A Bohemian Look for the Festive Season

I recently contributed some Diwali decor ideas towards the GoodHomes Magazine Diwali issue, and I promised I would share more images with you, so here they are! My theme was Diwali on a budget and I wanted to sort of demonstrate that we can create pretty spaces from bits and bobs that we have in our homes... So the theme was simple, elegant and bohemian with a little dash of India here and there. I think it represents us as a family quite well... our quirks and all :) It was great fun setting this up and I hope you like it. 

[All images clicked my Shalini Pereira- Please do not use without prior written permission]

Home Sweet Home

One of my favorite blogs, Aalayam, recently completed 100 posts. And to celebrate this milestone the two fabulous ladies behind this blog, Deepa and Supriya, came up with a truly unique and incredibly generous way to celebrate with their achievement... by featuring the homes of fellow decor and lifestyle bloggers. I was absolutely thrilled when Deepa wrote and asked me to contribute to this post with an image that captured the essence of what home was to me. 

Thank you Deepa and Supriya for including me ... I'm so honored to be a part of the amazing bunch of bloggers you featured in your 100th post! More importantly, a very big congrats to the both of you.  I wish you lots of success and I know you guys will have loads more inspiring stuff for us to drool over in the future. To see the entire post and the contributions of all the other super talented decor bloggers, hop over to Aalayam for more...

Here are a few images I clicked of our place that I think capture what home represents to me.

"Home to me is a retreat. It’s a place you can escape to at the end of the day and a place you can be yourself. More than current trends, it should reflect who you are, where you’ve come from and where you hope to be. So for me, my home is an amalgamation of the ethnic, the modern and the quirky, but most importantly it’s a place both my husband and I can just be comfortable and be ourselves."

Enjoy your Sunday guys and have a great week!

[All images clicked by me. Please do not use without prior written permission]

My Space, My Style- Aradhana's Gorgeous Space

My Space, My Style is back after a bit of a break and I'm really excited to be sharing this amazing space with you. Aradhana wrote in to to me last month asking if I'd feature her room and I was just blown away by the space she has created.

After dividing the last twelve years of her life between between Delhi, Dubai and finally Singapore, Aradhana has returned to Delhi temporarily, and here's how she describes her desire for her own space- "I've always wanted a space, any space, a room, an entire apartment, a house, to be like a reflection of myself. A place I come back to after a long day; home. " 

I definitely think she has succeeded! Her room is a beautiful amalgamation of the exotic Orient and Indian chic; what an incredible place to escape to at the end of the day !

Aradhana has always been obsessed by dark colors and after a lot of experiments, finally settled on a beautiful charcoal black for the walls of her room. The choice of color for the walls was also important because  the walls would be playing host to all the art work, knick knacks and memories that she has collected on her travels.

I love the way Aradhana has mixed and matched different styles of furniture, as well as introducing a pop of color here and there to brighten up the dark walls and add interest. 

I don't think you could grow bored or tired of looking at and experiencing this space. There are so many things to captivate and interest you... It's a space that tells you so much about its owner... 

Thank you Aradhana for sharing your gorgeous bedroom with us. I'm sure you've inspired a lot of folks, me included:) 

To read more about Aradhana's room story, drop into her lovely blog.

[All Images courtesy Aradhana Anand]

Horn Please- A Funky & Modern Indian Restaurant in Melbourne

Quick check in to say hi. Hope everyone had a great weekend. This post is going to be short and sweet. I know I'm becoming a bit irregular with the blog posts, but a lot is going on work wise, so bear with me... please? 

Anyway, I'm always on the look out for interesting interiors, and I happened upon this restaurant, as usual, on Pinterest and just loved its design! It's funky, it's quirky, it's modern and it's very Indian. And the name, Horn Please, perfectly captures that sense of humor that the design portrays. 

I have a real soft spot for design that reflects modern India and modern Indians, and that's why my eyes lit up when I saw this place. I am completely in love with the indigo blue & white patterned tiles used in the bar counter and the Hindi wall graffiti... so cool. 

Oddly though, for some reason the interiors remind me of a very modern version of those Iranian/ Parsi restaurants you see in the Fort area of Mumbai. Take a look and tell me what you think, and you can read more about the restaurant here. 

[All images courtesy Horn Please]

Happy Days with My New Toy!

