MEDITERRANEAN INSPIRED KITCHEN DECOR, TOP #3 ITEMS TO ACHIEVE IT

Do you love Italian food? What about Spanish or Turkish?
Well, so many people including us is a fan of Mediterranean cuisine. As it is light, colorful and definitely social!
As well as eating is great, Mediterraneans use such colorful and tasteful objects in their kitchen to make these delicious foods.

Here are our Top #3 items to achieve that cheerful Mediterranean kitchen decor in your very own kitchen!
Or they can make great gifts to someone who loves Mediterranean cuisine as the Holiday season is here :)


1) Ceramic Coffee Cups

Coffee is something we all consume daily, so why not using these hand-painted cups to and dream about Mediterranean spring a little.

You can Shop them HERE

 2) Ceramic Bowls

Tapas, Mezzes, you name it! Small dishes are what makes the Mediterranean cuisine social!

Check these ceramic Mezze Bowls and get ready for compliments both for your food and your serving dishes!

Shop HERE

3) Ceramic Olive Oil Bottles

Olive oil is in every Mediterranean  food! And we make sure keeping them in a good and fun way!

Use these unique & hand-painted Olive Oil Bottles to give a pop of color to your kitchen.

Shop HERE

UNIQUE SPRING DECOR WITH TURKISH HANDCRAFTS

Here we have prepared the easy ways to add splash of colors to your spring decoration with unique Turkish Handcrafts!

Modern sofas are easy to upgrade and does´t have to be dull. They can be mixed with eastern / mediterranean style to make the unique and warm.
Here is how you can make it with handmade Turkish handcrafts.

We used Handmade Kilim cushions that are made from vintage Turkish Kilims which are 50-100 years old. As Turkish Kilims are hand loomed and each one is different than the others, you can't really have an identical pair which makes these beauties even more special.

You can find Turkish Kilim Pillows HERE

We also used Turkish Ceramic Bowls (here) , This beautiful vase (here) and a pomegranate set of three (here).  Something is special with Turkish Ceramics, they bring happiness and warmth to every space. Using different sizes and colors of these bowls brightens any dinner table, coffee table or console table. Another good thing about the bowls are they are lead-free and can be used for serving food!

One runner makes a HUGE difference! And you do not need to use it only on table but also as a fun throw on your couch. You can find Turkish Runners HERE 

You can find this Cubic Turkish Ceramic Vase HERE

Details! Unique Decor accents with pop up colors on your coffee table or shelf bring the spring effortlessly. Find this Handmade Caftan Decor Accent HERE

Love from Istanbul

xx

Guney

NOVEMBER COLORS ON TURKISH CERAMIC POTS AND IKATS

When it comes to Turkish Ceramics, deep colors make great contrast with warm orange and yellow. This November our artisans picked amazing colors for Turkish Ceramics, again. We wanted to introduce these beauties with the texture of our Silk Ikat fabrics. 

Find this Deep Blue Tea Pot Set here; 

http://www.grandbazaarshopping.com/product-page/f47adeab-83b1-24f9-3ff5-68321aa9d71a

And the Ceramic Bowls here;

http://www.grandbazaarshopping.com/product-page/6f0794d8-23c1-122f-22d0-a20a1f1a62d8

Find this Orange Tea Pot Set here;

http://www.grandbazaarshopping.com/product-page/2677e04d-5212-84e8-834a-ba97a8c1f190

And the Ceramic Bowls here;

http://www.grandbazaarshopping.com/product-page/4cb270c6-9e7a-a7ab-2e63-f65a9d67dd6f

And all other Turkish Handcrafts;

www.grandbazaarshopping.com

MEDITERRANEAN COLORS FOR SPRING DECORATION

Spring is beautiful everywhere, but we must say, it is even more beautiful in Mediterranean countries!
Everyone starts using their balconies, yards and cover them with all the cheerful colors of these lands!

Thats when Turkish Ceramics come to do the job! What is more fun to have colorful handmade pieces for family dinners, tea/coffee servings or the corners that brighten the rooms!

Here are the pictures from us help for your cravings for colors!

Evil Eye is always the main piece! Even if you believe it keeps away the evil eyes or not, it sure is looking fun! Find this handmade Evil Eye and more HERE

Find these 5 cm Turkish Ceramic Bowls HERE

Ottoman Style Coffee/Tea Spoons are just perfect to add some fun to your servings! Get ready for the compliments from your guests!

