Harlequin (Featured Shop)

It's eye candy all the way today !!! Harlequin Studio recently launched their Jardin Bohème Collection. One look at it and I was weak in my knees. Fabrics and wallpapers in bold color palettes with exotic global patterns are sure to make any interior space sing with joy. And for those with a faint heart and would like to enjoy a slice of this collection, they have textiles and designs in a neutral color palette too.

What makes the collection so special are the techniques used to create the patterns infused with a bohemian flair - "Traditional printing techniques such as stamp-making, potato prints and lino-cuts were used alongside strong brushstrokes to achieve the desired boho effect as shown below in our Bohème fabric."

Their inspiration catalog is overflowing with perfect combinations of fabrics juxtaposed together to create interesting interiors. Weaves, plains, voiles in a spectrum of patterns and colors are drool worthy and tempt you to make them a part of your home.

Wasn't that a feast for the eyes ???? The vibes from these images sure made me a happy person. I hope it does the same for you too.

Have a wonderful day !!!

Images: Via

A Guest Post at "All Things Nice"

Being a new kid on the blogging scene (7 months to be precise), I was delighted when Shalini of "All Things Nice" reached out to me and invited me to be a part of the "Design Bloggers - Fab Five Series".  This series throws spotlight on the 5 essential elements that go into making a home and are unique to each of the bloggers on the Fab Five Series. Getting this post together and seeing things in black and white was a positive assertion of what has actually gone into making my home.

When it comes to decorating our home, we have the freedom to push the boundaries and make the home an imprint of our personality. But for most of us, freedom of the various choices out there, puts more pressure on us rather than us enjoying the liberty we have. So I have a couple of elements on my checklist, wherein I take a little of this and more of that and make a concoction thats perfect for my family and our lifestyle in creating a home like mine. 

Hop onto Shalini's wonderful blog to read up my guest post and catch up on her "Design Bloggers - Fab Five Series". Thank you Shalini and I'm honored and humbled to be included as a part of this wonderful series.

You'll have a wonderful day !!!!

Images:Clicked by me. Please do not use without prior written permission.
Images are the property of Sruthi Singh and subject to copyright. 

Simple Pleasures

Dropping in to say a quick Hello.........

It's a cold snowy day and this gorgeous tulip on my desk has kept me company while I try and finish my assignments. It's amazing how we find the time to do things that we really enjoy despite the time constraints. 

For those of you in my neck of the woods and are caught in a freezer box like me, please keep yourselves warm and the rest of you who have the weather Gods on your side, think of me.

Images:Clicked by me. Please do not use without prior written permission.
Images are the property of Sruthi Singh and subject to copyright. 

Mint Green??? Yes, Please

I'm happy the weeks coming to an end..... this calls for a happy picture to share with you'll. The minute I set my eyes on this image, it was the fresh color palette that drew me in . The mint green lamp co-ordinates perfectly with the kantha style pillow. The pops of pink and other flowers placed wildly in the vase, give it that laid back dreamy feel. I have a confession to make. I don't know how to stitch, but I definitely see myself reading a book in this bright sunlight washed room. Happy weekend !!!

Image : Via

Where there's a WALL there's a way

While researching for headboard options for a friend's (K) daughter's bedroom, I came across these images at "Blik". K wanted her daughter's room to feel complete but without having to go through the trouble of packing large pieces of furniture while moving, as she happens to move every now and then, depending on where her husbands work takes them.

And with the restriction of a very tight budget, I had my work cut out for me. But when I came across Blik, I knew I had found the solution to her problems. 

Blik is an internationally acclaimed design and removable wall graphic company that was started way back in 2002 by Scott Flora (an architect extraordinaire) and Jerinne Neils (food writer). Wall papers and painting not being the options to their delimma, they decided to personally find a solution that worked for them and thus Blik was born.

At a price of $40 for the twin size wall decal headboard, K didn't need any convincing and has infact gone ahead and ordered the Nessa Bedframe in the kiwi shade to go with pops of pink in the room.

If you think today's post has solved your predicament too and you'd like to check out the whole range of products offered by Blik, here's the link. 

You'll take care and have a good day;)

Images: Courtesy Blik

A Touch of Green

The weather has been a menace.........everything is blanketed under a white quilt of snow and it's a monochromatic scene that awaits you outside. Since I've caught the flu bug and can't go out to buy myself the bunches of happiness to brighten up my day, I resorted to plan B - potted plants. Here, are the two additions that I made to my home a few weeks ago. Seeing the new leaves sprouting, gave me hope that spring was just round the corner. I can't wait for spring to paint the outdoors in it's myriad tones and bring the landscape alive........    

