Spotlight on Madhubani

Good Morning Aalayam! I want to take a minute to welcome our new readers. Our tribe is slowly growing and we are humbled by the fact that so many of you choose to spend a few minutes of your downtime reading us. Supriya and I constantly struggle with the demands of work, family and the blog and have just not been able to find the bandwidth to take Aalayam to Facebook but we truly appreciate the comments and feedback we get via our posts. Thank you!

We are going to the next stop on India’s pluralistic folk art trail today. It has been amazing to look at our diverse cultural identity preserved through our folk arts and so far we’ve covered Warli, Tanjore paintings, Kalamkari, Terracotta and more in our incredible India series.

We love exploring and discovering India through her art forms. These indigenous art forms tell the story of people living in far-flung corners of India and their lives and their traditions. Folklore comes to life via vivid colors, patterns and the artist’s skill and the art instantly casts a spell on the viewer.

 Global demand has led to an art revolution of sorts and breathed new life into these art forms even if it means some of these are now mass produced thus compromising their intrinsic handicraft value. 

I am a huge believer of incorporating moderate doses of handicrafts and local art into my home décor perhaps because of their distinct immutable quality. I am no connoisseur but I do take pride in our rich cultural heritage and hope that via Aalayam I can induce an appetite for India’s folk arts (that have survived the ravages of time) among our readers.

Today, we take a look at a few kitschy corners of my home that house art work in the Madhubani style. I love the rustic simplicity of the Madhubani style of painting so much that I even tried making one. 

Several dots and details later, my Madhubani was done!  It seems perfect inspite of all it’s imperfections and that is the beauty of folk art !   Personally, I feel that navigating the world of folk art is less intimidating than sorting through  the sophisticated world of fine art  and over the years I have managed to compile  a collection of colorful and soulful folk art that is evocative. Of course, the collection is an evolving one as I keep adding to it. In recent years, I have picked up pieces of global folk art as well (talavera, Americana and so forth) and they now adorn quiet corners of our home.

The Madhubani or Mithila style of painting is from Nothern India and celebrates mythology, nature, and everyday rituals through the use of bright colors and geometric patterns.  You can read more about the evolution of this art form here.

Here is a well articulated excerpt (capturing the essence of the Madhubani painting) from an article by Nibedita Das titled Madhubani paintings: Its Existence and Possibility. Good read!

“Madhubani painting is an emblematic expression of day-to-day experiences and beliefs. As such, symbolism, simplicity and beauty hold them together in a single school of traditional art. The symbols that these Maithili painters use have their specific meanings as, for instance, fish symbolize fertility, procreation and good luck, peacocks are associated with romantic love and religion, and serpents are the divine protectors. Characterized by vibrant use of colour, underlying symbolism and traditional geometric patterns supporting the main theme, the Indian folk art form of Madhubani succeeded in creating a place for itself in the international house of fame and is now recognized worldwide.”

So, is folk art a genre of art work that interests you? Does the raw and rustic charm of products created by tribal artisans appeal to your décor sensibilities? If so, are there any particular ones that you are more drawn to and do you have a collection? Write to me or send me pictures.

Cheers!

~Deepa

P.S: All images used in this post are from my home and shot by my husband. Please do not use without permission.

Home tour - Part Global, Part Wabi Sabi, Part barefoot living (Part 1)

One little corner and a million little details- Kamini Raghavan's home!

"Fill your house with stacks of books in all the crannies and all the nooks" - Dr. Seuss
and that's exactly what our home owner today has done! But then again her home is an envious mix of treasures (not just books) - treasures that stimulate one's senses - warm colors, exotic textiles,  interesting knick knacks, one of a kind vintage accents and art work at every turn!

 Welcome to Kamini and Raghavan's sun drenched Seattle home!  
She lives by the quote-“Unless a home becomes a love affair, it is not a success. You have to love every single little thing—if it doesn’t have a memory, a story, it doesn’t count." I agree!

going back to your roots - textiles are a great option.

