Travel inspired design and decor tales

 As you travel and explore a place you gain a different perspective. The experience that you acquire thru visiting a new land is like none other!

We traveled to Bhutan this summer and this post will cover the various design inspiration and styling tips I gathered  during the stay. As one who is interested in decor and art, I felt I was lucky to be here.

Bhutan has beautiful dzongs or forts and the architectural detailing on each of them is very much similar. In spite of that, each one was eye catchy and we looked forward to seeing more of them each day! Add to that, the traditional homes in Bhutan have a certain pattern and they are supposed to follow that even for the newer construction.This gives a uniformity in design. The windows are expected to be built with arches on them.The size of the windows may vary but the arches remain. Have a look at the following pics and it will all make sense...

The patterned arch that you see in this window design is very typical in Bhutanese architecture.

 The melange of colours and painted art on doors and windows mesmerizes you. some of the bigger motifs that you see on the bottom most part are the sacred symbols in their religion denoting peace and prosperity.

The arch is invariably present in each one !

This is within a dzong

These doors and windows use a wooden panel with intricate carving and detailed motifs painted onto them. The colours are generally rust,golden yellow,green and a royal shade of blue. On many of them an extra square block of wood with art work was attached and this lifted the design and styling a notch above the rest.

 

 

Notice the wooden block on the topmost part of the frame with a 'shankh' or conch painted on it. I felt these are such beautiful design inspirations to take away and can be experimented on our very own console tables and the like, lending a very rich and unique feel to the entire set-up!

A closer look at the neat and vibrant design

Let us take a look at some more of these...

This is a  wooden box with enchanting wood work on it, concealing wires and all the other hardware stuff inside the box!

DOORS... Literally welcoming!

 When there are no doors, you will find these pretty applique worked screens obstructing direct view.

 

A typical sit out...

Are you sold out on these cute storage cum coffee tables? I sure am! 

perking up a mundane space...

Let us peek more into their furniture range for some more design inspiration...

Dragon motifs on the sides of the settee...We can perhaps follow suit with some of our very traditional motifs or simply a floral pattern

These mandala designs are very popular in Bhutan

Such an elegant looking seater!

 What struck me here was the Bhutanese textile used for the cushions. We can again implement one in khunn or ikkat weave

Apart from these I shared pics of  some beautiful planters from this ' Land of Thunder Dragon' on Sajavat's Facebook and Instagram feeds. You can check them out regularly for more inspirations on design and decor.

 

Let me end the post with a Buddha figure beautifully positioned inside a stupa. I felt the same would look great as a jharokha on the walls emanating peace and calmness!

The above ideas were some of the decor inspiration that I got, while traveling to Bhutan. Hope it helps you in some way while decorating your space. Signing off for the time being.

Happy decorating!

Mayura's Farmhouse styled home

We often try to run away from our urban chaos, to a quieter locale probably a farmhouse that we can call our own for the couple of days that we stay put there. But, what happens when your home itself is farmhouse style inspired ( with or without the farm animals! )? That is exactly how it is with Mayura.

Her insta stories propelled me to establish contact with her and request for a home tour.
Her home that we are about to uncover is 80 years old, though it is renovated, the basic structure is preserved. Mayura lives with her hubby, kid and her Mil here.All of them being decor enthusiast, they were clear from the start that the ethnic charm is not lost upon as they renovate the home!

 I feel the beauty of such spaces lies in openness of the plan.  The indoors merge easily with the outdoors creating vastness of space.

The interiors have been done in dark wood tones.Many traditional elements like the jharokha, brass artifacts which are proud heritage collections rule the place.Apart from these brass bells & lanterns lend a rustic charm!

Unique in itself are these rows and rows of neatly arranged brass  cooking vessels like pots, pans,urns, plates which have been designated a separate place yet assimilating their presence in the interiors as well!

 A sitting area which I understand opens into the outdoor...

 Yet another rustic feature wall with dancing warli motifs and woven treasures. Traditional game like the pallankuzhi board that you see on the ledge makes me remember my childhood  summer days. Oh! What fun it used to be when all the cousins used to gather over the game!

 A peek into her well laid out garden space...

The warli paintings are done by Mayura.

Such lovingly created corners!

 And see I told you it's a farmhouse styled  home...Look at those lovely ducks enjoying a  bath in afternoon sun!

 This is the perfect getaway for me in summers. what do you think? Mayura blogs at thelifeinspire.com and you can have a look at her insta feed here. 
She would be happy to hear from you as well!

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 !

Styling with a handmade beauty !

I have always been inclined to stuff that are handmade. I appreciate the fact that someone has taken the pain to produce a piece out of their own imagination, skill and creativity!
This means whenever I travel near or far, such things catch my fancy and know what, next they come home with me as a cherished souvenir !

On one such recent trip, I bought one of  this handwoven basket home. In such  vibrant colours, couldn't resist buying one! These are made up of nylon wires. A very indigenous craft and has existed since the time of our grannies. But there is always an improvisation added in such crafts to sustain competition and here they have altered the shape of the basket. a pretty looking, Lotus like basket!

drooling...

