Settled in for a Lifetime (Home Tour)

I’ve always loved showcasing homes that are not forced to look good but have come together very organically over the years. And by that I mean a home that is not caught up in trends or imitating another's style but a home that has interesting layers of its own. Each layer replicating the personality, interests, style, aesthetics of its home owner and decoding the meaning of ever evolving perception of relaxed living. We have toured Hemangini’s rental pad earlier and now a year and a half later we get to take a tour of their very "own" piece of haven in Gurgaon. 

Dr. Hemangini Hoskote is a Consultant Nutritionist with a Ph.D in Nutrition and Mr. Hoskote is a senior leader in Quality and Business Excellence. They share the home with their teenage son who is quite the decor enthusiast. He has had his fair share of influence when it comes to his home's design and style. 

The Hoskote family wanted to embrace a design scheme that’s contemporary in style yet exudes warmth, elegance and simplicity. Infact, this design plan was advocated by none other than their teenage son. It seemed right in the context of the relatively modern apartment with high ceilings and a glass wall running through the entire one side of the apartment letting in abundance of sunlight for a bright and airy space.

The Living Room is furnished with pieces that have clean lines and a contemporary feel. A supporting cast of well edited accessories add the shot of color, pattern, texture, identity and make a cultural point with its design. But most importantly, I think they have cracked the code when it comes to the process of a home being relaxing visually, physically and mentally! 

Brass tattoo markers (the two thin sticks displayed on the wall) were found at a local weekly market at Lake Inle, Myanmar. Another unique element added to the wall display is an antique carved wooden kavadi that the family found during their Chennai stay. It was recently refinished and proudly made part of the living room.The black throw is a Ladakhi shawl and the Ikat one is from Java, Indonesia. The turquoise silver and leather lamp is Moroccan.

As a family, the Hoskotes love traveling and photography. They seamlessly integrated their interests into the design of the home by displaying pictures from their travels in different corners of the home. Majority of photographs are grouped into simple frames that are propped on white ledges in the living room that blend into the wall creating an almost floating effect. Besides bringing back memories of fun times, these framed pictures are great conversation starters! Hemangini makes sure to update the pictures in the frame every now and then with the latest ones from their various vacations and globetrotting expeditions. 

Here's what Hemangini had to say when asked about her decor style, "We have deliberately not followed any particular theme/style but primarily used a few hand-me-downs with travel finds. The thumb rule we follow is, one has to absolutely love it and it has to be 'hatke' (unusual/unique), before we buy it and bring it home. The apartment had white walls which are a perfect back drop for the colorful finds."

More from Hemangini, "We did not hire a 'contractor/decorator’ as we do not like the 'decorated' look with gypsum board ceilings though we had to go with the existing gypsum board ceiling in some parts of the apartment."

This corner has been personalized with wooden musician ladies that were picked from an antique store in Jew Town, Kochi, Kerala. The terracotta pieces are all from Goa, acquired over several visits from Potter's studios to antique stores. The Indonesian mirror was bought when the Hoskotes lived in Dubai. Accentuating the bench style seating are throw pillows that pick up the rust and terracotta hues from the gallery wall above.

One of the bedrooms was converted to serve as a media room. It's where the family spends most of their down time. Hemangini decided to have a collection of posters of their favorite movies framed to reinforce the theme and also clearly gives away that the family members are movie buffs!

The media room also serves as their library. With abundant display and storage space on the adjoining wall, books and other collectibles are neatly organised and provide a clutter free look. A diverse collection of musical instruments from Africa, Mauritius and Indonesia allows for a visual change of scene.

Lovely little corners are created using the family's collectibles and rightly shows the power of grouping things in varied heights and textures.The tribal Ganesha is from the Craft Museum, Delhi.  On the console table along with the brass statue of Radha and Krishna are vases and porcelain fishes that were brought home  from a pottery exhibition in Gurgaon. The pencil sketches featuring the horses were done by none other than Hemangini herself.

The dining area has an informal vibe and suits the family's relaxed style of hosting. The ta-da element in this space is the wall of masks. The collection was amassed from family vacations to North East India, Far East, Mauritius, Africa and so on.