 Ask her about her style and she remarks"Maybe Global? Maybe Wabi Sabi? Or maybe Barefoot Living? Or hopefully a combination of all three!" 
Piqued? Read on! Gawking at the jaw-droppingly beautiful pictures of her home has become a nightly ritual these past few days and you will soon see why I am so hooked! With so many gorgeous images to chose from, I decided to do a 2 part feature. I had to . This home is beautiful. I could move into her home tomorrow and live there happily ever after. There is nothing cookie cutter about the inside of Kamini's home! 

stairwell rails to display handcrafted textiles - now there's an idea! also look at all her gorgeous rugs!

 Many of you may already know Kamini through her decor blog Saffron and Silk. In fact, that's how I got to know her too. Her seemingly kind, friendly and warm-hearted online personality encouraged me to reach out to her. I was spot on with my instincts! I loved working with her and had the most fun collaborating on this long distance project. 

Create greater impact through custom art work - in this case Kamini's own artistry is meaningfully displayed!

An interesting conversationalist, she enlivened what would have otherwise been a mundane online Q and A exchange. Her anecdotal responses about all the favorite pieces in her home was a treat to read after a long day at work! 
Her previous homes, also peppered with treasured family heirlooms and striking artifacts, have been featured before on several blogs and Apartment Therapy (!)

Intricately woven rugs, heirloom furniture and soul stirring colors- all mixed in perfect proportions!

 
But here is an up, close and personal look at Kamini Raghavan's life and home- Aalayam style!

Layer by layer a living room comes to life!

 
In her own words, here is an introduction -

"The love for moving furniture around, arranging things and decorating my room was evident even during my younger days. I hoped to study design or the Arts after school, but my parents and grandparents refused to send me to JJ School of arts in the big bad city of Mumbai. Instead, I settled for BA in Economics from St Francis College in Hyderabad.  Born in Chennai, but raised in Lucknow and Hyderabad, I consider myself to be more fluent in Hindi and Telugu, than my native Tamil. I met my husband when I was 16, ignored him, he pursued me, we got engaged when I was 18 and was married at 19!! I became a mother at 21! 
She is now a mother-in-law too. Meet her adorable family - her husband, son and son-in-law.

As an immigrant to the US in 1984, I stayed home till my son started school. Through my various stints as an employee at my son’s school, the post office  etc, I realized my unwavering passion for design.  Finally in 1994, with much support and insistence from Raghavan, I went back to school in Seattle to study Interior Design. 3 years later and armed with a degree in ID, I started working at a marine design company. It was very interesting work, designing and furnishing boat interiors. Seattle has a big maritime community being right on the water and I got to really see some amazing boats, some even bigger than houses. I held several other work assignments in retail design including Nordstroms, Polo Ralph Lauren and J crew. I learned very early on that residential design was not my cup of tea -too many temperaments and personalities to deal with!
My final stint at retail design was Starbucks stores in Southern California. If any of you are ever in a Sbux store in SW California - Thousand Oaks, Ventura, Oxnard, Simi Valley - there is a good chance I had a hand in the design :-)
Besides design, I love painting and my interest in it began with an oil painting class I took back in 1981. In fact, I am happier and more at peace when I am painting than when I am designing!  For many years, painting remained a dormant interest and I finally revived it again when we relocated temporarily to India in 2006. 

an interesting concoction of color and greenery enlivens a sunny corner -inspired yet?

Pottery fascinates me too. I tried my hand at hand building and wheel throwing and loved it enough to bookmark as an activity to pursue. My other hobbies include cooking, yoga, hiking, biking, reading and music. I am passionate about vegan-ism and wish I had turned vegan a lot earlier in my life. I love animals and children maybe because they are both so vulnerable and defenseless, but all my charitable causes are towards these two groups. I am also a bit of a fitness/health freak but if you asked my friends to describe me- the words  “impulsive, hot-headed, irreverent, slightly OCD” would all be fair game…"

Her home has many amazing layers and brilliantly put together compositions and yet it doesn't overwhelm the viewer. It also manages to retain it's sense of clarity about the overall style. I asked her to tell me what makes her home "her home" and here is her response -

cherished handy downs are proudly displayed.

