Festive styling with iTokri

I had the good opportunity to collaborate with a brand like iTokri, India's best handpicked artisanal product shop.

iTokri  crafts Initiative is involved in designing, production and sourcing authentic handicrafts products from across the country. It is an in-house platform developed by iTokri team for artisans to showcase their products. Each item is hand-picked and sourced.

The inclusivity of women, and the consciousness of keeping things environmental friendly while engaging in various crafts enables iTokri to impact the lives of 500 plus artisans and around 10,000 individuals.
Have a look at how I styled my living room with cushions from iTokri, this festive season.

I have styled with Shibori, applique cut work and kasauti embroidery cushions from their wide range of collection 

Applique cut work cushions:

An exclusive brand of authentic handmade products from desert regions of Barmer, Jodhpur, Pipad, Bikaner and some parts of Kutch.  The product range includes home decor products, clothing range and other accessories with hand-block printing, applique work, hand embroidery and handloom weaving of the region.

Kasuti embroidered cushion covers:

Intricate and artfully done kasuti hand embroidered khun fabric cushion cover. The name Kasuti is derived from the words Kai (meaning hand) and Suti (meaning cotton), indicating an activity that is done using cotton and hands. Kasuti is a the most intricate traditional form of embroidery practiced in the state of Karnataka, India.

Shibori cushions:

Shibori tie-dye cotton cushion cover are hand dyed using the shibori tie and dye technique, in which the fabric is tied using clamps or stitches in the required design and the pattern is dyed.

The living room gets a dose of freshness with these cushions from iTokri. Do tell me, how you liked my styling. Also, check out iTokri for all your handicraft requirement and much more.

Enchancing a corner with a simple DIY

 

This corner does look beautiful what with the lights from the lamp and fresh gerberas and floating flowers. But the only eye sore I felt was the marble stand on which the stone uruli is placed. That does put me off! 

But is there anything that can't be tackled with a little DIY? And what better if it's a simple one.😊

Okay so now have a look at the next image. 

Tell me, does it look pretty now? To tell you the truth the marble stand is actually a roti maker or what we call chakla in Hindi.

So how did I pretty it up. The answer is in the following images.

Some peel and stick ons left over from an earlier project.

Chose the black and red one as it would go with the vase and flowers too!

The remaining edges were painted in red colour and tada you have a pretty good looking stand ready!

Wasn't that super easy and it was ready in flat 15 minutes!

Pour in your comments,  I would love to hear from you all.

Also, I really want you all to look at my instagram handle if you are not there yet. 

Look up for @sajavatdecorblog on instagram for my handle or follow the below mentioned link

https://www.instagram.com/sajavatdecorblog

A bunch of Singapore daisies and home decor

Hello June,

June for me is a month of abundance, what with rains in most part of our country! Rains ensure that new leaf unfurl, flowers dance in vibrant colour and there is a general 'joie de vivre' everywhere. 

The same for me is these pretty bunch of yellow Singapore daisies! It brings joy and hope. Recently, got this from our apartment garden, as it was being pruned. I rushed down to grab a few. 

On different days, they occupied different corners. Just changed the water everyday and they are sitting pretty inside a votive. Yes, no elaborate flower- vase arrangement.  Just a bunch inside water and notice how they transform the entire feel and look of the place.

Sharing images, tell me did you fall in love with them as much as I did? 

Flowers say it all!

Flowers breathe life into your decor. There is absolutely no need to buy expensive flowers to ace up your homes. Simple, thoughtful ideas are all you need to add that extra zing!

With Valentine around the corner, you may want to express your love with florals. Yes, these ideas can be done by the men for their lady love too!

Instead of going in for those bouquets, whose prices just shoot up during February,  better to try your hand . After all, handmades are special anyday.

Scout for those pretty bottles,  jars , vases in your home. You might have not realized  but your kitchen holds all of these treasures and more.

A pickle jar and three peach roses...

Jars like these can be used all around home

On the dining table...

Contrasting colours...

Lemons to quench your thirst or for floral fixes?

Colourful display

Tamarind seeds in a clear glass base. btw it is a terrarium bowl

So, did you like these simple arrangements? Instead of one big central floral decoration, place these flowers all around your home. Your valentine will sure not miss your warmth and thoughtful gesture.
Celebrate Valentine in style❤

Five must- have decor accessories to jazz up your home this summer

I stepped out yesterday at noon, was exhausting to be in the sun but then as I returned, my home embraced me with a warmness that was soothing.You see, I have summer-readied my home!! I realized it is important to change your decor according to the seasons.