A practical dining set works in tandem with the rest of the clean line vibe evident in the home. Clearly "comfort is everything" is a norm that takes charge with the decor in this home. Overlooking a balcony area, the doors are thrown open when entertaining on weekends or to enjoy those relaxed and laid back evenings after work.

Absolutely love the open kitchen-dining-living concept! Over to Hemangini for more as to why she prefers this concept, "It was a plan that I had always wanted in my dream home and am loving it. It’s so much more fun to chat with family n friends as one is rustling up a meal. And it works perfectly with our lifestyle. The cleanliness freak that I am, have to be a little more efficient in having the kitchen even more cleaner at all times! I opted for the open shelves as I wanted the kitchen to look light and airy. Upper kitchen cabinets would have made the kitchen look smaller n boxed in."

What a charming breakfast bar! I'd make excuses of having frequent hunger pangs just to enjoy this lovely nook, wouldn't you?

The Hoskotes were very clear from the onset that the maid's quarters would be converted to a home office for Hemangini. Hemangini shares, "This makeover did take the longest time and even though we had a relatively tight budget we didn't compromise on the look n feel of the office. In a space little over 100 sq feet,we managed to create a small, cosy office."

The walls of the office have SH Raza's prints and pencil sketches made by all members of the family.

The gallery wall in the Master Bedroom suite has a host of paintings and travel memories. The pencil sketches here too, are those done by the talented family members. The Copper n Gold art work, is a temple etching on rice paper, bought in Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia.

More pretty corners from their Master bedroom. The easy chair is an heirloom piece that was handmade by Hemangini's grandfather-in-law! The console in the master bedroom has baskets from Bali, Thai wooden bust, Myanmar lacquer bowls and marble plate from Goa. Love how the old and the new have together so effortlessly in this space.

And finally we get a peek into their son's room. Done up in shades of deep blue, the textured wall was what the young man decided on all by himself. This room is everything a teenager would want - practical, comfortable, low-maintenance yet stylish, masculine and totally lit!

I hope you enjoyed the home tour as much as we loved sharing it with you. Things to take away from this home tour : 

~ Skillful space planning, 

~ Visualizing the function of the space before executing the design plan, 

~ Include artwork to make the space feel more soulful and individualistic,
~ Mixing and layering the old and the new to create a classic vibe and

~ Visually linking the color scheme or decorating style of rooms that open onto one another.

Thank you Hemangini for trusting me yet again with your beautiful home to be showcased on TECD. We wish you and your beautiful family the very best! 

(Image Credit: Hemangini Hoskote, do NOT use the image/images from the blog without prior written permission of the homeowner and TECD)

An Intimate space as fresh as the Spring Greens

Today's bedroom in focus is a beacon of visual simplicity. Balancing the abundance of white and neutral shades in this bedroom are the pops of cobalt blue and cheerful fuchsia. With no dearth of windows and a view of the trees at all times, the light from the window bounces off the whites in the room making it bright even on a sunless day. This gorgeous room is put together by Pratiksha Tandon, an Architect and Interior designer, currently living in the bay area. Here's what Pratiksha had to share about her design aesthetics, "My design aesthetic has evolved over the years from living in different parts of north India then travelling to the east coast and now finally the west. Having lived in apartments throughout, I realized the value of having limited functional pieces of furniture which are versatile in their use. I personally like bright, clutter free spaces. I believe one can make any space beautiful by using things one already owns without indulging in expensive decor pieces, with a little bit of creativity and an eye for good composition. In addition to that I love layering different colors, textures, prints and fabrics in my styling."

Simple clean lines and a clutter free organised space allows the eye to travel unimpeded, bringing an instant calm and serenity that every private sanctuary should explicitly communicate.

As you can gather, Pratiksha believes in the art of mixing. Be it textures, colors or patterns she has a way with them. For the current bedding, she has effortlessly managed to intermix pieces from 3 different bedsets! A wicker basket from a thrift store finds a cosy spot on the nightstand as a plant holder. A few books and other tchotchkes complete this functional yet personality filled corner.

