A makeover story

A unique experience

Hey guys am so excited!!
Got a makeover done at my home by ASIAN PAINTS.Many of you may be aware of the "SURPRISE YOUR SPOUSE" campaign launched by Asian Paints for their Royale play brand. Am sure you would have seen Saif Ali khan ad where he is a part of a makeover process.
Bad luck,couldn't meet him though!
when I saw this ad,I thought it was time to give a real surprise to my husband and a makeover surprise adds such a fun element to the whole concept.

BEFORE

The plain wall


well it all started with fixing "the day" for the makeover.I chose a working day so that my hubby is away for the better part of the day.Finalised the combing texture and Mango as the base coat,Glowing rust as the top coat.
I chose this shade keeping in mind the rest of the decor.The idea was that the wall is highlighted at the same time it should blend in with the other decor element which is almost beige and orange in my home.ROYALE PLAY has a variety of shades and textures to chose from,actually you are spoilt for choice here.

I chose a wall which is the most highlighted in our house so that after the makeover it gets a more enhanced look.

Asian paints were there at my place by 10 am on the chosen day.They began working first by masking certain areas so as to make sure that there is no mess in other areas.Then they had to scrape the wall to smoothen it.Thereafter applied the base coat Mango,we joked that it looks as yummy as aamras.


Applying base coat-Mango


After the first coat



After an hour or so after the first coat dried it was time for the final coat.

Top coat-Glowing Rust



Making patterns on the wall-Texture-Combing

This was the most interesting.one guy applied the glowing rust where as the other guy used this combing tool to create the design and the required effect.
Lo and Behold! by 4p.m we were done.It was quick and mess free.

Final look

Now the wait was for my husband for whom we were taking all the pain.I had this butterfly feeling in my stomach.But all is well that ends well.He was surprised to no end that I could do something of this sort behind his back.

The Royale wall



The wall looks beautiful.
It really lends a character of its own and stands out.
I had a lovely experience.

You can watch the youtube video on
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwQ44lFDydo

Happy Sankranti and Pongal-o-pongal

Happy Sankranti to one and all.



India being an agricultural country, harvest season is celebrated throughout our country with great enthusiasm and fervour.
It may have different names but the festival is a celebration of the farmers, their lands and cows and signifies the harvest season.In Maharashtra it is the Makar Sankranti.




open the lid to taste the pongal

In Tamilnadu Pongal wherein 'Pongal' a prasadam (made with rice and jaggery) also with the same name is made to overflow from an earthen pot with the intention that the year ahead also overflows with peace and happiness.
so lets say together Pongal-o-Pongal.

Home decor tips- Living room

For the second part in this series of home decor tips, let me invite you inside the living area

Lets step into the hall,drawing room or living room whatever you may choose to call it.
An intresting piece of information about drawing room is that the name is derived from the sixteenth-century term "withdrawing room" and "withdrawing chamber," A withdrawing room was a room to which the owner of the house, his wife, or a distinguished guest who was occupying one of the main apartments in the house could "withdraw" for more privacy.
Until the mid-twentieth century, after a dinner the ladies of a dinner party would withdraw to the drawing room, leaving the gentlemen at table, where the cloth was removed. After an interval of conversation, the gentlemen would rejoin the ladies in the drawing room.
Certain points to keep in mind before you do up your living room.
1.Always keep the area in mind. keep it clutter free.
only include those that will make the room look larger.

2.Straight line furniture goes a long way in achieving this.
3.The frames that you hang on the walls should be at eye level.
4.you can make a room look larger by using mirrors and glass.
5.Include pieces that you truly admire and not because it is seen everywhere.
6.Living room ideally should be a zone where you relax and therefore comfortability should be a priority.
7.If you prefer Indian sitting throw cushions look wonderful.
8.vibrant rugs,carpets,mats in pretty prints can be added to achieve a colourful room.
9.Try creating a focal point.
10.keep the decor changing at regular intervals by playing around with your furniture.fresh flowers,drawings by your kids can all add that personal touch in your home.
11.If its a living cum dining area,keep the dining table small.
12.Adequate lighting brightens up the space.If natural lighting is limited there is a variety of artificial lighting available in the market.This will make the room warm and inviting.
13.One can go in for light colours on the walls and for the upholestry so that the accessory chosen can be brighter.
14.white and cream looks serene but when interspersed with florals,the room will look magical.
15.let your room always be colour co-ordinated.

some pics from my sister's living room









Keep watching this space for more pics on living room.

Home decor tips- entrance or foyer area

So...A year almost coming to an end.How do you intend to welcome 2011?
With a big bang of HAPPINESS,LAUGHTER and of course a clean,pleasant and a stunning HOME.
Starting this week I plan to dedicate a separate post to each and every room in a house.Hope you will enjoy this house tour.

where do we start?

Right at the entrance of the house.The entrance to any home can give a wonderful insight to the people residing inside.

what do we do to enhance the outer portion of our home? In a place like Mumbai people live in flats and they are deprived of a garden or a courtyard in front of their homes.But a rangoli or a flower arrangement can work wonders.

A beautiful peacock rangoli to welcome your guests at the entrance.
(My neighbour's creation)



some floating flowers..



Rangoli design made by my mother(with rice paste),some flowers ,and a diya or a candle...





Step inside for a beautiful interior and into a wonderful 2011!

Happy New Year

Missing the blogging world!

So much has been happening in the world of blogging and I have been missing them terribly. At the same time life could not have been better for me. Iam now mother of a little boy too! So with two kids around, things are moving with jet speed. Now I intend to hit blogging again!
Just thought of sharing this wonderful news with all of you.


Take a look at the gorgeous kids room.
Iam now thinking of a makeover at my home.






Have a cheerful day!

Warli again!

Yet another one on warli! Are you bored of so many posts on Warli?

We have a small group of fun loving girls gang and the team is called Sakhi Sanskriti.We meet once or twice a month,have fun,play games,enjoy the weather, snacking is ofcourse a part of all this and above all we celebrate each other's birthday!!

You all must be thinking why am I sharing all this with my blogger friends?
Here comes the Warli part.On each birthday we gift a warli card to the birthday girlies. Have a look!











The cards have warli design on them and while making these I have struck to a theme of one tree and two women on them.









 So here are two lovely ladies chit chatting and having a wonderful time among these trees.Trees and ladies have many a thing in common. Both are pillars of strength.one for the environment and the other in a society. Ever imagined a home without the mother? She is the lady of the house. Just like a women, a tree is also a mother.

Please save trees and respect women!!

enjoy the warli cards!

Motifs..Of Peacocks,Elephants,Paisley designs

I have often wondered why these designs are so preferred over the others but these age old traditional motifs are so enchanting that you just cannot give them up!!

Isn't it so? Have a dekko

peacock Pendant

The picture isn't half as pretty as the pendant itself{my poor photography skills}



Traditional peacock motif on a south silk saree



Paisley design

Black and Golden Paisley designed kurta from BIBA, The famous fashion house





Silver Zardosi on a saree



What a bracelet!!



Elephants on a placemat



Elephants are huge,strong and sturdy but the intricacy of this delicate design fascinates me.I have all the mind to embroider this motif on a bedsheet.what do u think?