Nettika Berthelot is a Thai-French-Canadian entrepreneur based in Barcelona. With a background in photography and fine arts, she has an affinity for aesthetic inquiry—an attraction to form and substance. After chapters in Bangkok, Toronto, New York, Los Angeles, Morocco, and Mexico, her quest for connection led to her most recent adventure: Tajmi, an online boutique that embodies Nettika's ethos—art as dialogue and a shared, curated experience.
Q: Congratulations on your recent relaunch of Tajmi. Your journey with it seems deeply rooted in cultural exploration. How has your global odyssey influenced the soul of Tajmi, and what unique narratives do you seek to bring forth through your home products?
My journey with Tajmi truly began long before the brand was even born. It’s a culmination of years spent traveling, experiencing, and understanding the vastness of cultural artistry worldwide.
I have a very distinct memory from when I was 11 years old, when I flew from Vancouver to Tokyo alone on Japanese airlines. This first of many solo experiences completely shaped my confidence as a young girl. I started the experience really scared, and arrived filled with curiosity and courage. I felt like I could do anything.
Experiencing Japanese culture at that age was extremely memorable. I have vivid thoughts of realizing the depth of their artisanal products even then, down to their tiny candy packaging. I knew then, that I was completely hooked on these types of new experiences.
Each place I have visited since I was a child has its own distinct design language, rich with tradition and a unique sense of identity. I think all these cumulative experiences have deeply influenced me, and eventually inspired me to develop what is the “soul” of Tajmi.
I wanted to create something more than just home decor; I envisioned a brand that would allow people to bring these narratives into their spaces. Every Tajmi product is crafted to embody a story, whether it’s the delicate detailing of a Berber pattern, the vibrant textiles of Mexico, or the clean lines inspired by Japanese minimalism.
My aim is for every piece to be a conversation starter, a gateway to global appreciation, and a reminder that the world’s artistry belongs in our homes, uniting us through beauty and heritage.
" It’s a feeling that resonates deeply with me, especially as someone who once left Thailand and tried to fit into a predominantly Caucasian school in Vancouver by changing my name from Nettika to Natty, distancing myself from my South East Asian roots and losing my ability to speak Thai. "
Q: In your travels, you've encountered diverse aesthetics and lifestyles. Can you share one memorable experience that deeply impacted you?
Well there are so many, but more recently, in 2021, something magical happened when I spent time in the Oaxaca region of Mexico.
Although I’d been to Mexico a few times before, this trip had a purpose: sourcing decor pieces for a past Tajmi collection. Oaxaca is vast, and many parts of it still deeply maintain their cultural roots. In many communities, people mainly speak their native languages like Zapotec or Mixtec, carrying a strong sense of history and a connection to nature that has survived the Spanish conquest. I admired this profoundly and was inspired to see so many of their traditions thriving today, especially in their craftsmanship and design elements.
One of the most memorable moments was visiting the renowned wax candle artist, Doña Viviana Alávez, famous for her intricate floral candle designs in the village of Teotitlán del Valle. At 78, she’s been creating these exquisite, intricate candles for celebrations, and her fame has grown over the years.
When I arrived at her door that morning, she had just finished washing her long hair. Despite my limited Spanish and her limited English, I spent hours working alongside her, watching as she dried, molded, and manipulated the beeswax into delicate floral shapes. We came from different worlds, yet we managed to communicate seamslessly.
Later, I went to the village market and was overwhelmed by the beauty around me. I’d heard about the long braids of Oaxacan women, but to see everyone with hair braided to the base of their backs, styled in the traditional two braids interwoven with silk ribbons, was breathtaking. Seeing these traditions alive and well filled me with hope that in these small corners of the world, past traditions and cultural identities can still be preserved.
It’s a feeling that resonates deeply with me, especially as someone who once left Thailand and tried to fit into a predominantly Caucasian school in Vancouver by changing my name from Nettika to Natty, distancing myself from my South East Asian roots and losing my ability to speak Thai.
Being in Oaxaca felt like reconnecting with the beauty of cultural pride and resilience. I won’t get into my personal stories, but Oaxaca healed me in many ways. I believe it sits on a very old, sacred and magical land.
Nettika with her mother in Vancouver, 1990
Q: We know you love hosting, so if you could host a dream dinner party with guests from any era or culture, who would you invite, and what would be the centrepiece of your table?
Well, my dream dinner party would bring together influential figures from different eras and cultures who have shaped our understanding of art, philosophy, and the universe.
I’d invite Leonardo da Vinci, a true visionary whose curiosity and inventions spanned both art and science. Frida Kahlo, who I know would have been the life of the party! I’d love to throw a few artists into this mix like Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Claude Monet, Paul Cézanne (as you can see I loved the Impressionist era), I think having Salvador Dali there would just be a trip in general.
Adding Georgia O’Keeffe and Jane Goodall for her compassionate perspective would complete the artistic side. Joining them would be the philosopher Simone de Beauvoir, for her insights on freedom and identity, along with Rumi, the Persian poet, whose thoughts on love and the human spirit have crossed centuries.
Finally, Stephen Hawking would complete the group, sharing his groundbreaking ideas on space and time, reminding us of the mysteries beyond our world. For the centerpiece, I’d place a handmade tapestry inspired by cultures around the world, a symbol of the interconnected ideas and beauty each guest represents. Scattered around it would be small artisan pieces from various regions, each representing the creativity and craft traditions that bind us all as humans, grounding our conversations in a shared appreciation for timeless craftsmanship.
Q: You clearly have an eye for beauty, so I am wondering if you could design a whimsical product for Tajmi inspired by a childhood memory or your cultural background, what would it be and what story would it tell?
Oh that's an interesting question. Well, if I could design a product for Tajmi inspired by my childhood, it would be a series of modern paper lamps; an homage to the beautiful paper lantern festivals in Thailand. There, you can find the annual Yi Peng Festival in Chiang Mai, where thousands of lanterns fill the sky, each carrying a wish or a message.
I have sadly not experienced this specific festival myself, but this tradition has grown all over the country at different times (like on New Years Eve), where hundreds of glowing lights drift up into the black sky, merging into a sea of stars. It’s quite beautiful.
Inspired by both minimal Japanese paper lamps, and a Thai tradition, I think it would be a very fun project to dream up.
Nettika with her dog, Judo, at her home in Barcelona
Q: Finally, how do you envision the role of scent in creating a deeper emotional connection within a living space?
Scent has a unique power to deepen emotional connections in our spaces. It’s closely linked to memory and emotion, often transporting us to cherished moments. At Tajmi, we use scents inspired by diverse places and cultures—like sandalwood reminiscent of a temple or lavender evoking a Mediterranean garden. These fragrances can transform a room, enhancing well-being, relaxation and focus.
This is why we’re excited to carry Sibonei in our shop. Having personally visited Grasse, France, a town renowned for its luxury perfumes and rich traditions in fragrance-making, I have a deep appreciation for the history involved.
Sibonei's commitment to using high-quality, non-toxic ingredients aligns perfectly with our vision at Tajmi. Each candle is crafted to not only fill a space with beautiful fragrance, but also to tell a story, one that resonates with the emotions and memories we seek to create within our homes.
