Barjis…

As promised, here are some photographs from my retail therapy adventures in Beirut–where I’m currently dealing with impending war by sneaking daily into souqs and shops. These photos were taken at Barjis Design Shop–an enchanting boutique filled with eclectic furniture pieces and whimsical plush pillows. The word “Barjis” comes from an old Persian game played on a velvet cloth with brass pegs and 5 shells.

Part of the reason I like stopping by Barjis each week is because the designs of the couches, chairs, pouffes and door-stoppers constantly change, as new pieces pop into the collection, and older pieces take up residence in houses across Beirut. How one person–the talented Hala Habib–creates all of these brilliant masterpieces in such a short period of time (wrapped in high end fabric by Rubelli and Dedar), I will never understand (but I’m grateful and in awe).

Any of the tiny triangular bags pictured above–decorative doorstoppers filled with sand–would make a wonderful gift to brighten up the dark and cobwebbed corners behind any heavy door. As a writer, the chair in the last photo (below) makes me want to find a typewriter, sit right down, and get to work. Just like Orient 499, I would buy every item in Barjis if I could. And I know I’ll keep coming back each week, because the store–to me–is more like a meditation on magical mashups of fabric–than just any old boutique.