Thursday, August 31, 2017

Vignette with the humble chalkboard

As kids we all had this and it was our favourite too! To scribble anything and everything on it was a task we loved. Am talking about the chalkboard /blackboard here!!!

Now, as my kids are all grown up and out of that phase their chalkboard is serving a purpose of my interest...To jot down my thoughts for the day or simply put, as  a decor accessory !

When creating a vignette, if you can also express the arrangement through texts, believe me, it can create a visual interest like none other !!

The message gets conveyed easily and effectively.What do you think?

I came across certain such vignette where the chalkboard has been used and the humble chalkboard just takes the decor to the next level...Have a look...

There are so many elements in this image but the blackboard takes prominence. Isn't it?
And every time you pass by this, am sure there will be a smile on your face !

https://in.pinterest.com/pin/497718196310519732/

https://in.pinterest.com/pin/497718196310528257/
Welcome to your own kitchen and the messages acts as a mood setter for the day.You feel happy and I bet there will be a song on your lips

https://in.pinterest.com/pin/497718196310519999/

I have admired Archana Srinivas for her decor sense, for creating simple arrangements that leave a lasting impression. How effective is this vignette, where everyday stainless steel vessels are used and the message so apt..."Shine On"

https://in.pinterest.com/pin/497718196310519999/
And each family has its own set of rules...why not jot it down?

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 And now some from my own home... when you are glad you have weekend ahead and you can just take it easy and Relax...

https://in.pinterest.com/pin/497718196310519963/
Place the chalkboard anywhere and everywhere...As for now, my blackboard has found its home in the balcony

https://in.pinterest.com/pin/497718196310727387/
So what do you think? Are you going to try this or have you already done so.Either which way, I would love to hear from you.

Friday, August 18, 2017

Styling with Bougainvilleas

As we pass expressways and highways 
these purple, pinks, yellows and whites,
that form a fence, a boundary or a canopy
So enchanting, not fragrant 
yet, dainty and so pretty!

A no-fuss plant
with some thorns 
but those delicate, vibrant flowers that makes you want!!

 Colours such, that brighten the space 
and lights up a face,
are none other than those of the  Bougainvillea !!!

Earlier, I was not much impressed with Bougainvilleas since they always used to flower on the neighbours side of the fence but slowly my fondness grew. and now as we take road trips, this plant is found on almost all state and national highways and they are such a marvelous sight to see!!! (They even made me attempt a poem on them. Pathetic though it may be!)

I got some branches home, last trip and used them to style various nooks and spaces of my home. Sharing these with all you dear readers.
Let me know how you find this post and if you are a plant lover like me get  these sturdy plant home! They are very easy to maintain just two things worth remembering are

1. Water them only when dry
2. Prune them periodically


So lets start...Enjoy the images

On the shelves...



pleasant sight in the restrooms for sure!

With my ceramic jars in the kitchen

Workspace calls for such pretty diversions all the time! what say?


withered away flowers collected in a bowl

 as a centrepiece on the table

They can be easily merged with all assortments, typically anywhere !


Bringing life to my living room!
If you were impressed with this post and want to style your space with them, here is another tip from me. The bougainvillea flowers when  left to dry on its own become paper like and doesn't lose colour for a long time.They are ideal and can be placed in an uruli or a bowl instead of fresh flowers!


Did you notice the ceramic jar with the bougainvillea is the same in all images.Only the locations changed.The bougainvillea still manages to create its own mojo and breathes life to all the corners that were styled with them.

This only reinforces my belief that one doesn't need expensive elements to style their home. A little thought, love and care does it all!


Thursday, August 10, 2017

Mirrors as show stoppers

How often, we go over board while sprucing up our homes with various decor accessories but sometimes the most simplest accessory can do wonders in creating an everlasting impression and as such I found our humble mirrors adorning many a homes with panache and grace like none other! And you cannot deny their utilitarian value too!

 A niche styled with mirrors creates an inspiring decor. Stumbled across so many such vignettes & well designed, highlighted spaces that comes alive with mirrors incorporated in their decor scheme. 
I have mirrors in my home purely for its practical needs.These images are my inspiration and soon I intend to create one for myself as well!

Come on, join me in this visual delight of decorating with mirrors!

https://in.pinterest.com/pin/497718196310424595/

https://in.pinterest.com/pin/497718196310424860/

https://in.pinterest.com/pin/497718196310438310/
https://in.pinterest.com/pin/497718196310438430/
https://in.pinterest.com/pin/497718196310438313/
https://in.pinterest.com/pin/497718196310438289/

Some of these homes have been much talked about for their impeccable style of decorating. The next one has been photographed by Tushar Rao and has been on the 'An Indian summer' blog


https://in.pinterest.com/pin/497718196310424910/
This huge mirror covered wall has all my heart.The colour and the size lends an overall unique appeal  to the room!

https://in.pinterest.com/pin/497718196310424827/
Ideal brass elements to go with the golden rimmed mirror and the mustard wall makes a class statement! What say?

