Blog Update and My New Red Door

With the start of another school year, summer is officially over in my part of the world. That said it is time to pick up the pace again My son's enthusiasm for a new academic year has rubbed off on me and I like him seem to be ready for the opportunities and possibilities that lie ahead.......

On the blog front, I'm so excited for the month of September.......the festive season is soon going to be upon us so I thought lining up a few wonderful jewelry artists would be apt.........apart from that we also have simple festive decor ideas and tips and some never before seen home tours coming up next month........so make sure you are connected via FB and Instagram for regular updates. 

And for those of you wondering about the gorgeous red door that you can see in the background, that's is something my husband built from scratch and I'm so proud of him. He recently took to carpentry as a hobby and boy! the man and his machines are inseparable now. As a result of which lots of DIY projects got done this summer including my basement and shelves for my mudroom:) Will share details soon. 

So with that, we sign off today's post.....take care and happy decorating!

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

A Spanish Abode with an Asian Soul (Home and Garden Tour)

With it's stucco walls, red roof tiles, patterned tile floors and spiral columns, the home of Juan Carlos Duperier and  Laurie Plessala Duperier is a creative collaboration of artful objects and covetable architecture. The home was designed from scratch by the Duperier couple incorporating Spanish architectural elements in an effort to showcase their cultural roots. Carlos says, "the process of designing your own home can be tremendously satisfying. You get to see an idea,style and a concept come alive." 

Carlos is a Madrid-born and bred, professional sportsman and was a professional soccer player in Spain and coached both in Spain and United States for most part of his life. Laurie was a business lawyer, and Vice-President and Associate General Counsel of a Fortune 10 company before the couple together, founded the "Duperier's Authentic Journeys". The company conducts extraordinary walking tour of the Camino de Santiago (in Spain) and promises an authentic experience of Spain itself. The couples work and their love for travel lead them to the United States, Hong Kong, Switzerland, Europe and Asia. Carlos goes on to explain how Spain and Asia (in particular) have had a strong influence on their design aesthetic in creating a place called home. Having fallen in love with the art, culture and people of Indonesia, the couple wanted to clone the feel of an exotic getaway right here, at home (US). A shipment (that took more than 3 months to arrive) laden with artifacts and statues that the couple had collected by scouring the local shops and markets during their sojourn in Indonesia, adds the Asian soul to this home.   

The impressive entrance enamors us with the innovative melange of Spanish and Asian elements. The bespoke Spanish colonial doors, sport the character marks of wrought-iron hardware and also combine Balinese style wooden carving at the crown.

A Pair of Spanish Revival style wall scones with verdigris finish and graceful brackets flank the main door. Balinese volcanic stone planters lend an exotic appeal to the entrance and helps integrate the Asian element with the Spanish architectural backdrop.

A view of the main door from the inside - the carved wooden panel creates an interesting play of light.

As we make our way in through the impressive entrance of the home, the interior space resonates with taste and style. Each room is a distinctive integration of art, architecture, function and comfort. An antique Chakki or the traditional mill stone from Indian subcontinent greets you at the entryway. The unconventional console table is a team mate of the Chakki. Originally used to clean grains before the grinding process in the Chakki, it's new pragmatic avatar is used to display an antique Chinese statue.

The entryway opens up to a cozy home office. Brightly colored Indian art and rugs, add visual appeal while the Buddha statue heads in every size, color and stone, ensure a serene ambiance and reinforce the owners love for Asian art and culture.

The formal living room, also functions as the family's music room. It doesn't come as a surprise that the Duperier couple are patrons of music and enjoy playing the guitar and piano at leisure. An antique Chinese rice storage basket called Dou is ingeniously transformed to serve as a coffee table with the simple addition of a glass top. At the far end of the room, an Indonesian Cabinet  serves as the perfect storage solution to house the family's collection of extra China.  

Bright unadorned windows flood the formal dining room with oodles of light. With no privacy issues to deal with, the couple loves the open uncluttered look. The star of the room is the dining table that seats a group of 10. Sourced from Indonesia, this beauty came along with the shipment. 

Visually enriching the niches in the formal dining room, are the Loro Blonyo statues (Clockwise from right). Loro Blonyo in Javanese literally means "two become one". The statues are a symbol of the God and Goddess of fertility in Javanese culture: Dewi (Goddess) Sri and God Sadono. The Javanese people believe these statues bestow happiness, fertility, good health and well-being to the family when made a part of the home.

More treasures from their globe trotting adventures :  

The Buddha feet, an antique said to have originally been found in Afghanistan was sourced by Carlos from New York.

The  facial expression of the kneeling Chinese statue, the painting titled Endless Path, the Tibetan singing bowl and the details on the cabinetry, not only tell a tale of a far off land but also remind us of the importance of intuitively seeking out things that have an association with our fondest memories and surrounding ourselves with these to make our homes, soulful spaces.

Finally, we make our way outdoors to the luxuriant garden generously sprinkled with volcanic stone statutes from Indonesia.. This 5 feet Balinese statute weighing more than 5000 pounds required some horsepower to get it where it stands majestically today.

The hand carved Balinese statues make every meandering corner of the garden a visual delight. The attention to detail on these carved pieces goes to show why the artistically driven folks did not settle for pieces coming off the assembly line.......

