Shabby . Chic. Weird. Creative.

Can you think of the strangest things that can make your place look lovely? Things that perhaps are essential and you obviously can't throw them and things that really do not have much to offer! Well lets see how your home can be arranged aesthetically with "what should I do with this?"

Be Creative... Think Strange!

You have a vase at home? Perhaps a big bulky one which is not of use. And certainly you may have some towels lying around. Put it all together, it could be a nice decor for your bathroom while entertaining guests!

A Pot in the Sun!

Whether you want your garden to be formal or wild and rambling, decide on the style, then follow it through with appropriate plants and materials.I planted some fern in a funnel... got it all painted and hung it in my window! 

Trunk it up!

This aluminium chest was lying around the house. It was a perfect thing to store toys. It certainly gives a vintage look to the children's room!

The Old Fan Club!

Do you have an old fan? Just use it!

Mug it Up!

We often have so many mugs and small containers in our kitchen which don't make sense but we wouldn't want to throw them either. So here is a deal... cactus and small ferns do wonders to such container. My nephew has his lovely set of cactus he nurtures. Thanks to his mom who offers him the most unwanted stuff from her kitchen!

The 'not so cool' Wine Rack!

When you just shifted in a rented home and you had nowhere to stack your wine bottles, you perhaps bought this wine rack which was just a cheap buy. Now you own a home and have a wonderful bar and you still have this rack which causes dilemma.... so what do you do? Don't worry... look how it fits perfectly in your bathroom and look how it all makes sense!

Its a Twin Thing!

My twins are born on Aug 01, 2013....I know, its quite recent. But before they were born, I had a lot of work which needed to be done at home. Of course, I had no idea about how much I would need to do after they were born....Gosh!!! :O

Anyway,  a part of my twin project was making their room ready. I didn't know if I was going to deliver 2 boys or 2 girls or a boy-girl combo. Hence, wanted to create a space which would cater to any pair that would be born to us.

A lot of my friends suggested I make ample storage. A toy trunk, some drawers for their little clothes, etc. One of my architect friends called Aloka even suggested that I make a diaper changing station. I knew I had to plan this well. I needed enough storage and at the same time make arrangements to have all the above. 

This diaper changing station below is simple. I also use it as an iron board. It is just a simple folded shelf which I pull out and unfold....it gives me a a whole long platform of 4ft. Voila...my babies get a changing space and I get a pain-free back! :)

Just recently, I also got my kitchen done. It had some old baskets which were in good condition. I didn't have the heart to throw them. I wondered what could be done with them....until then, I realized that they could be a part of the wardrobes in the baby room. I was so happy, I could reuse so much!

I believe in hand-made things. After I got the room painted white and blue, I wondered what could go up the wall. I decided to make some wall frames myself. I wanted to use some basic material and have delightful picture frames mounted on the wall. Since the room was going to be shared by twins...similar frames were made. In this whole little craft making session, I did very less while my friends Aditi & Tanu, relished cutting, pasting and organizing these little newspaper hearts cuttings....

The twins being so little, still do not have their own beds. I decided to retain my futon for the time being. This futon is low and ideal for both of them. I turn it up into a sofa during the day and as the day ends, we convert it into a bed.

The kiddie room has long windows which overlook beautiful tall dense trees which is swamped with lovely birds, we decided to make a bench alongside the window. We designed it in a way, that kids can sit and enjoy their meals a little later at age. Since the window was 5ft long, we even decided to make small drawers for slender storage. 

To make the room look happy, bright and cheerful, I decided to decorate with little things. Things like bright bold knobs on the wardrobes, cascading red jute lights and some pillows which would make their tiny room full of life! They say "It's double the giggles and double the grins...And double the trouble if you're blessed with twins." I think I am blessed! :)

Heritage Home in the Himalayas

I just came back from a wonderful vacation from the Himalayas. I have visited different places in these glorious mountains so many times but every time I reach out to them, I bring back wonderful memories and a sense of serenity. This time, I brought back peace and a little treasure built by my friends Dipti & Partha Roy.

Bipin and I decided to visit Partha & Dipti in Dalhousie this summer. We needed to cool off a bit. What could be as exciting as travelling into the Himalayas and spending time with your best ol' pals? We both were really looking forward to see them and their little girls. I was also looking forward to see how both my friends had put their creative levels into various things they do. Let me tell ya, being innovative is in their genes and I was sure I would see a lot of it here.

So let me start with who these dear friends of mine are. Partha is the most fun loving friend I have ever had. He is a dedicated army officer or rather he is called Partha Roy, an artist who makes the best caricatures in the world and a very devoted father. He is one person who strives hard to learn new things and loves to explore everything. You can see it in his eyes, his work, his home which is so splendidly put together.