Am not a very impulse kind of a buyer. I buy only when I think it can be put to good use. That's my idea of a souvenir as well! It should be such that am reminded of the awesome time I had,whenever I utilize it. So now, that this beauty came home with me, I have styled it in various corners of my home and there is never a dull moment with it. The basket amazes me with it's versatility and instantly enlivens the surroundings.

come on, see for yourself!

Brilliant colour combination!

The insides...Uniform design...

Looks great with contrasting colours as well!

Can be used as a flower holder in  the prayer room

Suitably eye-catchy anywhere !

In combination with my brass artifacts

As a planter...

what Say?

Besides the kitchen sink ...

side table companion!

 Did you like it? Any such special souvenir that you have lugged home and the effort seemed all worthwhile? Share with me and the readers of sajavat.

As the summer vacation begins, hope you all have a gala time with your family.I shall return soon with many such travel stories, souvenirs, interior ideas captured from my travel and many more...

Transformation of the laundry space !

 Our homes are our pride and for a decor enthusiast like me, I would want each corner to be, just as I envisioned!
But you know,there are these small pockets in everyone's home that act as an eyesore but nothing much or great can be done about them. One such space in our home is the small corner in the dry area  which specifically caters to the  laundry requirement. This is how it looks...

I know you would want to reason it out with me saying how does it matter? How much of my time do I actually spend there? Hardly any! But still...

These are the following that had to be addressed...

1.The plain boring walls
2.Utility items like the ladder placed on the side,lunch bags that are hung on the wall giving an unpleasant sight!
3. Nailing on the walls was ruled out since the said walls had too many water lines running and I did not want to take any risk.
4.I wanted the entire transformation on a zero budget. Ehh!! Does that sound ridiculous to you? I was kind of very firm on this!

So, once the idea took seed, I started looking out for good pics, something that I can easily try my hands at and cover a portion of the plain wall surrounding the washing machine with some colours  and bring about a facelift to the space.
I am satisfied with the way it has turned out but you tell me, how is the final look. I shall wait to hear your comments.So do let me know.Any other idea that I can implement? Do feel free to suggest..

Leaving you with the step wise pictures of the transformation or the makeover if I may call it so!

 

This is the completed look. At least, the bare, boring white walls are a little vibrant now. I added a warli poster on the facing wall. A fabric hanging that had seen better days is used to cover the washing machine when not in use, the ladder and lunch bags have been designated a different place and I have a contented cheerful smile on my face!

Any area in your home that you would want to give  a makeover without spending a dime? How would you tackle it? or write in to me and probably, I can help you out!

The next post is on styling corners with a beautiful souvenir that I got from my recent trip. So stay tuned !!!

Handmade and vibrant- Athangudi tiles

When my seven year old son, was told that we are about to visit a tile factory, he wasn't a bit enthusiastic about it but the sheer experience of seeing deft hands at work left him mesmerized and then he wasn't ready to return! Such was our thrill of visiting the factory at Athangudi which is world famous for making handmade tiles.

Four tiles assembled to form one pattern!

A single colourful tile

 Since these tiles are handmade, each piece is unique. The patterns on Athangudi tiles are as a result of the design frames which have to be made first. The person in charge of the factory told us that there are very less number of artisans now, who make these design frames. As a craft it is probably dying a slow death.

Frame for making the design

Let me give you a glimpse of how these tiles are made in the form of pictures and videos.

Have a look at the video to understand how a plain tile is made...

The tiles are made from a mixture of cement and sand.All the impurities from the sand are first filtered. Then a running dough of cement,sand, water and colour is prepared by mixing these together.

Square glass slabs form the base for the tile. A metal frame is placed on the glass slab. For a plain single coloured tile, the above running mixture is poured over the frame.Sand, cement mix is sprinkled all over to absorb moisture.
Incase of design tiles, another designed frame is placed to form the design.Then the colour solution is poured in the different compartments of the frame.

There are skilled artisans too, who sometimes don't use these designed frames! Instead they pour the colour manually on the glass slab and stir it manually to create a design. But such is their expertise in this craft that batch after batch they churn out innumerable quantities of exactly the same tiles!

Now, the border frame is removed and the tile is left to dry at room temperature for a few hours and later cured in water by keeping it soaked in a water tank for about 6-7 days.

Watch another short video to see how the tile is seperated from the glass with ease and then the corners and edges are filed to a smoother surface.

Tiles left in a water tank for curing

Then  the tiles are dried in the sun. The glass eases out from the tile smoothly and a perfect glossy finished Athangudi tiles are created.

A well laid out floor with Atahngudi tiles

These tiles apparently are hassle free to maintain and remains glossy without any polishing. Am completely floored by the wonderful patterns and the eye catchy colours!

So how did you find this post? The next post is a small makeover that I attempted recently...So catch you soon.