You can find these handmade spoons HERE

Fun shaped Turkish Ceramic Bowls are great for dips, mezes, tapas or serving some small dishes!

Find them HERE

The most important time of the day, Tea Time! Well if you are Turkish, it is ALWAYS tea time!

And if you are a coffee person, who can say no to a cup of tea when it is served with this Handmade Turkish Tea Set!

Find this set HERE

TEARDROP VASES, TURKISH CERAMICS

Who doesn´t love having unique pieces with meaningful stories behind them?

We are obsesses with these stories that each piece have on our website.

  When you are in Grand Bazaar, Istanbul, many different Turkish Ceramic styles can catch your eyes, teardrop shape is one of the most common styles that are used for making Turkish Ceramics.

We want to share the reason why they are called `Teardrop Vases´. 

They are not called 'Teardrop' only because of their shape, but their story goes back  to hundreds of years. It was believed that women in Anatolia who have lost their husbands in wars were saving their teardrops in these Teardrop vases. And today, Anatolian artisans still make these beautiful vases and dress them with traditional floral motifs. 

Here are these special vases that we have picked for you!

Daisy Hand-painted  Turkish Ceramic Teardrop Vase

Mediterranean inspired Turkish Ceramic Teardrop Vase

Golden Horn Turkish Ceramic Teardrop Vase

Floral Turkish Ceramic Teardrop Vase

GRAND BAZAAR´S UNDISCOVERED PEARLS

Almost every day, one more Grand Bazaar store involves our website and becomes online! We  and our lovely customers get excited as each of these stores have their own character and one-of-a-kind pieces! Most of these stores belong to families that have been in Grand Bazaar for generations, selling beautiful Turkish Handcrafts.
Here is one of our favorite store belongs to our family friend Uncle Ali, and you can find these beautiful pieces on our website!
                                                       www.grandbazaarshopping.com

You can find this ikat Samovar HERE

Find these beautiful textiles HERE

HERE you can find these beautiful Suzani Cushions

Turkish Ceramic Bowls HERE

Ottoman Lamps HERE

You can shop these Hand-hammered Copper Ewers HERE

TURKISH MEZE RECIPES

Turkish Cuisine is full of amazing tastes and defiantly not only about Kebab! Most of the people who visit Turkey get shock with this rich cuisine. The fun part is, the taste of the foods and the ingredients  are so different in Turkey when you travel to South, North, West and East. 

While south uses many different chili peppers, meat and salca (Turkish Tomato paste), north has more simple foods such as grilled local seafood and cornbread. 

When it comes to Meze, it is also so rich and vary!

We decided to write about Two different meze recipes.

First one is `Ezme` which is from the South Eastern part of Turkey with lots of chili and made to be served before meat.

And `Haydari`, it belongs to Western part of Turkey a fresh taste and can be served before seafood or meat.

EZME

• 3 Large Tomatoes
• 4 fresh chillies
• 1 large red pepper, seeds removed
• 1 medium cucumber
• 1 large onion
• 2 bunch parsley
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp salça (tomato puree)
• 1/2 tsp dried mint
• Salt
• 
  
• Place a pan of water on the hob and bring to the boil.
• Plunge your tomatoes into the water for just under 1 minute and then remove them.
• You can now remove the skin from the tomatoes
• Scoop out the seeds of tomatoes with a teaspoon and discard the seeds.
• Chop your tomatoes finely and add them to a large bowl.
• Chop the pepper, onion, chillies and cucumber finely.
• Chop the parsley finely before adding that to your other ingredients.
• Add the mint, oil, vinegar, salca and salt.
• Give everything a good mix and do a taste test.
• Ezme is supposed to be spicy so feel free to add more chili if necessary, if it seems too loose, add more salça.
• Place in the fridge for at least half an hour before serving.

                                                   HAYDARI

• 2 tablespoons feta cheese,
• 2 Cups Turkish Yogurt
• 2 clove garlic,
• 1 handful minced dill,
• 1 handful minced fresh mint leaves,
• Salt
• Olive Oil
• Mash the cheese using a fork and stir into the yoghurt,
• Add the grated / crushed garlic, dill, mint and salt and stir really well,
• Put into a serving platter and pour some olive oil over.

If you are willing to serve your mezes in a Turkish way you can check out our Handmade Turkish Ceramic Meze/Breakfast Serving Sets!

