aesthetically speaking: hands down one of our favorite objects!

Jan 6, 2014 | aesthetically speaking, art, clients, design, favorite things, hunt & gather, inspiration, kishani perera inc., love, rummage, shopping, unique, vintage, whats hot | 0 comments

we’ve always been a little obsessed with body parts as art and decorative objects for the home. this past year, we saw the trend become more mainstream. we first noticed its growing popularity while visiting the las vegas market last year, and now see other designers and companies have embraced this obsession.

of all the body parts, we have a particular fondness for hands, which we’ve incorporated into multiple projects over the years. and, i’ve personally collected them in all shapes and sizes.

 brass dichotomy sculpture

hand clip card holder

not only are we generally fascinated with hands for aesthetic purposes, but they also serve as mystical and religious symbols in various cultures. for example, different hand positions in buddhism represent something specific – from banishing negativity or having confidence in oneself to the transmission of knowledge, how wonderful, is that?! we are big fans of the hamsa in particular, which is popular in the middle east and north africa. the hamsa symbolizes protection, blessings, and strength. it also features an eye, which of course, is meant to protect from the evil eye.

 protection hamsa necklace

we love sneaking in a decorative hand feature or detail in as many of our projects as we can! it’s become a bit of a signature in our design work. from a vintage black ceramic hand ashtray used instead as a jewelry display, to an old school glove mold that simply adds an interesting and unexpected element to a room, it brings us such joy to place them! adding a grouping of several antique marionette doll hands together in a bowl on a coffee table keeps the mood light, offbeat, and whimsical in a room. we can find a place for them anywhere, in any home!

 vintage ceramic rubber glove mold 

in the past we found a plethora of unique vintage hand objects on sites such as ebay and etsy to adorn client tablescapes, walls, etc., such as door knobs and beautiful rings. but recently we’ve discovered some fab new pieces at of our favorite online shops.

women’s hand door knobs

 roman bronze ring of clasped hands

uncommon goods has a new collection of handmade pieces, with a few unique and interesting hands that i’m completely enamored with! they seem to capture the artistic side of everyday objects. plus, a company that seeks to live in harmony with the environment while doing no harm to animals or people is one that I can get behind to support.

beautiful hand carved hand of buddha jewelry stand 

we’ve also uncovered several other unique and interesting hands to incorporate into future projects or for styling, both vintage and new. we love when the hands we find have a functional and not just a decorative purpose. maybe it’s the literal element of human touch that that we love so much, or maybe its the many beautiful symbolic meanings they seem to carry with them, we cant help but love our hands! do you agree?

 frida kahlo inspired hand earrings

 fortune telling hand

gold leaf gallicus hand art

 antique victorian hand hanging letter holder

 vintage industrial found object wall sconce