I'm not surprised when Pratiksha tells me that her favorite spot in the house has to be this little reading nook. Propped up with cushions in blues and whites, this corner allows one to be insync with the outdoors despite being comfortably seated inside.  

A bunch of very healthy succulent cuttings from a generous neighbor adorn the empty planters and vases. Prathiksha says, "I cannot imagine a home without plants. They infuse a space with so much life." I couldn't agree with her more.

With that we come to the end of this no fuss private sanctuary. Hope you took away some cues to see how you could infuse aesthetic charm and visual interest in an all neutral intimate space. Thank you Prathiksha for sharing your decorating tips and a slice of your haven with us on TECD. Should you wish to follow along with her on her decorating journey, connect with Prathiksha on Instagram.

(Image Credit/Copyright: Pratiksha Tandon. The images may not be used for commercial or non-commercial use without the prior written permission of  Pratiksha Tandon & TECD.)

Revisiting the Home of My Design Gurus (Mini - Home Tour)

I thought it was about time that we revisited the home of my design gurus - my parents. I did share an elaborate home tour 3 years back. From then to now, there have been a few changes, but a home as beautiful as this, deserves a second look. The images I'm sharing today have been hibernating in my archives for over a year now. If you want to know, why I decided to share them now, reason being, I'm  terribly home sick. I could use any help to heal the way I feel right now!  

Let's start with the coffee table display in the living room, shall we?As most of you would remember, my parents are avid collectors of brass artifacts and Ganesha statues (I'm happy these genes passed onto me;) This love for all things brass is reflected in the choice of artifacts showcased on a wonderful vintage teak table with a marble top from Rain Tree. A collection of bells in different materials ranging from silver, brass to bell metal (a combo of copper and tin) happily keep each other company. (FYI : bells intended for use in the worship of Lord Shiva will have a figure of Lord Nandi). Some gardening books mirrors their interest in plants, a Dhokra lamp and an intricately hand carved brass Ganesha make the display complete. Adding a touch of green is the Zebra plant (Haworthia Fasciata) housed in a container from Kerala made from a coconut tree trunk. 

This corner is my absolute favorite! The decor elements here are all so South Indian - Tanjore paintings, hand carved stone Ganesha statue and Nandi, an antique pillar used to hang the Singh's collection of brass bells and lamps and the bronze urli.  

Here a reclaimed pillar base it used to display some vintage brass chombus (a traditional container used by the religious men to carry water) Upcycling at it best won't you agree?

The unique circular Ashta Lakshmi & Panch mukhi Ganesha Tanjore was what my husband and I had lovingly bought for our very first home in Bengaluru. We found it on one of our trips to Trichy. Got it restored and it graced the walls of our Bengaluru apartment. It is a heavy piece and it took all our might to get this up on the wall in India. There was no chance that the dry walls of our home here in the US, could carry all that weight so we  decided that mom would be our best best to safe guard this piece till we were able to return and reclaim its possession. But in the meantime, it sits pretty on the walls of the formal dining room in my parent's home. More lovingly scrubbed brass artifacts and a vintage trunk makes for another wonderful display.

Flowering branches from the garden outside get tucked into a unique brass container. A few artifacts from a Nepal trip complete this lovely corner. Notice the little trunk like side table, it doubt duties as an additional storage option. The little tile inlay detail was something that dad added himself to give the trunk a visual edge. 

Another closeup shot of the intricately carved stone Ganesha. Also sharing this frame cause, mom got some beautiful marigolds to fill in the Urli:)

Finally, a shot with the Kerala style lamp in focus. I hope you enjoyed the visual snippets. I can't wait to visit my parents sometime soon.......until then, patience and these pretty images will have to do.....

(Images: Sruthi Singh. The images are the copyrighted and belong to The East Coast Desi. Please do not use them for commercial or non-commercial purpose without the prior written consent.) 