The Shefflera Arbicola  plant with it's ornamental palmate leaves is a great accent plant for the indoors. I love using contrasting containers to add more to a vignette.

Bringing this corner alive is the variegated Croton. Placed in a hammered copper pot in a sunny corner, it's yellow specked leaves add instant color and interest to the space.

I hope you'll enjoyed the little peeps into the corners of my home. As for the home tour of Padmini and Chandra Mohan Singh, I haven't forgotten about it and have decided to publish that as my 100th post.
  
I also wanted to let you'll know that FB will be up and running soon....... until then, if you need to stay abreast with my posts, kindly connect with me via Google Friend Connect (on the right hand side of the page) if you haven't done so already.
Take care and have a wonderful day!!!!

Images:Clicked by me. Please do not use without prior written permission.
Images are the property of Sruthi Singh and subject to copyright. 

For the Love of Green (Garden Tour)

Bangaluru known as the "Garden City of India" seems to have lost it's title to the innumerable sky scrapers being painted across the cities horizon, resulting in greener territories being pushed to extinction. But there are some Bangalureans (after the name change I guess that's how you refer to Bangaloreans now, right???) that beg to differ. Orchestrating a garden symphony that's abuzz with the sound of leaves rustling in the wind, the buzzing of the bees and the tweeting of the birds, can be a daunting task in the heart of  a Metropolitan city like Bangaluru. But ask plantaholics Padmini and Chandra Mohan Singh (my wonderful parents), it's what comes to them naturally and is the core of how they define themselves. With no formal training in horticulture or the likes, the now retired couple take immense pride and joy in their green oasis, that's home to more than a 160 varieties of flora.

The Singh's private residence is cradled in the midst of a landscaped sculpture created by integrating their favorite plants and their desire to wring beauty from each planted space. More often than not, the plants are allowed to take on their own course of design, as the Singh's believe that the garden looks better when not corseted with stakes and twines. But none the less, to keep the garden looking it's very best,their Sunday's are spent in maintaining the space like mowing the lawn or guiding a branch or limb of a plant to lean on it's fellow neighbor.

Waking up to a ritual of having tea in the garden, followed by an hour of watering and tending to her plants, Padmini says the benefits from gardening are far beyond just visual appeal, "Gardening is like yoga to me. The color green said to be associated with it's positive ability to rejuvenate and bring a sense of tranquility sure does wonders for me. It helps bring a wonderful rhythm to my breathing, my eyes feel relaxed and the feel of the lush green carpet under my feet is pure indulgence. But it's the sight of a new leaf or flower that's most rewarding and empowering and it's what get's me through my day."

What makes the garden visually interesting is the use of plants to create texture and layers. Foliage with different colors are mixed in to vivify and create engaging garden borders. Treating their garden no different than the interiors of their home, the Singh's have accessorized their garden with brass bells, terracotta containers, stone statues and decorative metal bird cages and lanterns.

Chandra Mohan is to be given full credit for the architectural details that you can see in the garden. A huge undressed granite slab has been re-purposed as a bench, where the Singh's enjoy their Sunday morning brunch. More undressed granite slabs have been roughly etched to create a pergola for another quiet seating.With pillar palms guarding the privacy of the Singh's residence, the couple is able to make the most of their outdoor retreat and particularly enjoy alfresco style entertaining with their family and friends .

Little pockets have been created through out the garden to be able to sit and enjoy a good read, a cup of tea, bask in the sun or occasionally knit. The Singh's agree that gardening is not for someone who wants instant gratification. Chandra Mohan say's, " Nature has it's own agenda to unfold it's splendor.You and I cannot speed that up." He further adds that it's an activity that tutors you in the field of hope and optimism, "it get's me up and out of bed each day with the anticipation of the next bloom in my garden."  

A covered patio with comfortable seating, spruced up with cushions from time to time is a popular spot during the monsoon seasons. It's where the Singh's enjoy the falling rain accompanied by deep fried fritters and hot cups of tea. 

The lush greenery  is also a huge attraction with the feathered friends. Wanting their share of this retreat, they seem to be perched on branches at all times of the day. Fondly calling them " Chi-chi babies", Padmini makes sure that the bird feeders are stocked every morning and there's plenty of water in the bird bath for a quick splash or drink. Come mango season, her chi-chi babies are spoilt rotten with the juicy fruits cut and hung on branches of trees.