I've been a very happy girl over the last few days... the absolutely awesome hubby gifted me a Canon DSLR! After seeing me struggling with my point and shoot for so long, grumbling that my pictures weren't coming out the way I wanted, he got me my new, fantastic toy! And I've been clicking away ever since. A friend jokingly asked me if I was sleeping with it :) That's not too far off mark... it's so difficult to concentrate on work while it's sitting there on the table. I keep wanting to pick it up and experiment. Warning... with all the practising that I'm doing, you are going to be bombarded with a whole bunch of images:) So I hope you'll bear with me...

Yesterday I changed a few cushion covers in our living room. I had sort of grown bored with the old ones, which have been there for ages. I picked up these silk covers by Anshoo Nath from the Windmills Design Festival. I love the colors and the Nandi patchwork motif. They instantly brightened up the space. 

I also wanted to remind you guys that there is an amazing give away on the blog this month. A lovely decoupage tray by Design5. I hope that all of you are clicking away and I'm looking forward to seeing your fabulous images. 

[All images clicked by me. Please do not use any images without prior written permission]

Where Would We Be Without Flowers?

Hi there folks! Just checking in to say a quick hello. How has the week been so far? The last few days have been really exciting. I was invited for my first food bloggers meet on Sunday and I'm going to be sharing that experience with you very soon! There are also a few interesting things in the pipeline. 

I had a great day yesterday... the hubby surprised me with flowers (beautiful pink carnations) and cake... really made my day... well probably my week! What a difference a few days make. On Friday we were all joking that it looked like the world was coming to an end, the way the weather gods were misbehaving. Thunder, lightening, rain... in March? The weather matched my mood. It was a difficult day for me... had to make a few difficult decisions and come to terms with a few hard realities. But that's life I guess... Things never go they way you plan :)

I bought a whole bunch of flowers and chocolate (of course) to cheer myself up... its strange how something as simple as flowers can soothe the spirit and brighten your day. I put them in some vases and old jam jars and kept them all over the place. Nothing like some color to cheer you up. 

Finally the sun came out on Saturday, as did my camera and I started clicking away. I'm sharing the ones that came out decently well- well the ones I liked anyway :)

Have a great day guys! 

[All Images- Shalini Pereira]

Design Bloggers Fab 5- Installment IV

What a hectic few days the past week has been. I've been working on designing a house in Baroda and have been slaving away working on the 3-d model. Issues with my back, which is still not 100%, made sitting up and working for long periods more difficult. The hubby has also been busy with work, in fact I've barely seen him this week. But thankfully the weekend is almost here I'm looking forward to a nice relaxing one (fingers & toes crossed).

Seeing as its Friday and I thought today would be the perfect day for this post... hopefully it will give us all some inspiration and we can while away the weekend dreaming about all the stuff we want to do for our own places. I was actually supper super happy when Anu Varma of My Dream Canvas agreed to be part of the Design Bloggers Fab 5 series on All Things Nice. I love visiting her blog and enjoy her posts immensely. So let me stop going on and on and let Anu tell you in her own words about her Fab 5.

When Shalini invited me to her lovely blog to participate in the Blogger's Fab Five , I thought in my head that It should not be a problem :)  However, when I got down to it, I realized that  I really don't have the perfect 5 answers :) I shall try in this post to  explain what  "home" is for me  and the things that inspire me!

My Roots : This is perhaps the single most important element in my home. Decorating my home has been an emotional journey. Moving thousands of miles away from home was hard. I slowly nurtured the idea of making my new home feel like the place where I grew up.  Maybe it is my way of trying to reduce the physical distance between me and my roots. My home has my stamp on it and yet I am delighted to have a piece of my childhood with me :-) I feel happy, safe and secure with things around me that have meaning for my family.  

Flowers : they add instant cheer, charm and happiness to any space. For me it is not about a bouquet of flowers but just a few stems here and there make me smile :)

Textiles : I have a weakness for textiles from around the world. I love the colors and textures and enjoy changing my cushions :) While one can't make big changes around the house. Changing pillows and cushions can change your decor instantly without it being a major expense!

