Vintage Typewriters as Decor Accessories (Part 2)

I’ve said this before and you will hear me saying this again……….the most positive aspect of blogging is meeting like-minded people (even if the connection is virtual.) It is more than rewarding to connect with people who share the same creative vision as you. Expanding on that I mean people who see the entire process of decorating ones home as more than putting together of pretty objects. They understand that a home should enrich one's everyday experience and thus surround themselves with things that they love and have meaning to them. One such wonderful soul is Meera D’souza. If I had to describe Meera’s décor style, it would be contemporary- nostalgic with a global-desi vibe. Meera’s home is filled with vintage treasures such as typewriters, vintage kitchen utensils, terracotta pottery, brass artifacts... and so much more. It was but natural that when I thought of putting together a feature on typewriters, she instantly came to mind. So I reached out to her and she very graciously obliged. And bingo, she had not one but three typewriters to share! So I decided to dedicate an entire feature to her wonderful collection. I’m going to let Meera take over from here and share her love for the typewriter….. 

I spy the typewriter......Here's a vignette to show you how Meera effortlessly incorporates vintage decor into her home

 Meera: 

“My interest in typewriters is more recent. I think, the more I have lived away from India (20 years now), I yearn for the sights, smells and sounds that make me nostalgic for what was. The clanging of the keys, manual setting of margins, and the ringing of the bell when you press the carriage return key- brings back memories of the Xerox/ typing wallah.

Getting a paper typed as a student meant going to the Xerox/Typing wallah and paying up to Rs 1.25 per page. It meant the neatest of penmanship for the "rough copy" so it was clearly decipherable by the typist. It meant a quick walk to Hill Road where you received bids from the two stores next to each other. It required going back two-three times to check if your paper was complete. And because the process was so draining, it was never my favorite activity. I felt these gentleman with their typewriters could hold your entire class grade ransom if they did not work fast and accurately. I never really cared to know whether they were using a Remington or a Godrej or an electric typewriter. They just needed to type at a lightning speed of 120-140 wpm and make no errors.

LC Smith typewriter

However, when I first saw typewriter art- intricate pictures of icons and scenes using simple typewriter alphabets here in the US, I developed a fascination for them. The first one I acquired was an LC Smith typewriter. The lady selling it had opened a small store in the town where we lived. She even had the ribbons for them. It was wonderful hearing about her love for vintage items.

Vintage Children's typewriter

My second one was a vintage children's typewriter from an antique mall. I loved the colors and of course, the price. I was not sure if it would work. However, the gentleman at the store and I, tried various combinations to get it to work. In the end we did get it to work! It was the oddest thing- two strangers in a store, excited that they could figure out a small mechanical toy.

Blickensderfer typewriter

And finally for my newest acquisition – the Blickensderfer typewriter. I got it at a local sale. My eyes were drawn to the keyboard- which is not the usual QWERTY layout. The keyboard is considered scientific because it uses the most common letters on the home row- DHIATENSOR. I was disappointed to find it was a non-working typewriter- yet it looked in great condition. The owner stated that it had been working till the day before. So we made a deal- I would need about an hour to withdraw money from the ATM and if he managed to get it to work in that time, I would pay the price he had marked. If not, he would take a $100 off! An hour later, he had not had much luck. I resigned myself to the fact that this would not be a functional piece. I was having a hard time believing that it worked one day and stopped the next. So I came home and researched on-line manuals for the model, zoomed into all the mechanical drawings, and figured out how to get it to work!

I feel like I could go on collecting these beauties. Is 3 really a collection? Who knows. Until the next one catches my eye I am enjoying the conversation that occurs around these pieces when friends come over. Of course, I also enjoy styling them. I was so thrilled when Sruthi asked me to send a few pictures for this feature. One of my favorite bloggers, and a blog that has brought never-ending inspiration to me! Thank you Sruthi for showcasing my collection here on TECD.” 