"I love love love old things, the beauty of tradition, and the stories that make an object more than what it is.Things that have been handed down from generation to generation.....furniture, kitchen items, my grandmother’s silver comb, my father-in-law’s rocking chair, the copper water boiler we used as kids to make hot water in the cold Lucknow winters. They have so much history behind them. I scrounge around my mother’s attic looking for things no one uses. Chips, cracks don’t bother me, they in fact add to the value and make an object more interesting. I surround myself with things I love to see. People often ask me what the “ consistent theme” behind the decor in my house is and I always say “they are all things I love”. So it must go without saying that they all work together"

More treasures! I love the use of colorful textiles to anchor compositions throughout the home.

Personally, I favor a home where every room evokes an emotion, carries a worn feel and bears a personal stamp. I asked her to tell me what HOME means to her and in her own words.. 

"Home is a place where I am surrounded by things and people I love. People are important but things really do matter 'coz they are what I see and  touch every single day. I love to travel  but after every vacation, no matter how much I have enjoyed it, I long to come home. Its my sanctuary. My travel finds ( small inexpensive memorabilia) - instantly remind me of my vacation and my journeys and the people I care about and love. Most of all I want my home to feel comfortable. Not a place where people are afraid to touch and feel things. I want people to walk in and feel like “Ahhhhh”. Once a friend from Norway came home and told me my house was “koselig”. I looked it up later and it meant “cozy”. Now, that makes me happy!"

Rooms that evoke an emotion - sculpted coffee table, kilim cushions and kamini's painting. Happiness is in the details!

Free spirited, colorful and bohemian, I think Kamini's home is an extension of her personality and her interests. I asked kamini to elaborate on her personal decor philosophy and here is what she had to say..

pretty patterened pots call for an open display - add more color to your decor in novel ways!

 
"I am drawn to earthy colors, I love global artifacts that have an Indian or Eastern vibe, I love colorful textiles, I hate clutter, I like colorful artwork....so I think by default my home falls into the eclectic category. I am particularly attracted to Moroccan influences and would love to make my house look like a Moroccan Riad :-), but like everything else, I think a balanced mix is best.

sigh!

 I appreciate modern minimalist design, but it is not for me. I need more warmth and color around me. I have old old things and new things; I have modern clean lined furniture alongside an old teak “easy chair”; I have South Indian brass coffee filters next to Turkish pottery; I have Indian prayer books and design books on my coffee table. But they are all things I love so I suppose that must be the consistent theme running through them. 

block printed bar stool covers, hand painted fruit bowls and a bright hued table cover - Kamini works her magic on an industrial kitchen!

I think my style sort of evolved. I experimented a lot with different styles when I was younger. I’d see pictures in magazines that looked lovely and would try to recreate those rooms not giving any thought to whether I would feel comfortable and at ease in those spaces. I did the all-white clean monochromatic Dania look, the checked sofa farmhouse look, and the all Indian look with brass urlis and wall hangings...and then finally found my niche. My home reflects me. I hope when someone walks into my house they get a good idea of what kind of person I am just be looking around" 

Move over rattan baskets - copper container + cheery cushions = trendy!

Given her keen eye for aesthetics, Kamini's collection of art work is to die for. From original Jamini Roy paintings (I know!!!!) to personal creations, her walls host a gorgeous array of artwork that infuse her space with vibrance! I asked her about her thoughts on curating art work and incorporating amateur art work into one's personal space and here is what she shared..

This is where I am staying when I go to Seattle - to sleep blissfully under original Jamini Roy paintings - there's a treat!