I know I have cheated and missed out on two more elements. Instead I wish to share a few thoughts about home, decor and design. So please do humor me :)  Modern, Eclectic, Traditional, Global, Contemporary are all tags given to different design styles and perhaps our homes. However, in my opinion authenticity is the most treasured tag. Appreciate the beauty around you but be the person you naturally are. Find the beauty and the desire to create within "YOU".

I feel a sense of happiness and belonging when I step into my home and I wish the same for you :-)

As part of the My Dream Canvas journey I have also created a little online store. Whenever, I get the chance, I go treasure hunting........ whether I'm halfway around the world or just around the corner from home :) I love a good find........ and thus began the Shop at My Dream Canvas. The shop hosts a collection of unique home decor items handpicked by me for you. I would love for you to drop by :)

Thank you Shalini !

I want to say a very big thank you to Anu for her amazing images that have an almost dream-like quality about them. I feel inspired, and I'm sure that all of you guys are will be as well.

If you've missed the earlier installments of Fab 5 you can catch up on what you've missed here, here and here. And stay tuned next week because Fab 5 will be back with Sruthi Singh of East Coast Desi.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Abode Mumbai - A Quaint Boutique Hotel in Colaba, Mumbai

When I stumbled upon this hotel on the We Heart website, my eyes lit up in joy. As I went through all the images, I kept repeating the phrase, 'Love it!' again and again. I love modern interiors, but what I love even more is when a designed space captures the essence of a place. And since I live in India, I love modern design that is Indian at heart, but still contemporary in its outlook. (I hope that makes sense) 

In this case its Mumbai, the design behind this hotel captures the Spirit of Mumbai. It is just such a wonderful space and done up so perfectly. Located in the midst of the hustle and bustle of Colaba, Mumbai, an area known for its Colonial and Art Deco architecture, this hotel is the ultimate quite escape. It's quirky but modern style is the perfect backdrop for everything that celebrates the essence of Mumbai, from the photographs of Mumabi life, knick knacks, artwork and the old colonial furniture. 

Designed by Sian Pascale of Young Citizens design studio, the hotel is inspired by Art Deco and Colonial styles that are such an integral part of Mumbai's fabric. I love the care with which the team has picked up items from flea markets and recycled elements like the teak wood floor, that came from demolished houses and teamed them with bespoke items of furniture done especially for Abode Mumbai. I especially ADORE the beautiful cement tiled floor, made from a local manufacturer. 

Take a look... I promise you'll be wanting to stay here the next time you visit Mumbai. I know I am!

[All images- We Heart & Abode Mumbai]

Make sure you tune into All Things Nice tomorrow, we have our next installment of Design Bloggers Fab 5 with Anu Varma of My Dream Canvas. Be prepared to be wowed by Anu's amazing sense of style and home decor ideas.

From Singapore with Love- Madhu's Contemporary Indian Home

Its been quite a while since I've done an installment of My Space, My Style, so it really made my day when Madhu, the brains behind the blog Turquoise Decor, wrote me with pictures of her lovely home! 

Madhu's home is in Singapore and decor wise, Madhu loves all things modern. She describes her design sensibilities as, "I like modern interiors with a heart. A lot of texture and memorabilia but clean lines. My OCD dictates everything is square or rectangle- no circles :p". 

I'm featuring two spaces in her home... one is her living area that's really contemporary but has an understated Indian flair. There are subtle Indian touches that you will notice if you look carefully.  The other space is her lovely quaint and calm terrace, which was completely a family DIY job from start to finish.

"The white panels you see covering the skylights were put up by my husband using cut work bed sheets we bought on our trip to Jaipur. I love bright rooms but the skylight was giving us more than we had bargained for !"

"I like to doodle. I also like to think I can paint ;) Some of my art work is on the walls."

"We enjoy our morning coffee and evening conversations on the swing."

If you love Madhu's home, and you want more, then you can check out more images on her blog here and here. Thanks Madhu for sharing your lovely home with us!

And if you happen to have missed the earlier installments of My Space, My Style catch up with all the eye candy you've missed right here. Also, if you want to see your home featured on All Things Nice, write me at allthingsnice.shalinipereira@gmail.com with images of your home. 

And guys don't forget to stay tuned to All Things Nice. Up next is a brand New installment of Design Bloggers Fab 5 with the super Anu Varma of My Dream Canvas. If you've missed the earlier installments, you can catch up here. 

[All Images - Madhu Palaparthi]