LET´S HAVE SOME FUN - TURKISH CERAMICS

We are longing for Spring, maybe more than ever! You know how beautiful it gets with spring all the colors and the amazing waking up energy. Today we had some fun with our Spring Arrival Turkish Ceramic Bowls and Plates. It is amazing how they bring such color to any spaces! Here are some ideas how to use them.

Turkish Copper Trays are perfect for serving, but they also add an authentic touch when you want to decorate your Turkish Ceramics.

You can shop this set with the Tray, HERE.

All these Mediterranean colors are warming up our soul! Firuze Bowls, Small Relief Bowls and Iznik Ceramic Plates are simply perfect for spring/summer and you be ready to get many compliments when you serve to your guests or family with them :-)

No secret that we LOVE Suzani fabric and they are perfect for every season! If you are willing to create a happy and colorful space, using suzani with Turkish Ceramics is a great idea!

TULIP FIGURE IN TURKISH CULTURE

If you have ever visited Turkey, It is hard to miss the Tulip figures that are used on ceramic walls in Blue Mosque, doors in Topkapi Palace or ceilings in Grand Bazaar.. In Turkish Culture, Tulips always have a special place and meaning. Since the Ottoman Empire, the main reason Ottoman palaces and gardens are dressed with tulips is the meaning of 'Tulip flower' in sufism.

According to Sufism, Tulip, because of its red color and shape; considered as face, cheeks and lips of the loved one. Today, you can see Tulip figures in Mosques, Palaces and even in modern Turkish Ceramics in Turkey.

You can check out our Turkish Ceramic Plates with Tulip figures to get a traditional Turkish touch to your spaces!

SPRING HOME DECOR IDEAS WITH GRAND BAZAAR SHOPPING

Holiday season is over and it is time to start thinking about small changes and add some more bright colors to your decoration. It does not have to be big but some little touches make a big difference and great for freshen your home, preparing it to spring.  Here are some home decor ideas with the Grand Bazaar Shopping pieces :-) You can find all the pieces we have used on; www.grandbazaarshopping.com

Turkish Firuze Bowls

The traditional colors of Firuze Bowls are Turquoise, with relief floral figures. They bring this Mediterranean, fresh touch immediately to any space. 

You can buy this beautiful Firuze Bowl here: HERE

COPPER SUGAR BOWLS:

If you like to have some treats on the table it is a great idea to use a unique sugar bowl! Turkish copper art is really special (to know more about it you can see our blog post HERE) and this handmade sugar bowl is one of our favorites! You can shop it from HERE

This Ewer is a piece that pass generations, it is made of hand-hammered Copper and traditional Iznik Ceramic. You can find it HERE

Some Pomegranate to add fertility to your home, you can find it HERE

Large Turkish Ceramic Bowls and Plates bring the cheer of the fresh season to places.

Find them HERE

Hope everyone will enjoy the coming season!

UNIQUE CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEAS!

Holiday is almost here and the rush is already started! It might be the most excited time of the year and we are all looking for the perfect gifts!
We have picked some great gift ideas for you..

Turkish Ceramic Vases and Ewers can be amazing gifts! They are only handmade in Turkey and one-of-a-kind home decor. They make great gifts for housewarming, Christmas, for colleagues & bosses.

Find them online Here

Table-ware is another great idea! These Turkish Ceramic Caftans are made inspired by the daily clothes of Ottoman Sultans. Find them Here

Some Mediterranean touch never hurts :) We love the warm colors of Turkish Ceramic Bowls.

find these beautiful handworks Here

No Christmas without candles! This oriental candle set is such a hit, since they arrived to our website, they became one of the best sellers! Find them Here before they are all sold out!

Our Kilim Cushion are so popular! They are so cosy and their natural dyed colors are perfect for every season. Bloggers also love our cushions! Find them Here

Turkish Tea Sets are such unique gifts, they are perfect for . You can check out all Turkish Tea Sets Here

Turkish Ceramic Art is made in Anatolia since 16th century. As the Grand Bazaar Istanbul is full of these beautiful Decorative Plates and it might be the #1 gift that everyone gets for their family & friends from the bazaar. You can shop these beautiful plates Here

Copper Sugar/Chocolate Bowls are great for authentic serving experience. They are Here

Meet your family and friends with Turkish Copper Art. You have may options as coffee sets,  pots, spoons, grinders and more!

Turkish Coffee Sets are handmade of copper which keeps the coffee warm for a longer time. They are perfect for coffee, espresso, americano and more! Find them Here