"No, absolutely not - you don't have to own expensive art work. You just brought up a pet peeve of mine. My house is full of amateur artwork (some of it mine).  I cannot justify buying expensive art work. The most I ever paid was Rs 4,500 for 3 original oil paintings at a craft bazaar in Hyderabad. I browse paintings by famous artists and try to reproduce them for myself. Not only is it a fraction of the cost, but it is so much fun. OK, so they are not anything like the original, but when I look at them, it is satisfying to know I did them. If you want to fill your house with art, buy prints from museum stores and gift shops and get them framed. I mean,  if the artwork - meaning the subject and the colors and composition - appealed to you, why does it have to be an original? A print is exactly the same! Getting stuff framed in India is not expensive, but in the US it can cost a bomb. Places like IKEA and Michaels sell inexpensive frames." 

A kalamkari runner brings depth to this console vignette - brilliant once again!

Dear Aalayam family, I am in conversation with Kamini Raghavan- mom, interior designer, vegan lover, book collector, home decor enthusiast, ex-blogger and a woman of substance! Hope you've enjoyed our dialogue so far. Stay tuned for part two of our conversation as I bring you more of her thoughts on "home", on embracing individuality as well as more gorgeous images of her intimate 
home!

to be continued.......

 
 
Cheers!
~Deepa

P.S: All images in this post belong to Kamini Raghavan and may not be used without permission.

Home Tour- New Age India!

We are switching gears! After our virtual vacation to the Pacific Northwest, we are heading to Gurgaon, India's real estate Mecca, for a home tour!

A sun dappled living room in merry colors!

Some of you are probably already familiar with our home owner today because she is also a blogger!

Meet Shalini Pereira of All Things Nice blog!

On her blog, Shalini writes…. "Hi there! Here's a little about me and my blog... I'm an Interior Designer and Architectural consultant by profession and run my own design firm, SPDA. Besides design, I am passionate about cooking, reading, traveling and writing. In my spare time I like to read or cook up a storm! When I'm not doing either, I like to blog about design, my experiences as a designer or my experiments in the kitchen. I call my blog All Things Nice, because, well it’s basically about everything I think is nice!"

I frequent Shalini's blog often. I like her blog. It is an easy read and she always has good literature  accompanying her pictures. I also like how she draws attention to the architectural details in her home decor posts and I feel like I always learn something. The other day, I thought to myself  "I wonder what her home looks like" and I wrote to her rather impulsively. And I am so glad I did because Shalini very graciously agreed to feature her beautiful home on Aalayam.

A pair of adorable elephants take centerstage on her coffee table- Shalini shares my love of elephants!

Shalini and her husband Abhishek live in a gorgeous home. When I saw the pictures, the immediate term that popped in my head was "New-Age India" and I am sticking with that. I think eclectic is so overrated, anyway! With a lot of ingenuity and diligence, they've converted their rental into a cozy and welcoming nest. In the main living/dining area, pops of vibrant hues merrily share the space with lighter shades and the whole ensemble is anchored together by a sublime olive green. It is a perfect retreat to spend a sunny Gurgaon afternoon.
 

A room that speaks for itself!!

 Dressed in white and teal, the bedroom exudes a calming feel- just what the doctor ordered after a hard day's work! 

Serenity is the mantra!

Shalini's professional acumen is evident in her harmonious use of interesting artwork, quirky curios and ethnic elements all in the same space for a cohesive pulled-together look! I love it!

 A modern space  + traditional Indian elements + chic western touches = New-Age India!  I think Shalini and Abhishek have nailed this look to a tee! Don't you think? 
Shalini and Abhishek's home is also a great lesson in creating a statement look with minimal but cleverly selected  colors and accessories!  

Form meets function in this stylish space!

Now, over to Shalini as she tells us more about how she has put a personal stamp on her place..

1) What makes your home "your home"?
 
I try and surround myself with things I love, or that have some special significance to me. So, my home is full of knick knacks that I have collected over the years, it may be a small curio that I picked up while traveling, or a picture that marks an important moment in my family’s life. I’d like to think of my home as a happy place, where people are always welcome and I think that’s reflected in the use of colors, artwork and odd knick knacks.

