Life11 – Online Store for Art, Décor, Merchandise and Gifts

Hello dear friends, Hope you all are doing great.

I have been away from blogging for a while and am writing after a BIG G—AP.

Well, I have to let you know that this month, I have launched the Life11 online store for home decor, handicraft and gifts.

Having started with a small collection of products, which include wall hangings, hand painted trays, pen stands, key hangers, gift box, flower vases, coasters, terracotta masks, terracotta jewelry, pot hangers, comforters and quilts, I am working towards increasing the number of products.
Our handcrafted goods & gift items are sustainably made & designed to add an earthy and colourful ambiance.

The Shop Menu on this blog provides a link to the home decor and gift store.

To give a distinctive look and feel to the ‘Life11’ store, I have built it using Shopify platform. I had previously done a comparison of the two e-commerce platforms Amazon and Shopify in my post, Amazon Vs Shopify: Which Is Better for Starting a Small Online Business in India. I decided to first go with Shopify so that I can customize the look and feel.

The idea behind Life11

As the number 11 is generally considered as an auspicious number, Life11 signifies attracting auspiciousness and good vibes into life, with art and aesthetics. The objective is to integrate art into things of daily use and create a cheerful ambiance around us.

Though I have always had an interest in art, the thought of coming up with our own collection of artistic decor accessories and gifts came to me in an Instagram inspired moment, when I thought of getting some of my Instagram pictures on real physical products. I had written about those in the post Tea Coasters As India Souvenirs And Cool Gift Ideas

The result was good (or so I would like to believe) because it further motivated me to experiment with different products in different art and craft forms.

To get feedback from a variety of people, I started participating in exhibitions for showcasing and selling the products. This helped me to gauge the public perception and identify the customer segments that have an affinity towards particular products.

Nine months post the initial conceptualization, the online shop is up and running, albeit with a limited collection, which I am looking to expand.

The above picture is shared by a friend and a customer, who finds the painted bottle on her side table perfectly in sync with the gazelle and the green bamboo shoots.

Taking Indian folk art to urban setting

We are doing our bit to revive interest in the folk art forms. By combining traditional art with a contemporary look and feel, we make folk art relevant to urban settings.

I did my first display at Urban Haat in Navi Mumbai in Sept 2018, where I came across artisans specializing in different folk art forms. Some of the artists were open to experimenting and adapting the folk art styles to modern themes.

Artist from Rajasthan

We, then went to Jaipur to meet some of the finest craftsmen in the state. I was happy to see that in a bid to keep their art relevant, the artists are incorporating Rajasthani art into products of everyday use.

After sourcing traditional art forms from different artisans, I got hands-on practice in the craft of decoupage and macrame, thus adding to my collection decorative bottles, macramé pot hangers, upcycled tables and cupboards, painted table tops and wall panels.

Home decor accessories, gifts and Customized Orders

Our Products include home décor, handicrafts & handcrafted jewellery, handloom, and gift items.

Life11 – Home Decor , Gifts online

Incorporating sustainability into our way of working, we have come up with upcycled and recycled products, such as a table centrepiece or a flower vase made of used glass bottles and refurbished furnitures such as tables and cupboards.
Tabletops and wall panels form a part of our customized designs. Do check out our section on Bespoke Table Tops and the Samples.

Wall Panel on the themes Nature, Mother and Change

In the wall panel shown above, the theme ‘Mother’ is central to all the pictures. The first one is about Mother Nature influencing our habitat. The second one depicts a mother’s role in shaping a child’s outlook towards the world. The third one is about necessity, which is the mother of invention. Small changes brought about collectively by people lead to the progress of civilization.

Right below you can see the pictures of glass tabletops hand-painted with floral motifs, inspired by Hungarian folk art patterns.

Hand painted Glass Table Top

Hand painted Glass Table top

Hand painted Glass Table Top

I invite you to explore the earthy charm of our home décor products and handicraft in the Shop section of this blog. Any feedback is welcome.

At Life11, we do and shall always endeavour to bring to you products based on indigenous art forms that are attractive, uniquely distinctive and complement contemporary decor.

When you want to pick an ethnic, vibrant, chic gift for your sis, friend, spouse, dad or mom, shop at http://shop.life11.org 

Wishing you all a very happy Holi.