Diwali Inspirations - home decor ideas

Hinduism's biggest festival- the  festival of lights is almost here! Are you ready for Deepavali ? I am! 
 If you are not - no worries! I have some peachy ideas to get you going, so read on! 

A diwali vignette from my home. Pic credits: Uj, my better half

 Mom always celebrated Deepavali with much oomph!  Cleaning, cooking, shopping, decorating, religious worshipping - she went the whole nine yards, always! And so, with much fondness, I brought a montage of memories of firecrackers, clay oil lamps, new clothes, visiting relatives, home made sweets and my parents’ unique Diwali traditions to my married home and over the years I have created a tailored array of rituals to suit my own family.

Decorating my home for Diwali is a huge part of that tradition. A round or two of autumnal cleaning usually precedes the decorating. Rummaging through boxes of stored away Diwali décor items often yields re-usable items. A few new items are added each year but the design is always built around the core elements– lights, flowers, rangoli and thorans. I am very tradition-centric. For me the focus rests on light, divine blessings and good-will.

Another diwali depiction from my home. Brass urli from Overstock. Pic by Uj.

 I love the festive glow rendered by the dazzling brilliance of the tiny tea lights. There is something about a home filled with light – the cheeriness lets me reflect on all the blessings that life has bestowed upon us! I love the positive energy that the Diwali diyas radiate!And of course the symbolism of bedecking our homes with rows of light to mark the victory of good over bad is uniquely ours!

Lights :

Diwali shopping (!) and my quest for pretty tea light holders begins at least a month ahead of time. With so many options it is rather challenging to not get carried away. This year, I picked these beautiful sparkly tea light holders from Pier one and I will use them as my focal décor element.  The row of lights displayed on my intricate foyer table emanates an inviting aura - one that is hard to ignore!

Row of lights from my home. Pic credits: Uj, my better half

 But if you prefer the doctrinal earthen diyas, then here’s a couple of beautiful options. 

Earthen diyas paired with fresh flowers for an eye-catching arrangement! Pic credits: Uj, my better half

 I bought mine at the local Indian grocery store but if you are an online shopper then craftsvilla is a great resource!

Traditional terracotta lamps in bright festive colors. A corner form my home. Pic by Uj

 And if all else fails, there’s always the traditional silver or brass lamp! Silver lamps are a long-established feature of pooja rooms especially in South Indian households. Diwali is a great time to bring out these ancestral wares and  blend them into your decor.

The unfailing silver lamp! Photo by Uj, my better half

Thorans:

Thorans are a great way to ring in some festive cheer. Traditionally, thorans are used to dress an entryway but with a little out-of-the –box thinking you can find other ways to use these ethnic valances. In the past, I have used mine to decorate a pooja table or mantap for an instantaneous festive face-lift!

Mango leaf thoran and a mini-carnation wreath on my front door for understated festive elegance. Photo by Uj

 Flowers:
 If you can buy one thing and one thing only this festive season then the hands down winner is fresh flowers – bouquets, garlands, loose flowers or even a few petals can add a magical elegance to your décor. Float them in an urli, hang them on doorsteps, include them in your rangoli .....you can take your decorations to a whole new level with fresh flowers!

Fresh flowers in an urli, image from my home. Pic by Uj, my better half.

 Check out fancy florists and their multitude of options for fresh flower garlands. Excellent customer service, beautiful garlands and timely delivery made it a great shopping experience for me.  However, the pricey overnight shipping cost is a downer !

Image from my home. Garlands from Fancy Florist. Pic by Uj.

Rangoli:

Kolam or the unique folk art of drawing on the floors is a great way to decorate and invoke the Lord’s blessings. My inspiration for rangoli this year came from her website. These rhinestone (kundan) rangolis are drop dead gorgeous and of course I had to try my hand at it! I made smaller ones with  shiny card paper and stickable rhinestones. These work great as tealight mats, as wall art or as floor art! My piece de resistance, if you will...

Rhinestone rangoli: Inspiration from here, made by moi. Materials from Hobby Lobby. Photo by Uj,my better half

Now, if you are short on time then how about a simple no-fuss traditional rangoli border on a wooden platform or chowki? Let your native artistry come out! Consider adding some color to your rangoli for some extra energy!

Image from my home. Traditional rangoli on a wooden platform. The kalamkari rug from World market adds to the drama.

Gifts:  

Gifting has been a Diwali tradition for long. Dry fruits, home made sweets, diyas  - the options for gourmet gifts are plenty. Here is a great goody bag gift, if you are planning to host a Diwali party. I love these cute little colorful elephants! I ordered mine from here and they even came gift wrapped!

Image from my home. Pic credits: Uj, my better half

 I recommend that you bookmark this anyway, since these beautiful colorful elephants make a great gift no matter what the occasion!

And lastly, bring out those sparklers! Nothing says Diwali quite like the firecrackers. Every Diwali, memories of squabbling with my younger brother over the division of firecrackers into two equal piles, years ago, fills my heart with warm emotions! I am sure you all have your own fond Diwali memories as well..

Image from my home. pic credits:Uj

 So, dear reader, are you inspired yet?  I hope to  encourage you to have your best Diwali yet!
Do not let the monotony of every day life get in the way of  your celebration- after all Diwali is here only once every year....

Aalayam wishes  you all a beautiful Deepavali ! For more posts from this festive season - go here, here and here!

Cheers!

Deepa 

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