Frequent visitor's to the Singh's garden include the Red-whiskered Bulbul, the dove and the great sparrow. (clock-wise from left)

Here are a few close up's of the jewel's from the Singh's garden. It's a constant battle for the Singh's to keep a check on their plant collector's impulse, as they head out every now and then to their favorite nurseries in search of new varieties to add to their green treasury.

The best tip from them : "Patience is truly a forte when it comes to gardening. Give it time, effort and love as you would to a child and don't be afraid to experiment and learn along the way."

Inspired to get your own green patch started ??? Well what are you waiting for then, get down and get dirty. If you happened to enjoy the garden tour, do drop us a line and let us know what's your favorite corner in the garden. 

I'd like to thank Padmini and Chandra Mohan Singh for willingly agreeing to let us tour their wonderful garden.Their home tour required a dedicated post and will be coming up next. Make sure that you are willing to sit for a while cause the home tour post is going to be a picture heavy post;)

You'll have a wonderful day !!!

Images:Clicked by Padmini Singh. Please do not use without prior written permission.
Images are the property of Padmini Singh and subject to copyright. 

The Key to My Heart

Valentine's Day - it's not that I need to pick a day to profess my love to the people who mean the world to me, it's just that the die-hard romantic that I am, I don't spare a single excuse to celebrate LOVE. Besides, with a 7 year old who loves chocolate dipped strawberries and is secretly stacking his V day-cards for his parents under his bed, it's hard not to share his enthusiasm. To rub things in further, I've had 2 dozen Valentine's goodie bags (for my son's school buddies) sitting on my buffet table for over a week, staring me in the face......

I also have my hidden motives to celebrate V-day. If the occasion calls for flowers and a break from the kitchen, then I've every reason to celebrate:) But this time around it's a little different. We're keeping it intimate with a home cooked meal (I'm the one doing all the cooking) and some soulful music......

To make things extra special, I decided to go the DIY route. The organic quality of handmade objects together with the time and effort you put into it, only says you wanna go that extra mile for your loved one. Deciding to make napkin rings with key charms that spell "the key to my heart", was just the thing. Instead of heading in the direction of red, I decided to do pink with hints of red. Aiming for an informally romantic ambiance, floral patterned napkins are paired with classic white dinnerware.  

Though Baby's breathe is usually used as a filler flower, I thought it was the ideal choice for a Valentine's Day tablescape. It's dreamy and delicate quality complement's the vintage brass creamer perfectly.

If you like what you see and want to create these simple, fun and easy napkin rings yourself,  you'll need: 
- jewelry making wire ( 20 gauge preferred)
- Your choice of beads ( make sure they can be strung)
- Charms with rings ( these can be swapped out to suit any occasion)
- Needle nose pliers
- Scissors
- A bottle/cardboard tissue tube to wrap the wire to achieve the coiled effect

Directions:
- Depending on the number of plate settings you want, cut the wire into 4 or 6 in no. with a length of 24 - 30 inches each.
- Form a loop with your needle nose pliers to hold the beads in place.
- String the beads and repeat the looping process to hold the charm.
-Finally wrap the beaded wire around the cardboard tissue role to create the coiled effect.

Coming up next is a garden tour you don't want to miss.
Have a wonderful day !!!! 

Images:Clicked by me. Please do not use without prior written permission.
Images are the property of Sruthi Singh and subject to copyright.

Already in the mood for Spring

Snowed in and all done with the winter blues and my first semester exams, I'm all ready for the fresh and scrumptious colors for this spring.World Market, one of my favorite places to source accessories for my home has the most tempting collection this coming spring. I can't seem to wait to pick up a couple of  throw pillows and some of those gorgeous lanterns I see in their new catalog. I already own two of their chairs from the Ravenna collection and I love them. But a few new ones with their gorgeous upholstery prints definitely got my attention : the Suzani Lorna Chair, the Yellow Foral Charlotte Chair and the Tribal Carved chair. 

 

If that's not eye candy I don't know what is ;) 

And now since I'm back, things are on a roll. With Love in the air and some exciting posts coming your way, you need to keep a watch on TECD. Tempted, well, it's Valentine's Day tablescape ideas, a garden tour, followed by a home tour that's an antique collector's haven.........

Enjoy your weekend !!!  

Images: Via