A Place called Home (Home Tour)

Today’s post revolves around the excitement of owning and setting up that special first home! And mind you, excitement is not the only emotion that one experiences…..there’s an element of disbelief and elation that you can now decorate a place to your heart’s content (without having to worry about something as trivial as putting 'x' number of nails in the  walls of a rented home to hang your favorite pieces of art or paint the walls in a rainbow of colors should you like that). Then there is the panic and self doubt phase, when it comes to laying down the decorating plan, making you wish you had chosen interior design as your profession.  And then, comes the anxious phase to get it all done asap, so that you can enjoy binge watching your favorite show on the weekends and not worry about wandering through furniture stores testing couches, fabrics and colors…..you get the drift don’t ya?

Well, our home owner today has surpassed all the above and has created a strikingly sophisticated but functional space for herself in San Jose, California. Anusha Venugopal is a software engineer by profession and defines her personal décor style as “mid-century modern with bursts of color thrown in for that Indian touch and a homely feel.” One look at her home and you can tell so much about this lovely lady. She likes things clutter free, organized and is very passionate about travelling, photography, baking, gardening, and entertaining. Her decor style has been vastly influenced by her mom and TECD, “My love for home decorating is something I believe I got from my Mom (who has beautifully decorated our house in Bengaluru). Growing up I’ve seen my Mom set up our home with great attention to details, balancing the needs and comfort with her personal style and I can proudly say that I have got all those qualities from her.

I’d also like to add, that while I was looking for décor inspiration to tap into for my own home, I came across TECD via Pinterest and instantly knew, that there were a lot of décor tips that I wanted to implement in my home. So after a year + of working on putting my first place together, I can thankfully say that the result is exactly what I wanted! ”

The staid elegance of the clean line furniture pieces that Anusha has chosen for the living room is balanced by introducing vivid shades of fuchsia and tangerine to the mix. The West Elm grey couch finds its rightful place after a 6 month long hunt for the 'perfect couch'. Anusha has taken inspiration from TECD to go with a neutral couch as the base and has then pilled on colorful cushions to dress it up. The accent chair in a shade of flamingo pink mimics the throw cushions on the couch, giving the place an edgy result. As for the Buddha and coffee table tray, they traveled all the way from Bengaluru (Anusha's hometown) to add a touch of zen to this space. 

Talking about the significance of how a home should ideally reflect ones roots, Ansuha says, "Having my home showcase my roots is really important as it keeps me connected to where I come from, and what I’ve grown up learning and loving and furthermore what I hope my life would always be!"

Anusha says that rather than buying art, she'd rather adorn her walls with meaningful pictures that remind her of good times. I think that is a clever way to introduce her love for travel and save big bucks by creating your own art. Seen above are pictures clicked by Anusha from her travels to Tahoe, Bali, Paris, Prague, Amsterdam, Egypt, and Puerto Rico. She says this gallery wall, gives her the freedom to add more to it as and when the opportunity arises.

Here's a close up of the home office that's neatly tucked away in the corner. Knowing the space limitations, Anusha cleverly looked around for desk designs that advocated small space solutions. After much research, she paired a West Elm desk and chair with some lively accents, to create a sophisticated work space to indulge her on days that she needs to work from home or catch up on her mails and bills payment.

A mid-century modern shelf proudly displays Anusha’s travel finds and few other treasured memorabilia, while keeping the other table surfaces clutter free. When asked what were the challenges that Anusha faced while designing her space, she shares, “To be able to strike a balance between a clutter-free home and one which is filled with things that she loves and treasures! “It is but natural that everyone would have a lot of stuff - some junk and some memorable stuff - to be able to decide and keep the ones that really matter and get rid of everything else was a very important and challenging aspect for me.

Along with this, finding the time to decorate was another challenge. Since I work full time, weekends are the only time I get to even think about decorating. So its been a long but happy decorating journey to bring my home to its current “finished” state.”

Like the rest of her home, Anusha’s kitchen is no different. It echoes’ Anusha’s design philosophy of how good design should be stylish and have a purpose. Anusha says, “I absolutely love my open and spacious kitchen where I unwind and wash away all that I may have endured during the course of my working day by cooking a hearty meal.” Anusha added this versatile cabinet from Wayfair to serve as a bar unit. By keeping the cabinet in the same wood color as the kitchen cabinets, it makes the space seem larger and ties everything together beautifully. Love how the wood inlay details on the glass, adds visual interest. A bevy of mugs, colorful cups, family photographs, knick-knacks and a happy fiddle fig complete this corner.