 Dipti is my college buddy and I guess we have been friends for almost 17 years. She is a pass out from NIFT and graduates in accessory designing. She has an eye to create beautiful things from the smallest of objects. A talent which comes out when I see her fabricate things around her home, a talent when I see her bring up her children or a talent when I read her prose and poems! Splendid!

I knew when I would be back, I would carry something home with me, I knew they would give me a whole bunch of ideas to write and share things with you. I brought back some beautiful pictures of their home. I couldn't have not written about it and shared it here on my blog.

So Partha and his wife are posted in this little town of Dalhousie deep in into the Himachali mountains. They have a home with 12 rooms which is recorded to be a 100 years old. It is a white washed angelic home sown into the Himalayan terrain with a pretty backyard charmed by their 3 dogs.

What made us love it the moment we entered was the porch or the lobby area of their home. Dipti created a beautiful partition with embroidery rings and lit them brightly. It spread a warmth at the entrance and partially hid the view of the long lingering porch which eventually became her dinning area. When I asked her why she used embroidery rings, she said she had heaps of them from her college days. She wasn't making much use of them and what could be better than making them a part of her home?

I decided to walk through this lobby, first into a very comfortable seating space which led into the the dining area. This leeway had a comfy bench covered with a pretty bedcover. Me being inquisitive, I tucked under the it and saw how creatively she had arranged her enormous army trunks and made it in to a long seat. She explained that they leave stations every 2 years and have so many of them to pack their stuff in. Instead of  dumping these trunks, she thought it would be wise to use them around the house with her little clever touch! Indeed...it was smart! :)

Slowly, as we walked into the room, we realized that this place was a labyrinth of rooms and doors all connected to each other. It took us a while to figure out that almost every room leads into another. Then...I walked into an area of high indulgence....an area which Partha could be at ease! As soon as Bipin saw this space, a huge smile occurred on his face. A smile that brought instant comfort to him and our hosts. Well guess what, it had a lovely drum set, a guitar and a synthesizer. To add to the excitement, it also had a lovely bar. Just like our home, the Roys made their "Leisure Lounge' as well. I named this room the "Musical Indulgence"!

Yet another room that I loved was their living room. This room was a little bigger and had a lot of artwork done by Partha. The walls were beautifully decorated with some lovely portraits he made. The ceiling of the entertainment centre was garnished with hand-made bamboo lamps made by Ditpi.

Coffee table and runners were adorned by little artifacts collected from their travels all over the country. Paper lamps trimmed the corners of this room making it cozy. What caught my eye was an exquisite red fireplace which was lit with a radiant bamboo lamp which made it look like a lit fireplace. All was so well kept and thought out.

A lot other things I cherished from my travel to this place besides this delightful home. I loved their clumsy dogs, their little angels who helped their mother maintain such a lovely home, the lovely barbecue that was made one night in the courtyard and above all, the love, warmth and the happiness my friends showered upon us!

Dealing with Small Spaces? Trunks do it all!!

Sometimes we find some old treasures in our locked garage or may be on a loft above some store rooms...do you remember exploring something like that? And there...boom...we find a mysterious storage trunk!!! Whether you have this fond memory or not… there always has been and always will be a wonderful mystery and comforting feeling surrounding trunks!



A trunk is flexible enough to correspond well with any home décor, whether you prefer antique and classic or contemporary and modern. Obviously, you can use a storage trunk for storage… and there are many things you can do here. But in small homes, apartments, or dorm rooms you can use it as a decorative end table or coffee table.

Trunks in a Living Space



A decorative trunk can be used as a side table to place a lamp, coasters, and a book on beside your favorite chair. You can also store out of season items inside, such as curtains, blankets and sheets, or holiday decorations. When used as a table, a storage trunk gives you a quick and convenient access to storage without sacrificing style.



Or, you can also use a decorative trunk as a coffee table. You can store items that are used while entertaining guest such as board games, table runners, etc. This brings style and offers functionality.

Storage Trunk in the Bedroom



The best way to save space, make it look different and have a good amount of utility, make your trunk a stylish side table. If you drink water at night, be sure to place your glass on a coaster so you don’t cause any damage. Inside, you can store out of season clothing which are sorted out just once in a while.

Trunks for Gazing & Relaxing..



A storage trunk can be used as a rustic style seating bench by a window, perhaps covered with antique dolls and stuffed animals to provide a comforting appeal. It can be placed in your spare room or a study where activities like reading take place.

The Hidden Bar



Get that decorative box on casters and have a mobile bar anywhere in the house! In case you do not like to have your liquor displayed, a wine trunk or a mini bar serves best!






All that mess my child makes!



A pretty little trunk can be made to hide pictures, books, board games, or toys and stuffed animals for the kids. In one of my projects, I made a pretty colourful trunk with locking casters which could not only be used as storage but also served as a bench or a chair. It slid perfectly under the study table, consuming absolutely no floor space.