Summers can be draining and harsh but if you have suitably modified your surroundings according to the situation, it can not only be bearable but also very relaxing. Certain decor elements can help you create a home, fit to be called a summer retreat!!!

The basic guide here is to appease your five sense organs. Sight,sound, smell,taste and feel is all that is to be dealt with and automatically calmness is restored and  your spirits are high! Now, let's get cracking on this!

Creating an urban jungle inside

 

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Move greens inside:The plants are going to love it and that will only add up your happiness quotient. Nothing can beat the coolness that plants bring. Strategically place them in groups in various nooks and corners of your home.Good, purified air is guaranteed. Attractive plant holders can be a great accompaniment to these plants. Apart from the greens, the planters add to the colour factor. what say?

Another must have for me during this weather is flowers. I have fresh flowers  from florist arranged in vases.Buying, in fact is not necessary.Gather flowers from your morning walk and arrange them in traditional uruli or floaters. You can immediately feel your decor go one notch up.In fact decorating with greens and flowers also makes your home welcoming to say the least!

1. Accessories required: Planters, vases & floaters



'Thanda Thanda cool cool'

Am not referring to any t.v commercial but that's what the sound of water does to you! Imagine the splish -splash of water and the thought itself is so rejuvenating! You don't have to go to the beach either to hear the waves, sit right in your living room and the trick is to create a zen corner with a water fountain. Do you get the idea?



2. Accessories required: water fountain


Please your olfactory nerve

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Now, that you have managed to bring down the temperature by a few degrees, add a sensory experience to it by having a great smelling home. As you enjoy a quiet evening at home or even while you have guests to entertain, (Remember ironically summers are vacation times) light that aromatic or a fruity flavoured fragrance to add to your experience of a 'cool home'.Invest in some good candle stands or the traditional 'dhoop' holders.

3. Accessories required: Candles and fragrant holders


Fashionable addition to your dining table: 

  

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Eating and drinking are synonyms with us Indians.Come what may we like to lead a good life but in summers it is equally important for you to be well hydrated. I found a quick fix recently in the form of a real, cool, glass water dispenser! Not only is it a great addition to your table ware but extremely useful in the hot humid months! Fill it up with some fresh lemonade or a strawberry drink , watermelon juice... options are many and it colours to your table as well! To top it all, your kids will be genuinely happy!

4. Accessories required: Glass water dispenser


Fabrics and textiles to the rescue:

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One thing that always adds 'oomph' to your decor are the fabrics or the textiles. Be it in the way of cushions, runners, bedspreads or curtains! It is always a good  idea to have summer friendly textiles  that are not very heavy, jazzy or too bright coloured for these months.Light, airy cottons are preferred in summers. Shades in pastels like mint green, ocean blue, pearly whites, peach etc are colours that are soothing to the eyes and the skin! Our mind associates  these colours with fresh breeze, creating a relaxed and refreshed look and feel to our homes!

5. Accessories required: cushion covers, drapes, bedspreads, runners, mats etc



The products that I have mentioned are easily available online too! So, sit in the comforts of your home and go shopping!

Collage of some loveable products  for you to shop from Floma
 Reasonably priced these can add a touch of elegance to your summer inspired decor!

Floaters, vases and planters

Cool, colourful products that can enliven your space

  Hope you will incorporate these tips in your decor. See you soon with yet another entertaining read !

Home Canvas -your home decor buddy!

When the home is your canvas, you sure want to paint a beautiful picture, right?

Our homes are our priced possessions and when we start out to decorate our cosy nest, we would want to go for the best! All said and done, in today’s fast paced life we are sometimes short of time and at various times find ourselves a little helpless on the decor front with multitude of choices. Whether to go for the decor that is eye catchy or to follow the trend or be a tad bit different from the rest is actually like a maze where one tends to get lost!

But here is where Home Canvas can come to our rescue. Home Canvas is an online discovery platform for the best in furniture and décor. There are experts out there in Home Canvas who curate stores, artisans and suppliers from all over the country. Their expertise lies in bringing together furnishings, furniture and accessories that range across styles, materials and price to deliver the world of décor right into your living room and mind you, all this can actually happen over the click of a mouse.

All this started when Sandeep Sridhar and Radhika set out to do up their abode and faced challenges in locating the right store for the kind of décor they had in mind! That led Sridhar to set up the online space Home Canvas.