2) Does the decor in your home fit the bill for any one particular style - if so, what drove you to that style?
 
Firstly, we live in a rented apartment so it didn’t give us too much freedom in terms of really making it our own. If given the chance, there are several things I would change, such as the flooring- I would lay wooden floor boards over the dated marble flooring. Also the electrical fittings are not my favorite. But given the constraints, I am very happy with what we have done with the place, although it is still a work in progress. I don’t think that it fits perfectly into any particular style. I could only try and describe it as eclectic, with a little touch of the contemporary, a little Indian, but mostly a casual, happy place with a laid back feel.

Another view and equally beautiful!

3) Who calls the design shots in your home?
 
I’m an interior designer and my husband is a management consultant who is also one of the least artistic people I know. In fact he thinks grey, beige, brown and cream are all the same! So I guess I call all the design shots. But both of us have contributed to the home with small D.I .Y projects. For example, my husband and I painted the green walls in the house over a weekend. Our next project is painting our dining table chairs which we intend to paint in different colors.

4) How does your personal decor style influence your work professionally?
My personal decor style is very different from the homes I design for my clients. My home is casual and laid back, whereas most of my clients expect luxury, contemporary interiors that fit in with their lifestyle. I think my home will always be a work in progress, because it tells the story of our lives.

The aged look on the side board/buffet adds interest and drama!

5) What are your favorite places to shop for your home?
I don’t really have a particular place, but I do like FabIndia, Delhi Haat, Good Earth, Apartment 9. But I also get a lot of things from flea markets, craft fairs and local antique stores. 

6) Where do you draw your online inspirations from - any favorite resources that you can share?
I love Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, We Heart It, Home Trends Magazine, Archdaily to name just a few.

Home is where the heart is!

I love featuring home tours on Aalayam. I think real life home owners have such great insight into the home making process - it really allows you to put things in perspective. 

 Home is where the heart is, after all!

Thank you Shalini and Abhishek for sharing your charming home with us and the readers of Aalayam.
Also, a special mention- Shalini's sister-in-law Ujwala Menon for capturing their home beautifully through her lens and making this photo tour possible. You can check out more of her work here.

And you can always find Shalini here!

Cheers!
Deepa

p.s: Supriya is back next week, yay!  And  psst psst, we have three decor posts lined up....

Spotlight on the Tanjore Style of Painting

 50

We are fifty posts old! The number brings with it a milestone and a lot of pride!  Our journey has only just begun and yet it seems right to pause for a moment and address this number. Hello FIFTY!

To see Aalayam evolve into something beyond a mere idea that Supriya and I shared brings much happiness. Personally, it is also a guilty pleasure! On many weekend nights, I silently peel myself away from my family and retreat into the quiet recesses of my study to work on a blog post. What joy it is too! I feel blessed to have a platform to express my artistic side!  Aalayam speaks to our love of writing as well and often our posts are wordy but if you linger long enough you will see that we write from our heart and consistently bring a lot of passionate energy into our posts. Supriya and I have a robust pipeline with all kinds of beautiful inspirations waiting to be shared and we hope you will stay with us as the next phase of Aalayam unravels.

 Fellow bloggers - thank you for letting us bounce ideas with you and for inspiring us, friends and family - thank you for cheering us from the sidelines and dear readers - thank you for propelling us on!

And because the golden 50 deserves a golden post - I will shine the spotlight on Tanjore paintings - an Indian art form with glittering gold! How about that?

An ethnic vignette brings in some traditional splendor to our home

A shopping stop  many years ago took me and my husband to a busy street full of art retailers in Chennai, India. We were novice art collectors back then but somehow we had set our heart on acquiring a Tanjore painting - that was our mission that sweltering afternoon. Baggage and weight restrictions implied we could only buy one maybe two art pieces and therefore the challenge was to pick  "the" perfect Tanjore painting among 1000s (yes, that street had several stores carrying atleast 100 paintings each!)

