Quotes of the Day

Let's face it. It has been ages since adjectives like "sleepy" or "charming" have been attached to Chiang Mai. For years, Thailand's second city has been grappling with the same environmental problems as Bangkok (explosive population growth, unsightly sprawl, heavily polluted air and incessant traffic) with little of the capital's cosmopolitan sheen to compensate—except, that is, in the area of housewares, crafts and design, where Chiang Mai still maintains an edge. Reputedly Thailand's artistic capital, it enjoys perennial influxes of expatriate and local artists, gallery operators and designers attracted to the long traditions of craftsmanship.

The arty epicenter can be found at Nimmanhaemin Road near Chiang Mai University. Home to the university's art museum, Nimmanhaemin began its real development in the late 1990s, when the street became the location of an arts-and-crafts show that's now held every December and is a must-attend event for retailers and the local design trade. "If you want to see the next generation of Lanna artists and designers, you come here," declares Rachen Intawong, proprietor of the fashionable Nimmanhaemin boutique hotel, At Niman Conceptual Home. And if you want to know where to buy some of the street's coolest crafts, take a look at the list on the right. Just make sure there's plenty of slack in the credit card.

STUDIO KACHAMA: From its austere black façade, you know you're in for something different at Kachama Perez's nearly two-year-old store, tel: (66) 5321 9499. Taking traditional appliqué patches from nearby Hmong, Karen and Yao villages, Perez—who studied textile design in Japan—splices them into her woven creations with colorful beads and shimmering organza. The effect is stunning (as are the prices, with a 5.5-meter wall hanging costing over $9,000). Those on tighter budgets can take solace in the more affordable pillowcases, table runners and scarves.

LIVING SPACE: British-French expat Jennifer Dyson was a longtime fixture on Tha Pae Road until this past February, when she moved her design-and-lifestyle emporium, tel: (66) 5321 5166, to Nimmanhaemin. "I suppose I was ready for a new environment," she says. Fans of her old store can still find plenty of its distinctive, boldly colored Thai and Vietnamese lacquerware. Other goodies include two-toned lambskin messenger bags and teak trays inlaid with mother-of-pearl.

JI-QOO: One of a handful of galleries in town that spurns faux-traditional art adorned with the usual lotus blossoms and other Buddhist motifs, Ji-Qoo, tel: (66) 5389 4250, is run by husband-and-wife team Chatchawan and Satoru Nilsakul. They prefer to showcase the work of emerging, Chiang Mai-based artists, and they've got the inside track on whose work to buy: Chatchawan is an artist himself and teaches at Chiang Mai University.

KHARA: With its crisp kurta shirts and hand-printed scarves, Khara, tel: (66) 5321 1067, will satiate your inner hippie and eco-warrior. Owner Karina Vestergaard, a Danish art curator and textile enthusiast, sells mostly handmade products using organic fabrics and natural dyes. She also sources directly from villages in Nepal and Thailand to ensure that money goes straight to the communities.

• Jennifer Chen