Sridhar says, “ whether you are doing up only a room in your house or setting up a new home, we are a one-stop destination to help you discover furniture collections, find styles that resonate with your tastes and lead you to finding products in the easiest and most convenient manner possible. We have searched the length and breadth of the country and curated the most exquisite and lust worthy products, so you can have fun discovering perfect pieces- that you would have never been able to find before.”

Now, as I closely look up the site of Home Canvas, the kind of products and stores on the list are impressive and it is only growing up by the day!

The home page is very easy to browse through and is divided into two major sections.

1.       Products

The products are sorted category wise, room wise and according to the prices as well! That definitely makes the task easy. You have all the known brands and more on their list like Gulmohar Lane, India Circus, Address home, copper, H2H shop, GoodEarth, Nicobar, The décor Kart etc

Some products across the page of Home Canvas that caught my eye …

2.      Collections

Now, in addition to product wise listing, Home Canvas also has another option tab ‘collections’. This is again a very useful one. You just have to decide the theme for your home.

Whether you would want to go with a quirky décor or give a very ethnic feel to your home, accordingly in the collections section they have teamed up products to suit the theme.

Boho chic, seaside, tropical, pastels, vintage chic, farmhouse décor, heritage the options are many! The products in the collections act as a reference for you to easily visualize and feel the overall look!

Do you get the idea now? Whether you are searching for glass décor or wood weaves, one can find them grouped under one heading.

So, come on now let your dream of having a stunning and breathtaking home become a reality!

You can have a look at their website here

For updates from HomeCanvas visit their social media pages thru

Facebook , Instagram , Youtube , Pinterest , Twitter

I spotted some pretty artwork and rugs while creating this post and am straight away heading to Home Canvas... Do you want to join me too??

Ganesha at my home-enjoying Flatlay aesthetic

 Hello there,have you all started the preparation for welcoming Ganesha in your abode? Its such a special and awaited event. Kids and adults enjoy the festival alike.Now, am not sure whether its for the yummy modak or because he is always believed to be kids-friendly!

Today I experimented with some Flatlay photography...Yes yes, the one that has caught Instagrammers in a wild frenzy:)

Although am not on Instagram,I wanted to give this aesthetic of photography a try.So here you go...I read about some basic rules of the same and here it is.

Choose a theme

Can the theme be anything better and bigger than Ganesha? So the theme that we have chosen is Ganpati and home styling

Focus on the subject

Ganesha within a bamboo frame

To ensure that the subject is given due importance the flatlay should not be cluttered.Enough space has to be maintained between each object in the flatlay

Have natural light

Nothing to replace natural light while taking a picture.So ensure thst there is enough natural light in the room.

Colour palette

Ganesha in red...is dancing with me :)  ???

It is better to have one colour palette and a basic background.

Use props

Ganesha loves nature!

Make the frame look attractive by adding props to the Flatlay that complements the subject.

These are some images of Ganesha around home today...Hope you liked my tips on Flatlay. Have a joyful celebration at home with family and friends.See you all soon.

Colours of a room - mood infuencers too!

Social Samosa, Asian Paints, #IDIA and #IDIAwards


Colours have the ability to infuence our mood and enhance them too!They play a crucial role in the decor of a home.Have you ever wondered when you bring a little green into your decor,how you feel energized? Similarly, place a bouquet of red roses and voila you feel like doing a little jingle ! Yes, the presence of  Earthy greens, warm reds and sunny yellows perk up our mood.

Along with these colours I also use a lot of bronze colours. Fabrics too lend their colours and patterns and make a home cosy and inviting.Well Let me give you a little glimpse of my living room.I feel happy in my space with all the colours that surround me.Do the images make you happy too? Let me know.

Earthy colours such as natural wood and the golden hue of the brass pots...lined in my foyer

A portion of my living cum dining space

Some knick-knacks...

Colours through art...

It's a little misty and cloudy in Bangalore today!

This  is my favourite...I love the yellow,green and bronze combo which undoubtedly enlivens the space!

A closer look...

Implement colours in your home liberally.This year I want to experiment with turquoise blue.Married with yellow it can work wonder in your interiors.The only tip that one should adhere to, is to strike the right balance.So, Happy Decorating Folks!

This post is also a part of the Asian Paints and Social Samosa  Decor Influencer Awards (IDIA)
I  have been nominated in three categories.If you like what you read here Do Vote for me people.