Behind The Designs

Bandhini has always been as Tai described herself as a ‘New Age Hippy with an optimist vision.” Since being founded in the early 90s - Bandhini has been dedicated to handcrafted product and keeping that skill alive and thriving. Uncover the origins of linen, how it is made and why we love it here at Bandhini. Tai explores all the benefits to linen and some of the ways we use it in our beautiful handmade cushions, throws and bedding.
In this video learn about our beautiful buffalo leather and hand woven tweed designs. Tai, the founder of Bandhini, explains the history and process of our woven tweeds and how we source our sustainable leather. Both our leather and tweed cushions work beautifully with knits, velvets, and our crazy yet wonderful stick designs. These are all perfect to create a cozy winter look. In this video Tai, the founder of Bandhini, explores the technique of hand woven fabric. This technique is handed down from generation to generation and is where we started 28 years ago. Since then we have done over 100 styles of handwoven cushions. All are handmade with natural fibres and dyes. Our handwoven cushions work back beautifully with our linens, leathers and knits.
In this video, we’re talking about some of our classics!Our Bandhini basics are like a white linen shirt or black evening dress, you can always rely on them. We have so many incredible Bandhini basics that we’re splitting this series into 2 videos! First up we’re highlighting our Cross Patch, Horn Button, and Cotton Reverse cushions. All 3 of these designs work as great backup guys to our more intricate designs as well as being a feature themselves if you’re going for a more simplest look! In this video we’re picking up where we left off from our last Bandhini basics video.
In this video, Tai the founder of Bandhini, discusses the versatile nature of our beautiful long lumbers cushions. Now trending internationally with companies like Studio Mcgee using them in their schemes, long lumbers are the perfect cushion for modulars—providing a lovely low lying line. Long lumbers also offer support while still being stylish! They pair perfectly with euros on either your bed or your lounge! We have a range of design options to suit your style be that Coastal, Global, Urban, or Country. They truly offer a great bang for your buck! In this video, Tai, the founder of Bandhini Design House Aus, talks about our newest art pieces as well as our classics. From sticks and shells to delicate embroideries, we create tactile and textural artworks to compliment our cushion ranges.
In this video, Tai, the founder of Bandhini Australia talks about our beautiful and ornate beaded cushion range as well as the Bandhini Braid series.We make several unique and intricately hand-beaded decorative cushions (or throw pillows) that are perfect for 'glamming up' a bed or a sofa. The Bandhini braid series is a base bed setting comprised of cushions, quilts, and bed sashes with braid embellishments. Braids as we call them are very much like a woven ribbon or decorative trim. These basic "back-up dudes" are a perfect bed base to layer more intricate styled cushions on top of. The braids are very simple so as to sit behind and frame any style of cushion- from country to coastal to urban or global. Oh the wonderful world of Ikat! It is an ancient hand-weaving technique used all over the world that has inspired a plethora of your favourite Bandhini designs. Watch as Tai, the founder of Bandhini Australia, chats all about their origins, how they have inspired many of your favourite Bandhini cushions and our new, on of a kind, hand-woven Ikat cushions!
In this video Tai, the founder of Bandhini Australia, talks about our newest embellished cushions. So very unique, each of these designer cushions is embellished with handmade pieces. Many of our designs are inspired by nature so be surprised when you see sticks or stones sewn to Bandhini cushions! Embellished cushions truly make a statement in any room and sit beautifully as a centrepiece on a sofa or bed. In this video, Tai, the founder of Bandhini Australia, talks about one of our newest cushion series - the Ticking Stripe series. A classic style by any standard, our ticking range has a bit of twist! All the cushions in this series are euro sized, 65 centimeters square, they are large, comfortable, and gorgeous on a sofa or bed. They are perfect for a beach home look, a classic Hampton's style home, or a modern farmhouse feel - fresh and light!
In this video, Tai, the founder of Bandhini talks about this new design and how the foliage pattern and colours are inspired by the lush greens of the Tallebudgera Valley where our beautiful home office is located and the autumn rust colours from her childhood home in Central Otago, New Zealand. We have been hard at work dreaming up new designs for the new season but for our Spring collection this year- we're going to do things a little bit differently. In this video, Tai talks about the inspiration behind the collection but also how we plan to debut the new styles. Not so much a spring collection as it a 'spring-fed' collection!
In this video, Tai, the founder of Bandhini, talks about the Bandhini 'Inter' cushion series. Inspired by the intricate and beautiful lattice window screens of Rajasthan this series has many designs in many different techniques to suit nearly any interior style. Tai also talks about the meaning of Bandhini and how it embodies our ethos of connecting cultures, in both our designs and the people that create them. Parallel lines & geometric patterns are what this series is all about! In this video, Tai talks about the Bandhini 'Para' series and how parallel lines found in nature inspired many of the cushion styles in this series. This series is very contemporary but also really lends itself to Hamptons & nautical themes. Many of the styles in this series will fit nicely into nearly any coastal interior.
In this video, Tai talks about the Arrow cushion series- a series of bold, graphic patterns inspired by one of the first tools used by people and found in nearly every ancient culture, the arrow. These patterns are bold and contemporary but also very tribal, perfect for a contemporary global style space. In this video, Tai chats about the Jagger series, a cushion series whose bold, geometric style was originally based on the lines and patterns seen in faceted gems! It is an extremely versatile cushion style perfect for a range of interior styles from coastal to contemporary to modern or classic!
