Truck Art – Quintessentially Pakistani

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truck art bags, Truck art in Pakistan, truck art jewellery, truck art shoes

While truck art has been around for quite a while, it is only recently that this quintessentially Pakistani art form has found its way into Pakistan’s high-end couture, the collections of web-based websites that sell everything under the sun, as well as street fashion.

Truck art, characterised by vibrant colours, borrows various elements from different regions of Pakistan, including cut mirror work indigenous to Sindh and Balochistan, portraits of popular film actors, not to mention the picturesque mountainous terrains of the northern areas.

Here is how truck art is being used to up the glam quotient in ensembles: 

Clothing. Embroidered motifs of Lollywood and Bollywood actors, exotic animals such as peacocks and serpents, and vibrant natural elements such as waterfalls and flowers are increasingly being used in kurtis and T-shirts. Cheekier versions include the kohl-lined eyes of a woman coupled with lines of ‘truck poetry’ including ‘dekh magar pyaar say’. Bright coloured tassels and small metal bells (similar to ghungroos) are often used on hemlines to add drama.

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The Colours Of Feng Shui

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bedrooms, Chinese New YEar, colours for different rooms according to Feng Shui, dining rooms, Feng Shui colours for the home, kitchens, living rooms

The Chinese New Year will begin tomorrow, February 8, and interior decor experts predict that Colour Feng Shui – the ancient Chinese art of using colours to ensure physical, emotional and spiritual well-being – in homes will be increasingly employed in 2016.
To ensure that your home exudes harmony, keep the following Colour Feng Shui principles in mind:

Bedrooms are the go-to places to rest, relax and rejuvenate; therefore, choose browns or muted pastels for walls, carpets and curtains. As fiery red and bright yellow heighten our senses and black and grey tend to be depressing, it is important to strike the right balance between these shades to ensure restfulness. For children’s bedrooms, opt for sage green and pale blue as bright colours – such as orange – can induce aggression.

Karachi’s Marble Market

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black, buying marble in Karachi, Ceramic tiles, Fatima Zehra Park, gold, granite, Indus gold, Karachi’s Marble Market, Mangophir Road, marble, Marble Market, motiffed tiles, onyx, porcelain tiles, Sir Syed Girls College, Syed Atif Barelvi Road, tervera, tippi, Usmania College, verona

Marble handicrafts

If you drive down Syed Atif Barelvi Road, past Sir Syed Girls College and Usmania College and turn left on to Mangophir Road, you will be assaulted by dust, fumes and noise from grinding and polishing machines. This is Karachi’s Marble Market – packed with shops selling onyx, marble and granite that line the kitchens, driveways and homes of both the well heeled and the middle income residents of the city.

Marble Market – packed with shops selling onyx, granite and marble

Commercial transformation… Old residents of the area say that the Market was initially a cottage industry with dealers selling marble out of their homes. Over the years, these homes were transformed into shops and hence the market emerged. Large slabs of uncut stone including Indus gold, black and gold, verona, tervera, tippi and countless other varieties of marble and granite now lie outside the shops, waiting to be cut and polished.

Motiffed marble tiles

Marble, motifs and greenery… Besides marble, the Market also houses shops that stock ceramic and porcelain tiles and stunning tile motifs, sold at a fraction of the price than in the more up market shops on 26th Street in Defence; you can also find hardware shops dealing in kitchen and bathroom accessories such as sinks and faucets, as well those selling marble handicrafts. For a quick bite, stop at one of the many eateries there, followed by a stroll at the lush green Fatima Zehra Park.

The verdant Fatima Zehra Park

The real estate take… Marble Market is completely built-up and vacant plots are therefore no longer available. Commercial property options are restricted to standalone shops; property is in high demand. Property prices and rentals increase are among the highest in Karachi and increase by seven to 10% every year

Bring The Outdoors Inside

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architectural plans, Building a home around a tree, Chamaedorea elegans, Constructing houses around trees, green trends, houseplants, Indoor tree, indoor trees, office construction, Parlour Palm, trees inside homes, trees inside offices

The term ‘Parlour Palm’ usually refers to that popular, small tree, botanically known as ‘Chamaedorea elegans’, often grown as a houseplant but – with an interestingly artistic twist – can be loosely applied to any species of tree – or bamboo – and cultivated as an integral part of home and office construction.

Including a living, growing tree, be it a bamboo, climber or other perennial plant in architectural plans is the green trend to follow. In fact, bringing the outdoors inside is an exciting environmental move that totally revolutionises the ‘green home’ concept.

Investing In Spas

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areas where spas are located in Pakistan, cost of setting up a spa in Pakistan, design features in spas, International Women's Day, investing in spas in Pakistan, spas

Today is International Women’s Day, and there is no time more appropriate for women (and men) to de-stress, unwind and pamper themselves by visiting a high-end spa, a real estate trend that is gaining traction in Pakistan’s metropolitan cities.

