Coppre's latest launch - “Kasba Tealight Trio”

I have blogged about Coppre earlier and this brand never seizes to amaze me! Quality, minimalist design style and incredible craftsmanship permeates every product that Coppre has to offer. Their newest launch this year being the “Kasba Tealight Trio”. The collection exemplifies the architectural heritage of Coppre’s headquartered city, Pune (India) and more so on "Kasba Peth – the bustling central market in Pune with its many bazaars and residential complexes." 

The delicate patterns on these metal tealights is a chic spin off on the abundance of architectural inspiration found in the buildings in and around Kasba Peth. Ornate relief carvings in the domes of 18th Century old temples, lace like configurations from balcony railings in the residential homes and iconic Jali designs that have their roots in Mughal architecture were each interpreted to a more modern day design and etched on metal transforming them into dainty tealights that cast the most pretty shadows when lit.  

What I really loved about these tealights is the actual physical design per se. Unlike other tealight holders, where lighting the tealight can be a task, this design is practical in use. The Kasba tealights have a removable stand that supports the actual tealight. Hence, you can light the candle by placing it on the candle support and then gently slide the tealight support right back in with ease.

What’s more, I found more than one use for these! When not in use as a votive holder, they work really well as a plant holder and a stationery holder too.

The Kasba Tealight Trio comes in a ready-to-gift box (as a set of 3), in shades of white and teal. With Valentine's Day just around the corner, these would be the perfect addition to create that romantic setting for the special loved one. So go ahead and choose your favorite combo. To place your order, click right here.

(Image Credit/Copyright: Collage - Coppre, 2,3,4 - Sruthi Singh) 

Auraz Design - Featured Brand

Meticulously handcrafted, genuine antique furniture is often hard to come by. You either inherit such treasures or look high and low till you hit the jackpot on one of those furniture scouring trips. But if you want the easy way out, let me introduce you to “Auraz Design - Antique looks for the modern soul.” Auraz Designs is a Bengaluru based online store where each and every piece is hand-picked and verified for authenticity. Auraz believes that the antiques furniture market in India is fairly disorganized and aims to simplify and improve the customer experience in the process of purchasing antiques. 

“We at Auraz, are reshaping consumer ideas about the design of modern spaces. We are passionate about experimental home decor by pairing antiques with modern accessories - helping us blend history and modernity. We are creating a one of a kind web experience which reflects this unique combination.”

If the trill of the hunt for that one standout piece is wearing you out, may I suggest you check out Auraz’s collection. As we know, the best dressed homes mix styles, eras and personality to get that va-va-voom look.

You may connect with them via their Facebook page, Etsy store or their website at aurazdesign.com. Won’t you agree when I say that owning a piece of history just got easy! Auraz has a flash sale that runs till the end of the month:) 

(Image Credit/Copyright: Auraz Design. The images may not be reproduced without the prior written permission of the owner) 

Creating Feature Walls

Looking for ways to bring the wow factor to your lair? It can be as simple as creating a feature wall. These are especially great if you are looking to create a design plan that is high impact without overwhelming the space. Some paint, wall paper, stencils and a creative mind can take your wall from boring to brilliant without you breaking your bank. I’ve rounded up a few of my favorite feature walls for inspiration.

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If you are color courageous, then creating feature walls is child's play. Pick bold hues to bring contrast to the room. One has to understand the difference between bringing contrast to a room through colors versus just playing with opposing colors. If you ask me, inky blue hues or colors inspired by the night sky like, in the image above is all the rage these days. Once you have the base color finalized, layer it with your collection of art and artifacts. It's a great way to add personality to your space. 

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Wall papers are another great option to add visual interest. For instance this whimsical floral wall paper sings a happy spring tune to me! 

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For a more eclectic vibe, try intricately patterned wall papers.   The punchy patterns, complementary colors and other design elements in the room truly make this space a drama galore.