Anusha’s bedroom impishly combines colors and patterns. She’s confidently chosen textiles in an invigorating blue hue and has tempered the room with accents in a very sunny shade of yellow to give the room the levity it needs. A hint of whimsy is added with some literally décor and a cheerful yellow night stand that she scored from Home Goods. Balancing the night stand on the other side is a dresser from Ikea that houses Anusha’s massive collection of necklaces. The overall look in the room, is clean, minimal and relaxing, just the way Anusha likes it.

Anusha seems to make the most of the great weather all year round in San Jose, all thanks to her patio (her favorite place in the house). Here she enjoys her cups of chai and home-baked almond cake. She’s successfully learned the art of container gardening and has home grown herbs, cherry tomatoes, lavender and other blooms adding color and fragrance to this outdoor space. A pair of colorful Suzani Terai folding chairs from Anthropologie add the spunk to this space and look perfect against the peach colored accent wall.

Here's what Anusha had to say about what the word home means to her, "Home is a place that reflects who I am and what I strive to be - “full of life, positivity and happiness” ! We wish Anusha all that and so much more!!! Thank you Ansuha for letting us tour your lovely home. 

Until we meet again, here's to the joys of decorating!!! 

(Image Credit: Prasad Sawant. Image Copyright: Anusha Venugopal. The images may not be used without the prior written permission of Anusha Venugopal and TECD)

As "Indianly" Rustic as It Gets (Farm House Tour)

Imagine being able to escape the city's humdrum, the deafening noise and the toxic pollution to a serene sanctuary where all that  surrounds you is the symphony of the whirring of the crickets, the squawking of the parrots and the neighing of horses. Air so fresh that a breath of this is as invigorating as an hour of a yoga session. And to top it all, the drive to this dream destination is only a stone's throw away from the city! Sounds too good to be true???

Not for real estate magnate, Jayesh Patel. The man loves his horses and farm like no other and definitely lives life large. Welcome to Jayesh Patel's traditional Indian style farmhouse, lovingly called the "Desai Vadi" (location - Kanjri (Gujarat, India)). Every evening after work his ritual involves driving himself to the farmhouse to spend some quality time with his prized horses and farm animals. This is his way of unwinding and replenishing his energy, to tackle another day of  busy city life. 

The Man - Jayesh Patel with his favorite mare, Laxmi.

The main entryway

The idea of owning a  farmhouse had been marinating in Jayesh's thoughts for a long time. Seeing and experiencing the relaxed life at his dad's farmhouse, had made Jayesh decide that he wanted to own one of his very own. His equestrian interests further fueled this thought. Jayesh decided to bring architect Pranav Patel and Meghna Patel on board to pilot his dream project. Together, they were able to complete Desai Vadi in a time span of 11/2 years. The result is an elegantly rustic 1,100+ sq ft space with a living, kitchen and sprawling verandah that honors traditional Indian style of architecture.

He says the effect of red tiled roof, a sweeping courtyard surrounding the farmhome, carved pillars and doors, in a rustic setting, effortlessly aides in melting away the layers of stress brought on by the city life. Imagine basking in the sun-toasted verandah with a cup of chai! This potent combination can only have a therapeutic effect and act as the quintessential laid-back tonic, won't you agree???

Jayesh's artistic capture of the traditional bullock cart used as a sculptural element in the courtyard.

A khatiya/charpai used for lounging in the sun-kissed verandah. Don't miss the earthenware pots with the painted handiwork of artisans that were specifically called to get the desired rustic effect.

Jayesh wanted to deliberately keep the feel of the farmhouse interiors, folksy and relaxed. Without making the decor overbearing, he opted for the traditional Lipan work to do the trick. Artists from Kutch were called in to work their magic. And in no time, the walls had a bejeweled feel with the mirror work shimmering from the pendant lights suspended from the wooden beams above (another beautiful architectural feature).

