Marie Kondo says that we should not have anything that does not bring us joy, and we agree whole heartedly. So, don’t buy unless it resonates with you

If you love the bohemian style and you’re starting to spend more time thinking about your shopping habits and to where, and to whom your money is going to, local based business Peacocks & Paisleys should be high on your radar.

The home décor brand was launched by Priya Raj in 2012 and places an emphasis on the who, what, when, where, why, and how of our purchases; all the while producing incredibly beautiful pieces of work.

“We collaborate with Indian artisans to make products that get your creativity flowing and hopefully inspire you to envision a living space that is artful, artisan made and bohemian eclectic.”

Born and raised in India, Priya has strong connections with her origins and continues to travel back to collaborate with Indian artisans with the aim to make her incredibly beautiful and unique products.

Peacocks & Paisleys produces products ranging from bedding, table linen, wall décor, clothing, cushion covers, and my personal favourite, rugs; all of the finest quality and designs that connect with ancient traditions, exotic, and international flavours.

Priya invited us into her gorgeous home, which is head to toe decked out with some of the most stunning pieces from the Peacocks & Paisley range. Oh, and we were lucky enough to get cuddles from the family pup!

So, what is Peacocks & Paisleys?

“Is for the travel lover at heart; the bohemian lover at heart. Someone who is a free spirit and loves heartfelt designs and cares about how they’re made. I think we are, as a society now coming to a point where we’re not just satisfied with having something beautiful; we really want to know who made it, we want to know if there is a history or a story behind it.”

What about the name?

“Peacocks is one of my favourite animals, it is also, very colourful but also very elegant and graceful; and paisleys is very iconic for the block prints. It’s a pattern that’s been used for a very long time. I think the origins of Paisleys is more Iraq and the middle east, but it is still very much synonymous with block prints. So, I just combined; and my name is Priya! So it all really works.”

Tell me about your sustainable rugs?

“We collect waste… a lot of textiles factories, and India is a hub for textiles, lots of clothes are made there, lots of home furnishings, and what happens is there is always a lot of things that are not used…our waste is now being sold back to places in India to be made into something sustainable. Our rugs are all made from fabric scraps.

“We are also in the process of making rugs that are being made from recycled plastic. They should be ready about the middle of this year.”

And the rest of the Peacocks & Paisleys range?

“All of our products are handprinted. We want to do things that have a story to them. They’re done by hand. I do the designs, then I travel to India quite often…

“Each inch of the fabric is hand-printed using carved wooden blocks, a technique passed down from generation to generation, and yes, a slow and long process, but a labour of love well worth the wait.”

Are your pieces only available here in Australia?

“No, we ship worldwide! We have customers in Sweden, Norway, Singapore to name a few! I think it’s more of our philosophy that is what attracts people. I think the people, who are our tribe, and feel about things the same way we do, even though they haven’t met me or spoken to me, they can feel that and they are attracted to us; so, it doesn’t matter where they are in the world.”