Let's not get mindless and pick it all. The shopping experience is all about visceral impulses to possess. The Like it - Love it - Gotta have it reflex. After all, humankind as we know is "Hunter & gatherer".
But there are a few things that are genuinely covetable. And you would love them even after the novelty is over. Hopefully for many seasons to come.
So here's my list of the fabulous five.
A good tureen
There is serveware, and then there are tureens. Every time you use them, they effortlessly take the centerstage on the table display. If they are from a genius maison like Richard Ginori or Herend, the details will boggle you. I'm the kind of person who is enthralled by the minute details that you notice the fifth time you are using it, like the veins on leaves at top of the cover.
An acoustic instrument
In a time where sound can be streamed from tiny phones to their bluetooth speakers, the timelessness of an acoustic instrument is not undermined. Acoustic instruments are a testament to purity and genius. Pure wood, metal and leather - all amalgamated to create the finest sensation known to us. The precise calculations that their creator had to consider, all just to create an art.
It could be a piano, tabla, guitar, saxophone, harp, sitar or cello.
A genuine reed diffuser
It's no secret that I'm a big Doctor Vranjes fan. I love small ateliers that specialize in what they make, and don't digress from their central philosophy, much like P&L. It is said that olfactory sense is most strongly linked to our memory. I feel that a properly chosen fragrance for the room can presage the decor of the room. Every fragrance comes with its own associated feelings so you must choose wisely. For example, you can obviously choose Oud or Leather for your library, but if you are in a certain state of mind and decor, even fresh fragrances like citrus can go very well.
A nice pot of herbs
Sure this is a cliche line but sometimes the simple joys are the most intense ones. The bliss of plucking fresh leaves in the occasional times we get to cook is worth it. Maybe every time you pass the pot, you are transformed into the memory of a secret garden.
A stunning frame by P&L
The task of a revivalist brand like us, is never easy. It is to breathe life into what has been lost and forgotten, to bring the past into present and give it relevance. I think that the perfect home shopping would be complete with a genuinely made frame like no other. No plastic, no resin- only wood & brass in genuine finishes that age with time and never hide the patina of the authentic materials. Every frame is proportioned and designed keeping the authenticity of the era and the specific motifs that belong to it. It could be table top, over the console or the whole wall, whatever your heart desires.
Collect, Shop but acquire wisely.