Fall colours in Decor

Ok, this is a completely impromptu post I am putting together- inspired by a really nice and thoughtful mail sent by a regular reader of artnlight- Vinita, to Archana from Rang decor and me. Here's what she said "I have been reading your blogs for quite sometime now and really enjoying it. You girls enjoy color and nature both so here are some beautiful fall colors for you to enjoy." And this is some of the mood lifters she sent.

Considering fall colours happen to be my fav here's having some quick fun putting nature and decor together.

Splash that wardrobe with Red to see instant drama!

Peachy tones warm heart and home

Red with a dash of green on the cushions brighten this corner

Dine around yellows and bring in the sun
Pumkin shades bathe the walls with a touch of limey green in the corner
And finally, nothing like sleeping under autumnal leaves! I love that effect on the wall!

Images mostly from getty, these are from a time when i had no clue I would start a blog, so some of these pics are from my archives, saved from god knows which site! Apologies..

Psst: Archana-Rangdecor is currently putting together this series of DIY Diwali Decorating Ideas- do check it out, she really has a knack for creating instant eyecandy!

Marian Bantjes

This is the time of the year when India celebrates her goddesses, as Durga, who symbolises the strength of good over evil, as Laxmi- goddess of prosperity and wealth and as Saraswati, who embodies and blesses all learning. It is she who lends us powers to create and manifest.
So in the season and spirit that we venerate the strength and power of the 'woman', let me share with you Marian Bantjes's work. Whose work more than anybody elses to me holds and weilds the spiritual and the mystical. Her sweeping swirls and intricate precision instantly take me back to the work of the great Moghul artisans and calligraphers.
So the next time you go to the Taj and look at the walls and regret that no one can produce work of such beauty, think of Marian Bantjes.

Do click on the images to see a larger version.

"It’s printed in silver and gold (and other colours), and the theme is “The Future,” so of course it has to have space ships! It also has 18 wishes for you for the future. I won’t tell you what they say, as it would spoil the fun of reading them. Perhaps in the future, I will reveal all." -Marian Bantjes

"Like most of us, I spend a lot of time in front of the computer. There are days when these voices from the internet seem to ask for so much from me. Caught between seduction and hard sell, I hesitate. Are these lost opportunities, or merely invitations to broken promises?"-Marian Bantjes

"A single page in the Gilbert Cotton swatchbook, the story of this is somewhat amusing (to me). Gina told me that they wanted to engrave a security border, to allude to the paper’s use on certificates etc. My first sketch turned out looking oddly like a pair of devils, so I thought, “Why not? Devils need security too. And so the Security Devils were born; snuggled up and clinging to each other in deep companionship, as devils are wont to do.” -Marian Bantjes

"I made this for the cover of Superinteressante magazine, out of Brazil (Adriano Sambugaro, Art Director). It’s about the power of positive thinking, made of little plus signs and happy all over."-Marian Bantjes

This one is my personal favourite- her influences.

"This is a map or diagram of all of my significant artistic influences to date (or all that I could think of), my styles of working and materials. It was created as an assignment to a design class I took this past summer (August 2006). I’m too pleased with it to let it sit in a drawer."-Marian Bantjes

"For 3 years now I’ve adopted Valentine’s Day as my time to make contact with people. This year I got the crazy idea to draw each one by hand. I liked the idea that each person would get something unique, with their name on it, but that there would be a larger whole that they would also be part of. " -Marian Bantjes

" 'I want it all' ... well, because I do. and because my peonies were wilting and sighing, and I decided to immortalize them, on a whim, one sunny afternoon.
Bonus: the room smelled of peonies all day." -Marian Bantjes

And this is just parts of her phenomenal body of work. You can see the rest here.

Mirror Mirror on the wall...

Mirrors reflect, double and most interestingly take what they set their eyes on and wear it. These qualities can make it one of the single most versatile and effective decor solutions. Without a lot of rambling, here are some amazing examples :)

This strategically placed mirror breaks the brickwall to reflect and double the beautiful chandelier
A mirror on a rickly coloured wall becomes a bright spot that reflects lighter tones. This smartly placed floor mirror almost makes it look like a doorway to another room!
There's nothing like a period frame that comes from another era.
Or double it up with the clean lines of a simple frame

Many mirrors are a good idea..
Interesting shapes make interesting reflections
A triangular mirror (at my place) was a nice find.
Even a simple mirror in the kitchen just livens things up..