If you are considering in investing in a spa, factor in the following:

1. The cost of setting up a spa ranges between five and 15 million rupees; the expected return on investment (ROI) ranges between 20 to 30% over a period of two to three years.

Mad About Marsala

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2015 Colour of the Year, Accent walls, accessories, Ayesha Shaikh, buckled belts, Burberry, cabinets, clutches, cosmetics, dining areas, DKNY, Dolce & Gabbana, eye palettes, Fashion, fashion runways, furniture, hats, interiors, lip glosses, lounges, Marsala, Marsala-shaded scarves, Maybelline, nail colours, nooks, Nude makeup, Pantone, red carpets, Revlon, Sephora, spaghetti Bolognese, stone studded bracelets, strappy heels, striped ties, terracotta, white-trimmed woodwork, Zac Posen

Think Marsala, and you may also think spaghetti Bolognese. However, with Pantone naming it their 2015 Colour of the Year, Marsala – a red-kissed terracotta shade – is set to colour our lives in 2015.

Here is how you can spice things up with Marsala this year:

Fashion. Well-known fashion brands, including Burberry, DKNY, Dolce & Gabbana and Zac Posen, are using shades of Marsala in their 2015 collections, leaving you spoilt for choice. If, like most Pakistanis, you have a deep bronze complexion, your best bet is to wear it in a single-shade ensemble.

Accessories. People with lighter skin tones can use the colour to accessorise their outfits; Marsala-shaded scarves, hats, stone studded bracelets, buckled belts, striped ties, strappy heels and colourful clutches contrast well with neutrals such as teal or grey and are a sure way to catch a few admiring eyeballs every time you step out.

Retail Design Trends In Pakistan

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automatic water dispensers, checkout counters, designated play areas, food corners, green elements, hanging shelves, large-scale retail outlets, malls, natural earthy tones, Pakistan’s retail industry, Retail design trends in Pakistan, Saira Qamar., shut-off lighting systems, skylights, solar panels, split level floor plans, stone and concrete floors, wheelchairs, wide entrances and exits

Due to an increasing number of malls and large-scale retail outlets across most metropolitan cities, Pakistan’s retail industry has witnessed a growth of 35 to 40% in the last decade. Consequently, in order to maximise customer footfall and sales, retail spaces are increasingly being designed with an added emphasis on ease, functionality and ambience. 

Live Ergonomically

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aching joints, chair, curved posture, Dr Summaiya Syed-Tariq, easy-to-use objects, ergonomic furniture, ergonomically sound furniture, good ergonomics at home, healthy posture, household ergonomics, kitchen counters, knees, ligament damage, pillow, sofa, sore muscles, spinal cord, spring mattress, stool

A lot of brouhaha has been made about ‘good ergonomics’ at work, which constitute using a desk that is just the right height for you, along with an ortho chair. Yet, given that we all spend a substantial amount of time at home, household ergonomics are just as, if not more, important.

Fixtures, Flowers, Fabric And Furniture

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bouquets, bows, braids, buttons, car, car accessories, car mechanics, car repair shops, cards, carved wooden furniture, curtain railings, Dr Omar Farooq Khan, embroidery, fabrics, fresh flowers, garlands, Gizri Commercial Karachi, glossy paper, gota, grills, Home Improvement, home makeover, lace, Lighting, locks, low-rise buildings, Mirrors, paint, plumbing fixtures, readymade clothes, ribbon, rims, sanitary fittings, standalone shops, Submarine Chowk, tailoring shops, tiles, wholesale flower market, wood polish

Although Gizri Commercial Area (located near Submarine Chowk) may not be one of Karachi’s most upscale commercial pockets, it is definitely one of the city’s most diverse in terms of the products and services it offers.

Investing In Guesthouses

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Abbotabad, Aleena Habib, bed and breakfast, business districts, CDA, Chitral, Clifton, commercial areas, DHA, executive lounges, F-7, G-9, Garden Town, Gilgit, guesthouses, Gulberg, hotels, Islamabad, Kaghan, Karachi, KDA, kitchenettes, Lahore, laundry areas, LDA, libraries, meeting lounges, Murree, Naran, northern regions, Pakistan, PECHS, recreational, recreational business districts, ROI, scenic, Sectors F-6, serene, Shogran, shopping malls, spas, Swat, swimming pools, urban centres

The demand for guesthouses has increased substantially over the last three years, mainly because they provide a cheaper alternative to hotels, especially if they are used for long-term stays. As a result, an increasing number of investors are opening guesthouses across Pakistan.

Here are a few guidelines to keep in mind if you are thinking about opening a guesthouse:

In the northern regions, serene and scenic spots are ideal locations for guesthouses, while in the urban centres, areas in proximity to business districts, recreational and commercial areas as well as shopping malls are the most suitable.