Ample seating with slip cover style cushions for comfort make it a clever and easy to maintain option. Pops of color are brought in with glass work cushions covers that are so abundantly available in Gujarat:)

A closer look at the details that make this space what it is! 

A view of Desai Vadi in the evening light!

Putting this feature together has only made my decision to retire in a little farmhouse (on the outskirts of Bengaluru) that much more stronger. 

I can't thank Jayesh enough for being so wonderful, responsive and patient through this entire process of putting this feature together. It has been such a pleasure coordinating with him! Jayesh wishing you the very best! 

Finally, I'm so glad that what started brewing almost 6 months ago has taken shape to share with my TECD readers. I hope you'll enjoyed the Desai Vadi tour as much as I had fun putting this together for you. 

(Image Credit/Courtesy: Jayesh Patel, All images are the property of Jayesh Patel and may not be used for commercial or non-commercial purposes without his prior written consent.)

Keeping It Elegantly Eclectic (Home Tour)

With creamy white walls and an open arrangement in the floor plan, the home of Aninda and Mayank in Delhi, is an enviable balance of tranquility and décor drama at play. Working with an overall white color palette, accomplishes a designer feel and brings about a relaxed, sophisticated vibe. The couple has expertly used pops of color in the home to bring in the much needed contrast, visual interest and happy vibes. Mayank is an investment professional while Aninda is a multidisciplinary creative. She is a jewelry designer and the founder of Studio Azzurra, a mosaic artist and a décor blogger at Sunshine in My Cup. Together they share their home with their adorable and energetic three year old son (who has both his parents tightly wrapped around his little finger:)

Starting with the doorway, we are introduced to the fact that  it is the little details that makes a house a home. The brass knocker you see dressing up the door was picked up from Kerala. Step in and the decor in the foyer further asserts the fact that creative risks definitely pay-off if one has the vision and makes the effort to execute it in a planned manner. Over to Aninda to fill you in on her side of the story, "When we bought this place a few years back, our son was still very young, so we decided to wait for a year till we could find the time and mindset that remodeling a house deserved. I used this time to collect our thoughts and inspirations for what we wanted our home to reflect, while my husband went about meticulously planning the execution details. The combination of his left and my right brain, allowed us to execute ideas to our satisfaction, without engaging an interior designer. We essentially imagined it to be an extension of our personalities, a place that mirrors our love for travel, books and Indian crafts, with an underlying global ethnic vibe to it."

I say, the couple deserves a  huge round of applause for the final design outcome! It is both functional, looks radically different from anything that I've seen before and  totally complements the many facets of the home owners interests. More of the design story from Aninda, "We wanted our space to radiate a sense of calm, so we went with white walls. This also provided the perfect canvas for our many colorful collectibles, allowing them to stand out against the light background. The white jali partitions merge with the walls, yet help gently define the living, foyer and dining spaces better. Rounding off the wall edges to give them a curved smooth finish helped us achieve an overall softer look. While it may not be apparent in the images, this seemingly small detail lends a beautiful finished look to the entire space. Tons of plants and fresh flowers are also a staple in our home."

This particular image that I had seen on Aninda's Instagram feed, got the ball rolling for this home tour. The image had niches imitating the silhouettes of the iconic Indian arches, jali style partitions used to transition from one room to another and little pockets of color that added to the visual landscape.....I knew I had to reach out to the home owners, as there was so much more to this space. And I am so glad I gave into my intuition! 

A full view of the living room. See, I was right when I said there was so much more to this space! Thota Vaikuntam prints, colors and patterns juxtaposed skillfully, travel finds and other carefully selected Indian decor pieces cohabitate happily to create an impressive space, that embraces refined design and understated style. The overall white palette, was a bold move I would say with a  three year old in the house. But Aninda is quick to point out that the paint is washable:)

This is just perfect, isn't it? The couple tell me that while choosing furniture for their living room, comfortable seating was priority. However, they were keen that they include one statement piece. And with that, they decided that a swing would fit this description well. Let's hear from Aninda as to how this lovely corner came together, "The swings we came across in and around Delhi were all huge, overly carved, bulky pieces.Finally we had to get it custom made to our size and style preference, for it to resemble a traditional 'oonjal'. The lovely brass chain was sourced on our holiday to Udaipur. But lugging these heavyweight chains back to Delhi was a nightmare, a mission only chronic decor loonies like us would undertake!! But I guess it was all worth the effort as this playful piece of furniture becomes a quick favorite with anyone who visits our place! I invariably find people gravitating towards it as soon as they enter our living room."