Oh Meera, the pleasure was all mine! Thank you so very much for being such a sport and sharing well put together vignettes from your absolutely beautiful home !

As for you my lovely readers aren't you inspired by Meera's collection of vintage typewriters? I personally loved how the pieces add an old world vibe to the decor of her home. If you've been undecided about how to include vintage decor to your home, I'm sure our series on vintage decor has definitely solved that dilemma by now. So happy hunting for that one special find ! 

(Image Copyright /Credit: Meera D'Souza, The images may NOT be copied /used for commercial or non-commercial purposes without the prior written permission from Meera D'Souza and TECD)

Indie-Bohemian Inspired Summer Soiree

My word for this year has been “Collaborate”. Everything for the past six months seems to revolve around this word…….and boy! Am I glad a lot of wonderful things seem to be taking shape because of this. One of things that I’m very excited about is that we have our first ever guest post here on TECD in collaboration with Deepa of Aalayam. Aalayam needs no introduction. But if you are new to the blogosphere or to the world of Indian décor blogs, Aaalyam is one to bookmark! I keep going back to dip into Aalayam’s diverse repertoire as India Inspired topics reign supreme. Deepa and Supriya bring their nontraditional approach to design, décor, parenting issues and Indian festive occasions. It’s the well put-together features, experimental attitude and unique voice that is refreshing. Today, Deepa has put together an extraordinary outdoor-scape that orbits around jewel tones, pattern on pattern, textural layering and nonconformist décor choices that rightly connotes the free spirited Bohemian style. If you are looking for boho-chic, summer soiree inspiration, you are in the right place! Over to Deepa ……..

"Hello TECD readers! 
Picture gypsy bohemian and see what comes to mind? Bright colors, bold patterns, scattered chotchkies and maybe some warm-hearted Arabian lounge music wafting through the air! Now, how about you picture gypsy bohemian with an Indian twist? And what comes to mind then is an earthy, kaleidoscopic visual with layers of

colorful bohemia. It is a celebration and a happy exposition of colors, patterns and textures! And that’s all I wanted for our backyard patio one evening -to create an inspired wonderland in which to enjoy a beautiful evening and relax with the family.

Summer evenings in the Midwest are to die for and we love making the most of our treed backyard. We spend many an evening outdoors- grillin’ an chillin’! Lingering summer evenings are the perfect time to make some beautiful family memories, don’t ya think? And one evening, I decided to turn this outdoor space into an extension of our home and literally took the indoors out – pillows, end tables, an area rug, decorative accessories and even a Radha – Krishna painting to hang on the trellis! 

I love our weathered pergola. It works well with anything I want to transform this space into and has been the anchoring feature of many backyard celebrations! And the creative potential that this outdoor space holds excites me but I haven’t fully capitalized on that yet. Eventually, I will invest in some durable outdoor fabrics and accent pieces. After all designer outdoor spaces are all the rage these days!

This time though, creating this table scape meant re-using things I already have. And what fun it was too – to go shopping around the house! Bringing in bits of bohemia meant not being too rigid about the colors and combinations and so I just went wild with the patterns and the colors and let it play out on its own! The end result was vibrant and playful - a perfect backdrop for some cozy conversations, wine and cheese and a game of chess! Of course, this could work very well for an evening of alfresco dining with friends as well.

The challenge of bringing a creative vision to life gives me such a high! So, as much as I wanted to sink into the season with my family, I also wanted to create something beautiful. Being able to add a few images of an India inspired outdoor space to the repertoire of google images seems to be another purpose that Aalayam is serving. And I hope you all have your best backyard summer this year!!

Once again, I cannot thank Sruthi enough for allowing us to bring an Aalayam offering to her fantastic blog. I love The East Coast Desi. It is simply my all time favorite design/décor resource staple. Kudos Sruthi for this beautiful and inspired blog that you have worked so diligently to create and maintain! And as always, it is fun to bring our collective audiences ideas and life style inspirations that we know will be appreciated! Thank you and I hope that East Coast readers will follow this post back to Aalayam where Supriya and I have been brainstorming on some great posts for the rest of the year.

