A Serendipitous Haveli
Serendipity. I love this word! I love how it sounds, and I love what it means. So when Kuldeep wrote to me & invited me to visit her newly launched store, called Serendipity, I knew that the concept store had to be different from what I have seen so far. As Kuldeep shared with me the story behind the idea of the store and the haveli it is housed in, Serendipity sounded more and more like an experience than a conventional retail store. And what an experience it is! I spent a few blissful hours one evening last week, soaking in the ambiance and ooh-aahing over the gorgeous collection of products. As dusk fell, Kuldeep, her sister Gurmeet and I sat in the verandah, sipping chilled lemonade, talking about the various creative possibilities of the place, and it started to rain, after days of intense dry heat! Sigh! I could have stayed the night at the old haveli aka new boutique – it felt like and truly is an oasis in the middle of the urban sprawl!
I had gone to visit Serendipity with my nikon in tow, for I had to bring back and share what I saw and loved, with you guys. I went a bit overboard (when do I not!) and clicked every little nook and cranny of Serendipity. I couldn’t help it; it was just so lovely!
If I have to describe why Serendipity is such an experience, imagine driving through traffic, past the farmhouses in Chattarpur and a couple urban villages (for folks who are familiar with Delhi), and then arriving at this large blue gate of a pristine white haveli (old bungalow). The gates open into a cozy courtyard and as you step in and the gates close behind you, the noise of the city fades away. The air is cooler, and the welcome, very warm. In the corridor running along the courtyard, there are rooms enticing you from behind blue & green doors, filled with gorgeous textiles, apparel, vintage prints & art, antique furniture, old and new brass, and a bunch of other pretty little things. And oh, wait! There is another floor, with large spaces filled with more of furnishings and furniture designed by Kuldeep. Kuldeep plans to re-purpose some of this surplus space as a B&B, which will open sometime later this year. It’s hard to believe that this beautiful space was once used as a storage warehouse!
Pics above and below: The transformation
In Kuldeep’s words:
“Serendipity is an oasis of solitude, fun events, sunday brunches, coffee morning and shopping. A bit of Morocco mixed with Rajasthan, it’s tastefully done interiors, large rooms and over a cup of coffee and conversation in the courtyard, you can experience some of the old world charm of a large home and lazy afternoons. Delve into some classic, stylish and comfortable Indian clothing, hand block printed home linens, unique furniture and lighting – all either hand picked or designed by me.”
Serendipity takes on a mellow hue as dusk falls. I had a lovely time, and Serendipity has become one of my favorite places to hang out and shop at leisure, in Delhi. If you are in Delhi or planning to visit, make sure to drop in. And tell me what you loved 🙂
View these and more images here
[All images and creative storyboarding: An Indian Summer]
16 Comments
Banyan Village
Such beautiful inception of your creative ideas. So aesthetically pleasing! Would love to visit on my next India trip 🙂
Priyanka Srivastava
Luved that jhoola and so many other thi
shaiphali
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Amina
a lovely place
Monnaie
Like the decorations very much.
junaid
Lovely furnishing! These are some really inspiration pictures with some great interiors for interior designing. This post let me come up with some fabulous ideas for home decoration with beautiful interiors. Thank you for sharing lovely post here.
Sunita Mohan
This is lovely! I could easily spend hours here, browsing around.
Martina Mikulić
This is such a great and rich culture! I love it! :DD
Manisha Gandhi
Love the Pichwai painting of Shrinathji. Been looking for one for ages . Where can I get something similiar ?
Manisha Gandhi
Love the Shrinathji Pichwai painting . I've been looking for something similiar for ages . Where can I get something similiar ?
Zara
I wish I could come soon, and bring home lots of such beauty!
seo monnaie
lovely furnishing!
Daniel Reardon
I like your post, thanks for this lovely home decors.
Rachel Jones
Cute, reminds me of Good Earth in Bombay
Anu Varma
What a delightful store, have to check it out when I am there!
Anonymous
What a visual delight! Can't wait to go to Delhi and visit the store……