In this video Tai, the founder of Bandhini, chats about the Bones Series - a series of cushion designs inspired by 'the maps that life leaves behind' - skeletons. In particular, leaf and shell 'skeletons'. These cushions are all screen-printed with intricate designs of leaf veins and shell cross-sections for very interesting and graphic cushions. In this video Tai, the founder of Bandhini, chats to us about the Earth Maps cushion series. This series showcases screenprints inspired by topographical images of the Earth. From rivers and tributaries to mountain watersheds and farmlands these abstract designs are representative of the topographical maps made by nature and by humans.
In this video, Tai, the founder of Bandhini Design talks about the feather cushion features in our newest collection. We have done large feather juju artworks for some time sourced from a local artist and friend, Suzi of Lakota Feather Designs.Since the artworks are so popular we thought, why not try them on feature cushions?? So we've had the feather jujus made smaller in order to fasten to cushion covers to create these marvelous feathery works of art for your sofa or bed! These cushions look really great as a centerpiece for a bed or sofa, especially in boho or tribal style interiors! Also great for Coastal boho styles and girls' bedrooms. In this video Tai chats about the moth that landed on her desk and ultimately inspired this gorgeous cushion series, the Bandhini Butterfly series. These intricate and elegant creatures have inspired us with their organic detailed patterns. Translated from wing to fabric, these cushions are made with a raised embroidery technique giving them a gorgeous subtle texture. Which do you prefer, the Butterfly or the Brahmin Moth??epresentative of the topographical maps made by nature and by humans.
In this video Tai, the founder of Bandhini Design, talks about the Discs and Amulets in our Metals series. Our Disc styles have been a Bandhini staple for more than 20 years, they were inspired by a unique handbag and the template was designed by a gypsy metal forger. Our amulet series is inspired by the amulets and jewellery of many different ancient cultures from India to Egypt to Spain. The Bandhini metal series is full of unique feature cushion designs that will elevate any interior style. Beautiful and unique cushions inspired by nature and the sea, our Shells Series is made of lots of styles featuring several different types of shells. Follow Tai, the founder of Bandhini Design House, as she talks about the inspiration behind this series.
One of our absolute favourite mediums- raffia. In this video Tai talks about her long-standing love of baskets and raffia and how this obsession has spilled through to many of Bandhini's most beloved and best selling cushion styles. In this video Tai talks about her love of fossicking and inspiration from discarded bits from nature. This series, the wood and sticks series, is very bold in it's designs. It came about from the thought, "why can't I put sticks on a cushion?" and the reality that great design comes from thinking outside of the box and doing things differently. Our sticks and twigs designs are beautiful but obviously can be fragile as well and that is why we offer the same designs as art pieces.
In this video Tai talks about the inspiration behind our Roman cushion design series. Taking ideas from the ancient architecture and mosaics of the Romans, we have created some truly lush and stunning feature cushions- our Roman Applique styles. Additionally, we have our new Hexagon Scroll cushion that takes shapes and motifs from Greek and Roman columns for an elegant and timeless design. In this video Tai talks about how the rich and diverse culture and history of the Moroccan region has inspired these cushion designs. Based in our absolute favourite home decor colour palette- rust, okra, and orange, these feature cushions and pillows are bright and bold. Particularly beautiful in eclectic and rustic home styles.
In this video Tai talks about how many of our collections are built upon the previous creating 'generations' of each design. Tai uses our African series to demonstrate how one style evolves into the next. We don't believe in fast fashion and throwing away the old to make way for the trendy new. We believe in timelessness and longevity, that is why we build collections year after year that sit beautifully with their predecessors so that you can add the beautiful new styles to your home and keep your beloved older cushions right by their side. In this video Tai talks about the longstanding Ancient Cultures series. A history buff herself, Tai's fascination with ancient culture and philosophy has lead to some of our most beloved Bandhini classics including the Kilim, Mayan Sphere, Valencia and Roman cushion styles. All these styles are made with lush velvets in the luxurious applique technique for some truly unique and beautiful, culturally inspired cushion designs.
We have several design series inspired by Japanese and Oriental cultures and designs. From lanterns to zen gardens and the simplicity of Japanese design, see which cushion ranges have become of Tai's fascination with the Orient! Follow the founder of Bandhini, Tai Schaffler, as she chats about the inspiration behind our Dreamtime cushion and artwork series! This collection is a series of Aboriginal Dreamtime inspired designs for textile artworks and feature cushion designs. These designs are beautiful for interior design work for any client that is inspired but the original culture and heritage of indigenous Australia.
Tai, the founder of Bandhini, talks about the themes and inspirations behind our newest collection of cushion, bedding and art styles.In this collection, we've focused heavily on the artisan and the craftsperson. At Bandhini we strive to honour the makers and their skills. All of our products are made by hand and are delightful in all their small imperfections. Another theme you will see throughout the collection is the influence of nature and natural fibers- feathers, shells, sticks and stones make this collection and Bandhini styles in general, very unique and beautiful.You will notice how we have built upon previous styles to create fresh and fun styles we know you will love that also fit perfectly in with your older Bandhini cushions. Introducing: Our Outdoor Nautical Series! You will have seen a sneaky preview in our past few posts but we are so excited to finally release the full collection and the inspiration behind it! This collection is heavily inspired by Nautical Signal Flags and designed to create a seamless indoor-outdoor space!
In this video Tai, the founder of Bandhini, shares with you the considerations when designing for our Bandhini Collection. The inspiration for our collection centres around 2 themes, nature and culture. Our designs are all handmade unique pieces that tell a story. When designing our collection we had you in mind and use 4 key elements to ensure our pieces work together. These are; Fabric, Colour, Technique, and Shape. Watch to learn about the process and all the small details we consider that allow all our designs to look good together!