Have a wonderful summer everyone!

Cheers!

Deepa (of Aalayam)"

Deepa, thank you for putting together this wonderfully vibrant feature! It's always a pleasure collaborating with Aalayam and I so look forward to more of such wonderful opportunities.........As for you my lovely peeps, get out there and make it a bohemain inspired outdoor party when the sun shines:) 

(Image Credit: UJ for Aalayam. The images may NOT be copied /used for commercial or non-commercial purposes without the prior written permission from Aalayam and TECD)

My Home, a Personal Repository

When my friend and fellow design blogger, Deepa approached me to contribute towards the 100th post at Aalayam,  I was not only honored but also delighted as the task at hand was to capture the essence of what home meant to me. You'll know how passionate I am about my home and all that is associated with the process of decorating it that I happily hopped onto the band wagon with 7 other design bloggers from the Indian blogging fraternity to be apart of the celebration at Aalayam.   So here is my take on what home means to me :

" Home to me is any place that I can SHARE with the people who mean the world to me i.e. my FAMILY.........however I strongly believe that the ultimate objective of the home making PROCESS is to nurture the mind, body and soul of the individuals who live there. As challenging and delightful as this process may be, it is limited only by two elements, our time and imagination.

With no limitations on these two elements, my home is an ever evolving space that is not only reflective of the individual personalities and interests of my family but on a broader level, is a thumbprint of who we are, where we are from and provides us the creative landscape to tell our story of how we got here. Over the years, the process of diligently collecting, conscientiously curating and lovingly layering our home has resulted in a place that is a personal repository studded with inherited treasures, quirky finds uncovered while scouting the flea markets, objet d’ art found on our travels, and relics that talk about our life’s journey together as a family. I can’t but fall in love with this space over and over again...as it provides the secure environment for my family and me to reconnect with each other, recharges our batteries for the next day and helps us realign and stay focused on our priorities that may be overlooked in the demanding hustle bustle of the daily grind. "

To read and see more of what a home = Aalayam means through the eyes of the other design bloggers, hop onto Aalayam and catch it all on their 100th post. Signing off for today and wishing Deepa and Supriya loads of luck and looking forward to many more inspirational and creative posts in the future....

P.S.: Coming up this week is a Ganesh Chaturthi inspired post. The preparations have already started at my place......to see more, stay connected by joining The East Coast Desi's Facebook Page.  

Images: Clicked by me. Please do not use without prior written permission. 

Images are the property of Sruthi Singh and subject to copyright.

A Treat for the Senses (Featured Blog)

Today we are in a candid duologue with the talented new blogger, Karishma Banerji Madan of " A Treat for the Senses". A serendipitous encounter led me to her blog and I was hooked in no time. Karishma's fluid writing style, genuine tone and her ability to conjure up pretty imagery with the simplest of decor accessories is what lured me in to her wonderful blog. Having moved to South Korea recently, the way Karishma articulates her experiences in setting up a home in a far away land is something I can so relate to. Anecdotes sprinkled with humor and accompanied with magical captures that beautifully emphasize the play of light, textures and natural elements, all I can say is that her blog is a treat for all your senses !!! 

A home to come to after a long day at work.......

I wanted to get to know the gorgeous lady behind this blog and reached out to her. I was so excited when she responded positively about a debut feature on TECD. So let's sit down with Karishma and get to know her and her blog. Over to Karishma :

"Hello there ! I am Karishma. I hail from India and am currently living in South Korea. I have to thank Sruthi for reaching out and introducing me on TECD. Such a lovely gesture !