https://in.pinterest.com/pin/497718196310424693/
Equally good is this rustic textured one!

https://in.pinterest.com/pin/497718196310424673/
Sruthi singh of 'The east coast desi' blog featured Kanthi Prasad's  Bengaluru home and this mirrored beauty with drawers is an ideal vignette with or without the other stuff placed on them !

https://in.pinterest.com/pin/497718196310424644/
Sanskriti Lifestyle in Pune has all these drool worthy products.Grouping mirrors together is eye catchy and makes for an impressive decor.

https://in.pinterest.com/pin/497718196310424716/
This is our very own Preethi Prabhu's home of ‎ IndyaKaleidoscope.

https://in.pinterest.com/pin/497718196310424869/
And while I do admire the above pic, there is another from Preethi's studio which has been in my wishlist since long!These are kutchi leather framed mirrors against the black wall. Every time I look at them I marvel at her ingenuity

https://in.pinterest.com/pin/9148005481957770/


https://in.pinterest.com/pin/497718196310424863/
Again this vignette from Sia Krishna of the blog Monsoon Spice has me completely hooked and convinces me further to use mirrors in my decor scheme. An unusual shape! Wonder where she got it from?

https://in.pinterest.com/pin/497718196310432973/
A tiny winy wood framed mirror styled in Shivani Dogra's project.An ensemble of various knicks knacks along with the muse of our post completes the look !

https://in.pinterest.com/pin/497718196303780289/
Are you inspired to try out something similar or perhaps give wings to your ideas and create another stunning decor with mirrors for us to gasp and rave about?
Meanwhile, all this inspiration forced me to assimilate a DIYed Mirror on my side table for the time being. Until I find interesting mirrors I will have to do with this.

Are you scrolling back and forth and trying to take in all the beauty? Carry on, for am doing the same!

Monday, August 7, 2017

Kishkindha Bonsai Garden

This post is for those plant lovers  who will agree, when I say that growing healthy lush green plants is an art and one needs to invest tremendous time and energy to have  beautiful and well maintained greens.

Now, when it comes to Bonsai, the effort and patience required just doubles up. And therefore when I visited a Bonsai Garden recently I was left dumb found!
Bonsai is the art of involving miniaturizing plants and growing them in pots or trays.
'Bon' means tray and 'sai' means tree.It is said that this art took its root in China and then came to Japan.
Interestingly, there is also a mention of a miniature forest in the Ramayana.It is the 'Kishkindha Vana’ developed by Dadhimukha, the maternal uncle of King Sugriva. Kishkindha was the name of a mountain. The word is also used to signify ‘a narrow space’, or  ‘a compact space’.
These are the snippets from the information board that I read at Kishkindha Bonsai garden Mysore.

The Bonsai Garden is a part of the SGS Ashrama and has an exquisite collection of more than 450 carefully shaped and aesthetically pleasing miniaturized trees.

Come on, let me not make you wait...Join me on this Bonsai garden tour.



I noticed that  trees like ficus, peepal, banana, jade, gooseberry,tamarind, drumstick etc were developed into Bonsai. The shape, size and the form of these Bonsai trees were amazing.Over a period of time with due human intervention these trees were no less than a masterpiece!


For trees to form a Bonsai it takes good to around 40-50 years. Fruit bearing trees like these gooseberries looked stunning with their bushy appearance.





What do you think about this beauty? It is a drumstick tree.It somehow looks like a deer with a horn to me.
Then, on  display were a variety of Jade plants.You can see in one of these images how the stem have been passed through a spiral spring like tube and as the stem develops it will follow a similar pattern








 Not only the Bonsai, but the entire garden was well landscaped.I could even gather few tips that i can follow even in my small terrace garden.

Tip : Place small figurines in and around your green space.It immediately enhances the look of your space. They can be small idols of your favourite Gods or say a laughing Buddha



Notice how skillfully and aesthetically a small Ganesha has been placed within the hollow space of the stem with a stair leading to Him. Interesting isn't it?



 Tip: You can combine plants in a single tray or pot.When you do so let it be a combination of a bushy plant and a long one. Adds drama to the entire set up.





Again a jaw dropping tangled beauty!!! I could simply be there,do nothing and spend hours if not for the time restrictions



Tip: Place an idol / figure in the pot and manoeuvre the plant around it, just like in the image above.Again, it creates oodles of drama!



Have you heard about the Japanese concept of Wabi-Sabi. If not head over to this post for my understanding and interpretation of it. Meanwhile the pot with the jade protruding out of it is the perfect Wabi-Sabi for me. And here you have my next tip...

Tip: Many a times we have such partly broken ceramic or earthen pots. Think of ways to incorporate them in your garden decor. Believe me,though damaged, if used wisely they can become your 'conversation starter' buddies!


Leaving you with a blooming image of a bonsai frangipaani. Hope you enjoyed this post...Stay tuned folks..More interesting stories coming your way!!!



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