Aspire Design and Home | Designer Travels: Laurie Blumenfeld In Narlai, India
“Wish you could see the world through the lens of a designer? Our newest column ?Designer Travels ? will allow you to do just that. Follow along as our first contributor, interior designer Laurie Blumenfeld shares her expeditions, cultural experiences and international finds, and learn of the power travel has to influence interiors once one returns home.” – Aspire Design and Home
Read the first installation here.
Second Stop: NarlaiThe lodgings…
Rawla Narlai. Situated amidst dramatic boulders and ancient temples at the foot of a 350-foot single granite rock, the Rawla is a 15th-century home that has been carefully restored by Maharaj and Rani Swaroop Singh and their sons. The rooms were tastefully designed with modern amenities while still keeping true to their original roots.
Take a walk and meander through the local streets to take in the ancient architecture. If you?re lucky, a local cow will join you for your stroll! (In Hinduism, the cow is considered a sacred animal and symbolizes wealth, strength, and motherly love, not to be eaten.)
Must-sees for design and architecture enthusiasts…
Nature and Leopard Safari. Nature is the best designer. We explored billion-year-old rock formations while driving around in search of the elusive leopard named Mowgli, and we were successful!
Rawla Narlai offers a private dinner at an offsite location inside of a stepwell ? a sort of cistern with a long corridor of steps that descend to the water level. The expansive structure was decorated with an array of candles that lit the space while we enjoyed dinner with live music. The food was phenomenal. Pure Magic!
Postcard moments…
A candle-lit dinner with live music inside the stepwell. We felt transported to another world. And, of course, spotting a leopard while on safari!
Shopping for objects, furnishings, textiles, and more?
The Silver Shop. The hotel jewelry store. I purchased bangles with authentic Rajasthani details.
Next stop: Jodhpur…
– by Laurie Blumenfeld in Aspire Design and Home