The home of Carlos and Laurie Duperier offers up imaginative and inspiring corners and throws spotlight on adopting the magpie tendency and seeking out things you love to live with. And finally, a note of Thanks to the wonderful couple for willingly sharing a few corners of their home with the readers of The East Coast Desi.

I hope you enjoyed the home and garden tour as much as I had fun working on bringing this to you !!! Stay happy and Inspired!!!

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

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

Zen is in the Details

Don't you think that our homes shape us as much as we shape them ??? Taking the time to create unique, calming and inspiring spaces, not only indulges ones artistic preferences but also feeds the inner psyche. Thus, the process of home making is an interactive undertaking that is ever evolving with the passage of time and our maturing tastes. I've found my design style and by sharing a few eclectic zen vignettes from my home, I'm here to help you explore and discover your own personal style and create enchanted corners in your home that pitch in towards the building of the ultimate sanctuary. So let's get started and peruse the compositions, colors, textures and design elements of the various eclectic zen vignettes from my entryway to the ones transforming my coffee table.

The entry way is a great place to build anticipation and set the mood for what's in-store, as you cross the threshold. My prized flea market find - a red Chinese console sets the tone in my entry way. Accompanying terracotta Buddha head (that was painted black to enhance the details of the Buddha) and an unpretentious orchid complete the entryway vignette and set the ball rolling for an eclectic yet zen theme.

The experimental streak in me animates this vignette that's laden with zen appeal. Consider combining things that strictly don't go together. You'll be surprised at the results. I've used only four elements in this vignette. The gold painted Buddha and the mani prayer wheel from Nepal bring the zen factor to the vignette. A traditional south Indian urli displaying a fresh cut dahlia from the garden adds color and contrast. A walnut wood box with iconic Kashmiri carving exemplifies the importance of textural charm and provides storage for unsightly objects that need to be stashed away.

Dedicating a corner of your dresser to decorative accents like the Buddha hand mudra presents a wonderful opportunity to add a little extra zen to your busy mornings. It perfectly serves it's dual purpose as a jewelry organizer and  secondly as the ideal zen decor accessory thus exuding emotional resonance to help you stay focused and get ready to tackle a day that's filled with tasks that battle for priority.

Dead spaces in the home, beg for your creativity. A surprising alternative to a console, is a bevy of books stacked together with a wooden plank to form a sketchy version of a console. At the center piece of this vignette, is a canvas stenciled with the  Buddha silhouette. It's not only an artful addition to your home but it also reinforces the theme of zen. (Read more about the artwork here.)

Bring your walls to life with a Tibetan Thangka Painting. The iconography on this Thangka painting referred to as "The Wheel of Life" is incredibly rich and epitomizes exclusivity that's associated with handmade. Intricately painted details (like the sacred images of the Buddha, Bodhisattva deities and other ritual symbols), in saturated tones not only brightens my home but also my very soul.

I had to pull up this image from the archives of TECD posts as it's one of the most popular images doing the rounds on Pinterest. This eclectic zen vignette breaks the rule that zen means neutral and minimalistic. You can sate your thirst for color and still achieve a Zen  vibe. My most cherished Buddha lends his presence to  this reading nook that's soaked in color and texture. 

Be off beat with your approach and let your creativity get the better of you. Transform a coffee table in a few minutes with a stone carving mimicking the Buddha eyes on the great stupa of Boudhanath,  together with a collection of river pebbles. Isn't this a a refreshing take on a zen vignette ??? 

I do hope that by visiting the TECD today, you have received your dose of zen inspiration. Do write in to me if you'd like to share your zen creative spaces and vignettes with us and I'd gladly 

showcase it here on TECD.

Happy decorating !!!

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

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

Why Include ZENsational decor to your home ???

With my deep rooted Indian origin, I find myself drawn to countries that are steeped in history, culture, art, architecture……..When it comes to design aesthetics, it’s no surprise that my home is an eclectic reflection of all that I draw globally. However, a closer look will reveal that I do have my favorite and time and again I’m enticed by the striking simplicity and exotic charm that surrounds the Asian décor. By including elements like the Buddha himself, a hand mudra, thangka painting or an unpretentious orchid, the central objective is to bring ZEN vibes to my home and in the process create a space that helps sustain my spirit and soul. 

The Buddha statue serves as the anchor in this Zen vignette. 

I personally think that the word ZEN has been overused and somewhere along the way it may have even lost its true significance with people interpreting it in more ways than one. I’m not here to take on the impossible task of defining the word Zen. However, I’m here to share my perspective on why I include elements of ZEN to my home. 

An IKEA RISKORN Plant pot brings in the textural detail while the Kalanchoe that it holds, adds a punch of color and contrast. Finally adding the sensory appeal to the vignette is a candle holder from World Market. The glow from the candle helps create focus on the Buddha, while I seek a peaceful refuge from the day's demands.
I embrace ZEN because it helps me stay grounded in an environment that is stressful and helps bring about equilibrium, harmony and relaxation. I'd often find myself either worrying about the future or trapped in the realm of the past. Little did I realize that it is "NOW" that is important. With the inclusion of ZEN vignettes and decor to my home, I'm reminded of the essence of ZEN - "Living fully and authentically in the present moment i.e. being face to face with our true original nature". The past is past and an investment in the present will assure you of a happy now and an even happier tomorrow with memories of today.  

So the next time you decide to inject elements of ZEN to your decor, do take a moment to sit back and imbibe the real vibrations of a quintessence zen vignette. 

Have a ZEN day !!!

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