The central subject of the Tanjore painting is a Hindu God/Goddess. Since our acquisition did not have any religious motives, we went back and forth deciding on which deity would suit our decorative needs best. The discussion included the facial expression of the deity- a smile ranked higher than a somber expression (this was the extent of our art appreciation!) Also, in consideration were the finishes - classic or antique or embossed? Then came the colors - luckily, most paintings had the same vibrant color palette with subtle variations. Next, we talked about the frames -  the wood, the carvings, the color and so on. My husband wanted to know more about the artists and engaged in detailed discussions on what went into the creation of the paintings. Each piece was uniquely defined by the skill and artistry of the creator. Then we talked about the guilding technique. Six hours later 
 (I kid you not!) we found ourselves deeply immersed in the fascinating world of Tanjore paintings.  The shimmer and shine of the semi precious adornments mesmerized us as we browsed through several aisles worth of neatly stacked Tanjore paintings. Walking from one store to the next and then back to the first one, we channeled our combined enthusiasm towards finding "OUR"  Tanjore painting. That day is vividly etched in my memory! Eventually, we narrowed our choices down to two paintings. We wanted to bring them both home. But with a heavy heart and a big sigh I left Venkateshwara behind and brought home our Mahalakshmi.

Vibrant hues, shimmering embellishments, artistic details - THE TANJORE PAINTING!

She has been with us since! Life has demanded several moves of us  both for professional and personal reasons. Each move brings with it an annoying feeling of newness. However, the unfamiliarity of being in an unknown place dissipates the minute I hang my Tanjore paintings up. It feels like home again in an instant and such is the comfort that art work breeds. It is yours and it defines your space!

Another corner gets accesorized with art work -the ethnic kind!

Several sources trace this art form back to the 16th century (I know!!, that was a long time ago) and the art flourished under the patronage of the Nayakas of Madurai. If you hear the term Tanjavur Oviyam or Palagai Padam (plank painting)  just nod your head knowingly now - they are referring to Tanjore paintings, that's all!  For more on Tanjore paintings, over to Wiki.

 Since that trip to Chennai, we have added another Tanjore painting to our collection. This one a gift from our dear friends D and K  and depicts Krishna playfully serenading Radha on the Jhoola.  This painting reminds us of our friendship and the good times spent together. 

Krishna serenades Radha  playfully in this rendition and it comes to life in gold foil!

Let me end with this quote. "Decorating Golden Rule: Live with what you love" ~ Unknown
 …….and we live with our  beloved Tanjore paintings - they are tied to fond memories and our ethnic heritage and make our home OUR HOME.

Do you like our spotlight series? Then I urge you to spend a minute browsing through our archives- we have already featured Warli and Terracotta and more!

Next up - a travel feature. Any guesses on where we are going?
 
Cheers!
~Deepa

p.s: All images are from my home and are copyrighted by Aalayam

Home Tour - Eclectic Splendor!

Remember our first home tour where we took you through the stunning Zen Den of Roopa and Abhi?
Well, today we will take you on another charming home expedition!

Hand painted candle holder stands tall in front of an art wall

Join me as we tour the Dallas home of my dear friends Kiran and Divya. I love their home.  I have had the privilege of enjoying their hospitality and can you tell first hand that their home - a visual stunner, is painstakingly put together! And if you have a little girl, then definitely stay tuned - you will fall in love with the whimsical flair of their daughter's room!

Their home is a loving example of  how one can mix many eclectic elements and still create a warm and welcoming tapestry.

Different shapes, colors, textures and patterns all come together in this vignette!

Here is what Divya wrote as she sent me the pictures of her home… "Kiran and I like our space to be both functional and inspirational. We strongly believe that picking the right decorative items can brighten up your living space and your life. With busy schedules, like most working couples, decorating together is an activity we bond over in addition to family time with our little daughter."

From the ethnic Ravi Varma print  on the fireplace to the multicolored candle stand on the dining table to the brightly colored embroidered pillows on the sofa, this home has several tiers of color, texture and pattern all coming together to create a seamless visual palette. Divya and Kiran find as much joy in the process of ornamenting as they do in the end-product - an aesthetically appealing abode!