I have been accused of being a day-dreamer, an accusation that I am elated to acknowledge and live with :) Staring out of the window endlessly is a crime I love to concede to, and continue to commit ! I dabble in photography off and on, and I think every picture has a story that deserves to be told. I love nature and I could spend endless days in the forest, listening to the calls of the jungle, enjoying the thrill of sighting wildlife. I love paint smeared hands, the smell of turpentine and the joy of creating something that is ‘truly-your-own’ on the canvas. I enjoy eating good food, nearly as much as I enjoy cooking for family and friends :)

Might be worthy of a mention here that I went to business school, was part of the corporate world, and I am currently enjoying time off from power point and excel sheets :-) And yes, I also like to put ‘pen-to-paper' and archive sudden,spontaneous bursts of thought, hence the blog :)"

Of sun kissed corners, of a game called hide-and-seek…

This is what Karishma had to share when asked what urged  her to start her own blog and what is it that she intended to bring to her readers ?

"A Treat for the Senses', as the name suggests, is my niche to write about beautiful sights, heady fragrances, delicious food and in general, all things that are joyous to the senses.

I love all things beautiful and what could be better than to share my experiences with like minded souls, who share my passion for home decor, art, antiques, plants, good food, travel, and also have a large amount of tolerance for endless rambling !"

A tea lover that I am, Karishma's Post on a pot of chai is one of my favorite reads.

On what spur's Karishma's creative side and where she drew her inspiration from to create the beautiful haven that she has carved out for herself :

"There are so many inspiring artists and home decor stalwarts around, my parents being my biggest inspiration, for their home back in India is nothing short of being a labor of love. Hope to blog about it sometime.

I learn so much from observing and reading fellow bloggers’ posts, it is an excellent way to exchange and share ideas as we all hone our sense of style."

A few corner's of Karishma's home that look gorgeous at all times of the day or night .......Need more to whet your aesthetic appetite ! Head over to "A treat for the Senses". 

Answering the question, what her home means to her, she says," I often reflect upon what my home means to me, and this is how I would summaries it ‘You know your house is a home, when you have time on your hands and places to see, but your home is where you’d rather be !’ 

I love being home, it is where I unwind, I think, I create and re-create. It is where I unleash my creativity, it is my drawing board, my canvas to add endless layers of color to and to texture it as I please.

My husband describes my sense of style as warm and eclectic, I love color, handcrafted workmanship, and collecting curios from around the world. Some of my most precious pieces however, are family heirlooms and thoughtful gifts from friends !"

A bunch full of happiness lifting itself up to say ‘me-too’, lest it gets lost behind the magnificent green palm leaves :)

Sharing her decor mantra and styling secrets with us, Karishma say's, "Although I am just a novice in the world of home styling, I believe our homes are best being an extension of our personalities, there is no one size that fits all ! The more of ‘you’ that there is in it, the more you will grow to love it.

Hope you enjoyed the peeks into the corners of my home and they make you want to stop by my page and read my blog. Thank you once again Sruthi ! " 

An exquisite Buddha statute (a cherished gift) as it imparts tranquility and adds a zen factor to Karishma's abode.

The pleasure was all mine Karishma !!! I'm so glad that through the blogosphere, I'm able to connect with like minded and talented people like you.

If you'd like to connect with Karishma or personally write in your feedback, you may do so at karishmabanerji@gmail.com. And don't forget to drop us a line as we'd love to hear from you:)

Have a wonderful day !!!

Images: All images belong to Karishma Banerji Madan and may not be copied or reproduced under any circumstances.

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. 

Guest Post at Aalayam

Hopping in for a quick update lovely readers....

Deepa of Aalayam reached out to me and invited me to contribute to their Aalayam Digest. I'm delighted to let you'll know that my guest post has been published. I've had so much fun putting this together and am so glad that in the process I've got to connect with the talented and wonderful Deepa.

Do hop over to their blog and check out the post and let me know how I did :) Here are a few glimpses of what's in store for you ;) 

Craving for more, head over to Aalayam. 

And I'd like to thank Deepa for letting me be a part of one of my favorite blogs "Aalayam". Wishing the talented duo at Aalayam (Deepa and Supriya) all the very best !!!

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