Aninda tells me that the vintage Shrinathji Pichwai painting was a lucky find and by far her most prized piece of art. The couple came across  it in one of the many by-lanes of old Udaipur. It now occupies a place of pride in the living room niche that is painted a vibrant shade of yellow ocher to offset the charcoal tones of the painting. Brass mirrors and a pendant lamp, bring the right amount of luxe effect to this corner. Another interesting addition is the small wooden boat that was sourced while on a trip to Kerala. With the boat secured to the wall, Aninda now uses it to display a few pots and add a touch of green to this corner.

Simplicity and function rule, the dining room. Amongst the structural changes undertaken by the couple, their biggest challenge was to alter the plan of the house to incorporate a sense of openness. To achieve this, they brought down certain walls to convert it from a four to a three bedroom apartment. The windows were resized to allow for ample natural light and ventilation in the apartment.

The Thangka painting was picked up by the couple on their trip to Dharamsala many moons ago. It's been framed using a saree from Aninda's mother’s trousseau. The Anjali diya from Good Earth keeps the Thangka company and makes for a soulful sacred corner.

 

A closer look at some of the finer details that go into making this gorgeous space. Aninda explains more about the pieces seen in the various vignettes, "I wanted to weave in my love for making mosaics and ceramic pieces into the décor of my home, so you will notice that the house is peppered with a little bit of both. The small ceramic pieces on the foyer console are a mix of pottery bought from a quaint little shop in Goa and those made by me. A mosaic bird bath I made gives company to the bharnis in our foyer, while my mosaic lady rests comfortably on a brightly tiled table in the living room!"

Aninda's never fail decor mantras, "For me decorating is never about buying the uber expensive. The three décor mantras that always work in my favor are:

• Bringing in the potted greens and adding some fresh flowers and watch my room transform instantly. 
• Weaving a dash of color into the décor. To a color obsessed mind like mine, one can never have too much of it.
• Introducing some raw wood textures and brass accents always pull a space together for me."

The kitchen mimics  the same contemporary feel that dominates the rest of the home. Aninda added patterned tiles in earthy shades and a touch of blue-grey to brighten up the space. With a place for everything, the uncluttered work surface makes cooking a stress-free and enjoyable chore.

Clean line furniture and dark wood tones is what sets the stage in the master bedroom. The vibrant energy in the room comes from colorful textiles in sunset hues. Book shelves from the floor to ceiling frame the window. The little sette by the window, makes it the perfect spot to curl up and relax with a good read. Aninda shares, "Both Mayank and I are avid readers and want our little one to grow up surrounded by books instead of gadgets, just as we did. Therefore, we ensured the house is fitted with ample book shelves that could accommodate our large collection."

It was extremely important to Aninda and Mayank that their home have a dedicated space for gardening. Infact, they made the very difficult choice of foregoing a separate entertainment room in order to make space for Aninda's kitchen gardening escapades. Aninda says, "My husband often jokes that it was the lemon tree in the garden that sealed the deal for me on this house. Through our little green patch, we hope to teach our child the importance of getting his hands dirty, observe the often arduous but rewarding process of growing his own food and thereby learn to respect it more."

And more shots of the profusion of color from Aninda's garden! Love all the colorful contrast that Aninda has managed to bring in through painted pots and a mix of blooms.

While we come to the end of our home tour, all I can say is that the images and inspiration from this spectacular home tour is going to stay with me for a while. I know you (like me) want to go back and scroll through it all over again....So I'll leave you to it:)

Thank you Aninda and Mayak for letting us tour your amazing home! We wish you and your lovely family the very best!

(Image Credit: Aninda Singh, The images may not be used for commercial or non-commercial purposes without the prior written permission of TECD and the home owners (Mayank and Aninda)).