children's room decor

Flowers blossom with radiant artistry by the soft light of a candle. Gulam Rasool is a master at traditional jali or openwork carving. Working in soapstone, he crafts a beautiful pair of candleholders.

Rasool recommends keeping the candle's flick trimmed.

"This design is inspired by our huipil blouses," members of Women United for Artisan Development confide. "We've created this so that you can have a small part of our homes and our people in your life." Meticulously handwoven on a backstrap loom, this delightful cushion cover features corded edges and a solid brown back. "The red and blue geometric motifs at top and bottom represent birds," the artisans explain.

Should one of the threads snag, the women suggest you pull it back into place from the back of the fabric with a fine crochet hook.

Meditating serenely on a lotus throne. Buddha is a beautiful presence. Gulam Rasool captures his peaceful features and posture in a soapstone sculpture. A floral chakra wheel surrounds the master's head like a halo.

Floral motifs surround an elegant om symbol in this hand-carved wood wall relief. Om is a sacred symbol and mantra for Buddhist and Hindu traditions alike, associated with wellness and rejuvenation. It is crafted by Bali's Made Mulyani, who comes from a family of artisans.

This exquisite wood relief panel is presented by Ketut Seji, wife of the late Balinese master carver Ketut Taram. She preserves his legacy by continuing the carving tradition. The round panel features the serene visage of Buddha, surrounded by a frame of carefully hand-carved lotus petals.

The OM symbol, representing all sounds and symbolizing the essence of the universe, is nestled among frangipani blossoms in this magnificent hand carved suar wood wall relief panel by Balinese artisan Seji Taram.

Known as om or aum, omkara is the root of all sounds, emitted as a mantra during meditation. It is believed all desires will vanish, thus attaining self-realization and the highest of knowledge. This one letter symbolizes the most high in the Hindu pantheon, representing every kind of trinity such as Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva, past-present-future, birth-life-death; creation-preservation-destruction, and waking-dreaming-deep sleep.