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)

Summer Style with Good Earth

With sultry summers in the offing, incorporating a soothing color palette that echoes parchment hues, soft blues and other pastel shades is  a surefire way to beat the heat!The latest additions to the product range of the Luxury Home Decor label "Good Earth" is lust-worthy to say the least and plays out this color palette in the most aesthetically pleasing way.

Their quest for sophistication, quality and craftsmanship not only guides the manufacturing process at Good Earth but also influences their design philosophy that takes on the Herculean task of blending style, understated elegance, practical beauty and more importantly preserving lost Indian traditions and ecology. Infusing inspiration from vintage ‘Suzani’ textiles, ‘chikankari’ style of white on white embroidery, the architectural miracles of the ancient city of Smarkand, the Silk Route and the souks, the new product range makes summer decorating and entertaining, a fun and classy affair:) Here is my list of must-haves for this summer:

That was some eye candy wasn't it? Tempted to get it all ? I know, I am. 

Leaving you with this dreamy image for a relaxing and rejuvenating weekend .........

To see more from their latest collection, click here or connect with them via their FB page.

Images Copyright / Credit : Good Earth

Summer Coffee Table - Inspired by Gifts from the Sea

Coffee table displays curated thoughtfully can be as revealing as your fingerprints and can narrate stories about your design aesthetics, personal style and cherished memories.......My coffee table adorned with treasures from our beach vacation is bursting with happy tales and memories and is definitely a conversation focal point when we have company. 

Our growing stash of beach inspired accessories, is the result of a conscious effort that my family and I make, while on our vacations, to bring back evocative tokens of a summer gone by.

The dark stain on the wooden shell sculpture from Bali complements the yellow vase fillers from Michaels. They had a certain sea urchin look to them and thought they'd get along well with the other accessories. I scattered the fillers randomly on the tray to give my ocean inspired vignette a causal vibe.

These talismans of the sea are easy to work with and a grouping of them instantly creates a feel of a thoughtfully put together collection. However, I did not want to create a traditional beach house display as my entertainment room is a blend of modern contemporary style. By adhering to a particular theme (i.e. shell theme) and including shells made from different materials, I think I achieved the look that I set out to create. The display showcases our lucky finds from the beach to treasures stumbled upon while scouting the local shops while vacationing. 

Clockwise from left: (1) The rule that 3 + is considered a collection is something I follow. I've put together a collection that mimics my favorite shape in shells. The ones onto the right are sand based sculptures of seashells from Thailand. (2) A unique star shaped shell from South Carolina, a ceramic star fish and fossil Ammonite (Ammonites are invertebrate sea creatures that died millions of years ago) stone gifted by a dear friend   completes this grouping. (3)A granite sting-ray from Cayman Islands is the star of this troop adorning the coffee table.

As I sit back with my cup of tea and watch the sun bounces off the iridescent sea shells, I'm tempted to lean forward and pick one up and place it close to my ear. For a brief moment I'm transported to another place.......I can hear the waves gently crashing against the shore and can feel the warm salty breeze seductively tossing my hair against the nape of my neck.......I visualize my little guy's enthusiastic chuckle on discovering the perfect shell that would now be a part of our collection.......But then wait, is that a phone I hear ringing in the distance ??? In a flash I'm transported back to reality and as I attend the call I'm reminded that I have to get on with my next appointment for the day. I  put the phone down and as I hurriedly gulp the rest of my tea, I find myself smiling.......Moments like these make you realize, the importance of surrounding yourself with things that are meaningful to you and have a happy memory associated with it. With the vacation memories relived (even if it was for a brief moment), I find myself ready to tackle the rest of the day.......

A few stalks of Queen Anne's lace loosely tucked in an Italian Vinaigrette bottle completes the look....

On a different note, I'd like to keep you posted that August is going to be happening at TECD:) We have loads of Zen and global decor inspiration, a fresh twist to traditional Ganesh Chaturthi festive decor and never before seen Home Tours coming your way. So make sure you are connected via Facebook, Google Friend Connect or have Subscribed to our mailing list. 

We've also been regularly updating our Facebook page with impromptu decor inspiration and snap shots from my photography experiments. So make sure your connected and don't miss out on the eye candy !!!

And don't forget to drop me a line and let me know what has your coffee table been sporting this summer ???

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

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

Breakfast Nook Console Update with Treasures From the Farmers' Market

Summer brings with it the delightful experience of enjoying the local farmers' market. "Lake Anne Farmers' Market" being minutes away from my home and rated as Northern Virginia's Best Market, this place is a popular haunt for my family and I to spend our lazy summer weekend mornings. 

Last Saturday we gave into the temptation to wander the stalls, taking in the village market atmosphere and loading up our bags with some of the freshest produce in the neighborhood. Personally for me, the benefits of shopping at a local farmers' market out weighs the convenience of shopping at the local grocery store. The most obvious benefits being endorsing a greener environment, supporting local farmer's in their business and enjoying the health benefits of food grown close to where it’s consumed (that is fresher, tastier and better in nutritional value). 

The Lake Anne Farmer's Market is not only a great place to buy your weekly fresh produce and baked goodies but is also a wonderful place to look for some one-of-a-kind global crafts. I was thrilled when I walked into a stall that was stocked with woven treasures from Ghana. I could not resist picking up a pair of gorgeous fans in vibrant colors with beautiful handwoven details. As it turned out, they are the perfect summer addition to gussy up my breakfast nook wall.

If your like me and love accessorizing your home with flowers, then farmers' market is the place for you. Grocery store bought flowers are nice, but they sometimes seem to run out of variety. Assorted flower bouquets at farmers' markets are unique and I love the fact that they look like they were hand picked while out on a long walk. Placed in a glass jar camouflaged by a candle holder from World Market, the setting comes alive with these beauties. A baskets of peaches from the Farmers' Market not only help to pull the colors together but is a healthy option to snack on within arms reach. 

Another new addition to this nook is the beautiful lamp that I managed to snatch up at an unbelievable price from World Market. The paisley lamp shade was love at first sight and I think the corner looks bright and summery with that lovely fresh apple green lamp .  

So here's a final look at how everything came together !!! I hope your inspired by these simple and fun summer decor ideas. Happy decorating folks !!!

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

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