Referring to her accessories, Divya writes,  "Most of the items we buy are simple, inexpensive pieces that we love. Sometimes, we envision a look and scout for pieces that will fit in. The inspiration for  the decorative dark toned wood frames with the intricate scroll design in our living room came from a high end store.  When we eventually found similar frames hidden behind a mirror at the local Home Goods, without the high end price tag,  we were ecstatic! We knew it would fit right in with our vision! We painted the orange boxes to offset the dark wood and to add some color."

Easy ways to add some drama

What a clever and simple way to add some drama to an otherwise plain wall! The wall anchors the sofa and the fabric pillows nicely and the whole orchestration makes a great decor statement in their family room.

If there is one thing I have learnt about decorating over the years - it is patience! It takes a lot of patience and perseverance to create a home of your dreams. Divya agrees and adds, "We spend more time planning and positioning things, than we do buying. The mantel décor was envisaged around some of our cherished pieces. The Ravi Varma Print, the serene Buddha we had picked up from a zen store in Vegas and the ethnic brass hairpins from India were all collected over the years. Instead of sprinkling them around the house we decided to order them in a vignette above the mantel. We loved the end result!" I did too!

The fireplace vignette- group 'em together!

Home decorating is all about creating a beautiful and enjoyable space that tells a story about who you are. Divya and Kiran's mantel vignette does just that. It speaks to their patience, perseverance and sense of style!  

Next up, one of their guest rooms that doubles as a study.

Colors work!

In her role as mom, IT professional and Master's student Divya's day is definitely busy! At the end of a packed working day, attending to her daughter and her graduate course-work is no easy task and she needs all the inspiration and motivation  to keep her going. She writes , "We kept the colors in this room bright -greens , yellows and blues so I'm inspired to use the room more!" Don't you  love this work-space? This room has plenty of natural light streaming in - great for a work area. 
My favorite feature has to be the galvanized tin buckets that serve as pen holders!  

It's all in the details

What a clever way to  free up some acreage on the table and move things to the wall!  She is also very  hands-on when it comes to home decor and  in her own words, she writes .. "Lately I’ve found it very relaxing and rewarding to take up some DIY projects. Some of them adorn the walls of my study. A framed magnetic inspiration board and a framed fabric board to hold reminders and pictures. They are both functional and decorative!"
DIY projects are a fun way to add a personal stamp to your home! It is also a great way to cut some decorating cents!

The other guest room is done up in yet another fresh color giving the room an airy feel. She writes, "The peach room is the smallest room in the house - we tried to keep the colors light again and used a metal headboard to avoid overwhelming the room with a solid wood headboard.  It is a small yet functional space.The bed lamps were bargain finds at an auction and the bedding was procured at Christmas sales" Smart, don't you think? 

Smal space, big style

A perfect example of a mixed configuration of accessories working wonderfully to create a vibrant home! 

And, I saved the best for the last. Their adorable daughter's beautiful room! The lilac paint and all the little details sets this room apart from any other generic room - truly, a little girl's delight!  Whimsical is what comes to mind when I think of this room.

Lilac dream

  Divya writes , "Aanya’s room has been decorated in a whimsical butterfly theme. Some of the décor I used for her birthday party has been repurposed as wall art or table decor - the paper lanterns and the bird cages.  Her first pair of shoes are lovingly displayed at the entrance"  Wow! This room is truly a labor of love.

A labor of love

So, that dear readers was Aalayam's second home tour. This home exudes eclectic elegance and is perfect for this young family! Hope you are inspired by Divya and Kiran's design philosophy - of mixing elements, being patient, working with a budget and telling a story ? I am!

Many thanks to my friends and homeowners for sharing their beautiful home with all of us.
Leave us a comment and we will share them with the homeowners.

Cheers!
Deepa

p.s: All images are copyrighted by the homeowners. Please ask before use.