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If wall papers are not a budget friendly option, then a little elbow grease and a stencil can come to your rescue. Choose stencil patterns carefully to bring the required look to the space. Use floral for a country vibe, geometric for modern or an African Tribal mud cloth pattern for a global vibe!

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This one is the impressive imposter as I like to call it! All it takes is a freshly painted wall and Sharpie. Yes, you read that right. A designer wall paper look can be whipped out with a Sharpie provided you have time, patience and the willingness to put in the required amount of elbow grease. Don't you think the end result is so worth it? Head over to Vintage Revivals for a tutorial. 

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If none of the above have got your attention, don't fret. Removable Adhesive Wall Patterns are a cost-effective, less permanent alternative to paint and wallpaper. Peel, stick and you are done!

Was that inspiration enough to get you to tackle that feature wall project this weekend? I hope so. As for me, I'm going to be tackling my mudroom walls this weekend. Will keep you'll in the loop about how it turned out......

Images used in the post have been given due credit.

India Inspired (Home Tour)

Staying true to their Indian roots, the Kargupta’s have doused their home in Surrey (UK) with vibrant hues, traditional Indian artwork and curios and objects of desire that the family acquired from their travels and stay abroad. Siddhartha (a computer scientist) and Chandra (a performing artist) share their home together with their son and a brood of 3 canines. Work took them from India to South Africa (where they stayed for 7 years) and then moved to their current home in Surrey (a stone’s throw away from London) which has been their abode for the past 13 years.    

Chandra is quite the celebrity if I may say so! She is a singing sensation and has performed all over the world. Her most memorable performances being for Nelson Mandela and the Queen. When she is not juggling a full time job at one of London's busiest libraries or conducting musical workshops, Chandra indulges in painting, reading and decorating her beautiful home.

The most recent decorating experiment was painting a Warli in the entryway. The bright apricot hue not only creates a welcoming ambiance but also makes up for the sun deprived weather that engulfs Surrey most of the time. 

Chandra carries the apricot hue to other corners of her home too. The accent wall showcases Chandra's collection of art. Some of them being potraits of Durga and Saraswati in brass from Kolkata, a Jharokha from Rajasthan and Warli paintings that Chandra acquired from a tribal group in Bihar.

A collection of clay cooking pots from Bengal serve as the base for a coffee table. A silver Ganesh gifted to Chandra during one of her concerts in America is a treasured piece that finds its place aptly on the coffee table.  

Cocktail of color, pattern, art and hand picked curios create a personal style that's individualistic in every sense. Chandra says, "Siddhartha has a passion for Buddha statues, where as I love Ganesh. So our house has a collection of Buddha and Ganesh made from different materials."

A royal blue sari finds an alternative use as drapes in the dining room.  

More curios, books and art make for interesting conversation starters when the Karguptas have company.

The heart and soul of the home is Chandra's kitchen. Buttery paint color, brass utensils from India and a collection of wooden spoons from South Africa add that extra special touch to an otherwise white kitchen. 

Here is another one of Chandra's favorite corners in the house. Quoting Chandra, "It’s one of the favorite corners in my kitchen. I've decorated this corner with a medley of  handmade paper pulp Ganesh, decoupaged picture cuttings of Jamini Roy’s horse, Dokra Ganesh ( Dokra is a famous art work from Shantiniketan, the city of RabindraNath Tagore), wooden candle stands I collected from Kenya and a couple of my Terrarium pots."

Chandra also loves gardening but says that the weather in Surrey makes it hard to enjoy this hobby all year round. So she's created a mini indoor garden for herself !

Thank you Karguptas for letting us tour your warm and beautiful home! 

As for you my lovely readers, I hope you enjoyed how we kick started this year with a home tour! Coming up next, a little peek into my new home ......

Have yourself a great week:)

Image Credit: (Chandra Chakraborty The images may not be reproduced without the prior written permission of the home owners.)