upholstery range. Have a great week ahead you all…(Do drop in your comments about the blog in the section below. I go through them every single time 🙂 Best…

https://www.facebook.com/CushionHarbour/