And here are some amazing shapes & sizes from House & Gardens just to prove what a great decorating idea mirrors can be. This is my favourite..
Anything would look brilliant framed in that.
white works wonders..
This red will defintely stop anybody on their tracks..!

Images from Wary Meyers, The Ultimate Design Sourcebook, Gettyimages & House and garden

Saudades, Goa

This is the last of my treasures from the Goa chest till I go back again. And this happened only because Archana from Rangdecor posted about Sangolda. On the drive to the hotel I saw it and got all excited and my colleague informed me that next to it is Saudades which is also a lifestyle store. More excitement. On my last day in Goa after the conference, me and a senior colleague trooped off with our cameras. Travelling with fellow art people has innumerable advantages. The biggest being you don't have to feel like a freak for looking at the world only through the camera and you are not called upon to make conversation to make up for non-social behaviour.

Saudades turned out to be a place filled with the grace and antiques that belong to another era. Unfortunately no clicking was allowed inside, so these here are the pictures of the facade and whatever else i could get.

But what excites me about this post more than these pictures or what i saw is when i read up on Saudades before posting. "FERNANDO PESSOA said "all Portuguese carry within them a certain nostalgia for the grandeur of the past. This bitter sweet melancholy a part of everyday life is known as "SAUDADES" a pain that you enjoy, a pleasure from which you suffer."

"All of us, who search for common roots,
who are endowed with a primordial
spirit that harkens back to our lost innocence
and beckons us to reach out to one another.
When the spirit calls, we feel saudades.
Temos saudades. We have saudades"
To read the rest of this beautiful poem click here.

What an apt name then for a store that is actually a beautiful old Indo-Portugese manor and lets you take home a piece of priced history.



Here's where the goodies started and my camera was stopped. Saudades keeps most amazing and unique antique furniture from across India.

What a beautiful quirky way to display these amazing old garden chairs.

This image inside the store is from their site.
A peep at some amazing fabrics they keep.

I may not be into gold jewellery, but i know a good thing when I see it. Gorgeousnes!!!

The traditional Keralite Home (Dakshin Chitra)

If you love wood, you will love the architecture in Kerala, the place that advertisers call “Gods own country”. If your vacationing tastes run into super-abundant greenery, lazy backwaters and romantic rainy weather then Kerala is the place for you. It is also home to many ancient temples which are architectural wonders in themselves.
But what I will share with you today is the traditional Kerala home. Fantastically recreated by “Dakshin Chitra” a cultural heritage centre which I wrote about here.

Framed in palm fronds the homes are poetry in wood.
Every house has a verandah or balcony where the senior(elder) of the house sat in his traditional recliner & oversaw the sorting of the harvest. "The traditional Kerala houses have both internal and external verandahs with low eaves, which reduces much of the glare and protects the walls from getting over heated. They also have very wide, low overhangs, which protect the walls from rain, sun glare and this also reduces radiation. "

Roof detail. Keralites obviously dont think sturdy means staid.

Carved pillars...

...in various styles

God is clearly in the details - the door latch

knocker, latch and lock in carved metal

Opens to the living room

Now look up. The low wooden worked ceilings were designed to keep the homes cool in summer & retain the heat in winter.

Wood panelled walls...

...with panels of design motifs running across them
The passages though shaded gets in natural light through the edges & small skylights
This here is the bed- note the natural fibre mat on it with a thatched roof
The ornate headboard

Keralites were firm believers & expounders of 'Ayurveda' an ancient system of healing. So almost every home had a huge medicine chest. Check the no of drawers! and also the huge ceramic jars on them to store herbal preparations. Archana from RangDecor recently posted on an ayurvedic healing resort with scrumtuous pictures, you can read it here.
Kerala has a fair share of Christians and this is reflected in this beautiful altar
The Hindu homes have 'Kerala Mural art' about which I will post in detail. Do click on this pic to see a bigger version. You will also find this style of illustration on eminent temples in Kerala.
The kitchen with its hearth & earthen and stoneware pots and pans
This here is the store room where sacks of grains and provisions are kept in cool conditions wrapped in treated coconut fibre.
And as i stepped out I saw this delightful little detail nestled at the corner of the main wall. I truly don't know what it is for, maybe to keep a spare bunch of keys, or a note for someone or maybe its just a playful bit of design as reward for anyone bothered to look at corners.