Thursday 29 July 2010

Blinds or curtains??

To be honest, I never believed in blinds. My cousin introduced me to Blinds in Dubai…. Here are a few pictures of my home… I think bedrooms tend to benefit from the use of blinds. Blinds are truly effective at blocking outside light. No matter when you need to sleep, drawing the blinds will instantly make the room dark enough for a good nap.
Saying that, you get black out, transparent and translucent blinds these days. I like light coming straight into my room… all day long!!
The décor in the space some times decides the choice between blinds or curtains. In my kids room, the old butterfly blinds or the new flower blinds just look perfect.
In my kitchen, blinds provide the airy feeling.
I simply love this print, in my mom & dads room. My quick pictures do not do much justice to it…. I am amazed by the different prints, patterns & colours blinds provide. In Dubai – Serial also make custom made blinds – print of your choice.
I think that older homes with high ceilings, are antique and period furniture would do much better with heavy drapers. I’m missing you all and your lovely blogs and inspirations posts. Time is not on my side these days, hence I haven’t checked your blogs. I’m going to be horribly busy till about the first week of August.. and only quick posts on blogger till then… I’ll check all the old posts of my favourite blogs soon… Soon !! I promise!…

Tuesday 27 July 2010

Sanvi's room

I love to see real homes. A little bit of clutter and lots and lots of love… The thought behind painting a kids room… the love… that reflects on those walls… mesmerises me!!

I’ve showcased the work of Nirja Desai before…. She blogs at I like kalaa… She helped a friend with baby Sanvi’s room. The mother wanted a nature theme…. So hence the tree…

The Monkey & Elmo were the Sanvi’s dads idea…

Don’t you think baby Sanvi would just love to grow up in this room.

Isn't the tree simply simply beautiful..

Do you have a room as beautiful as this one?? I'd love to see it... email me at torresp27@hotmail.com

Sunday 25 July 2010

ABC wall ..

I’m amazed by the artsy – craftsy blogs… There are such inspiring people out there. One such person is Shilpa and she blogs at The Crafts Corner.

Here is a wall she put together for her daughter. This is an inspiration from torn up flash cards that she was going to throw away. Read the instructions.

And guess what... It was her first attempt!! Well done Shilpa!

For me, it doesn’t matter if it’s a sticker or a painting… The sheer fact that someone dared to do something with their walls amazes me.. Do you have a wall to show off about?? E-mail me at torresp27@hotmail.com I’d love to see it.. and more importantly show it off here.

This blog wouldn’t have an identity without all YOU inspiring people!! So ‘Thank You’ & ‘a big hug’. I'm just in one of those emotional moods... missing all my dear ones who are far away in other lands... :-)

Saturday 24 July 2010

Entrance way..

Remember I told you guys last week, that I made a few sketches… This is what I expect my porch to look like… This is what it looks like now... Remember my lamp… from my old home?? Here is a pic for you… That’s what is meant to go in the front of my home..
Remember my mail box?? That goes up here ….
My make shift bird bath… I’m still hunting for a proper one.. Then the trunk will be cut off completely and a proper bird bath will stand in my garden.
Then I have a bell that I carried from my Sri Lanka trip…
All in all… I think it will look pretty… what do you think?
Now for a few flowers at the entrance of my home.... … This one is rather burnt… the direct sunlight is too strong.. I’m hoping by September, she will feel better…
My Pink Saturday flowers..
And when you go back.... this is what it looks like...
I’m linking in to FJI and Sunday Showcase. You must go and check Funky Junk Interiors, there is loads & loads of inspirations there… and the DIYs are simply amazing… Any more ideas for me?? Comment or email at torresp27@hotmail.com I love hearing your views…

Friday 23 July 2010

Lantern love …

Its long weekend for me… Can you hear my big smiley face??? I know you guys, you thought I was kidding when I said, I’m going back to Home Centre to pick the red ones!! Didn’t you? Do you remember my post on my yellow lanterns??
I’ve managed to bring home 10 red ones…(yaaayy!!) I’m so pleased… I couldn’t find the aqua and green ones… So have to go to the other Home Centres… Yes!! I’m obsessed… but I have a fabulous idea in my head… and will show it off in the cooler months… *smiles*
At Outlet mall, (some weird shop…. I don’t remember the name!), I purchased these table cloths… for Diwali or Christmas… for AED 10 (nearly $ 3). So, Thursday night was test drive ….. *smiles*… Will you join me for Christmas?
Happy Friday to you all!! Once I was done… with prettifying my table......
… I decided to surprise the girls with a mini table set up…
This was my centre piece… All ready for my girls to have a meal… I simply love candles…
The girlies had a friend over for dinner and sleep over…. And were pleased to see the table all done up for them… (little did they know) *grin* Do you like my tablescape??
These are my everyday table mats…. Yellow & orange being prominent… Ofcourse you know I love these colours…
And these are my everyday plates… I’ve got them in orange as well…
Are you falling in love with my lanterns?? Wait for my winter posts…. *grin*

Thursday 22 July 2010

Doors intrigue me….

Now, if you haven’t seen Lakshmi Prabhala’s Photography, you haven’t seen anything in blog world… Really!!! I’ve told you a million times, I simply love people who are truly themselves…. talented, naturally gifted and artistic. I love anyone who can do something that I cannot do…. And I totally admire and love creativity that is reflected in Lakshmi’s work. Lakshmi’s words

Doors, they tell their own stories- who stay there, what do they do, what they like? The door knobs, rivets, locks, paints, curtains together with the textures of the wall create a poetry that reveals their past. They are indeed a fascinating subject and will tell a great deal more, if only we look at them more closely. Windows and doors are ways to enter into a world.

Well, I am meant to feature Lakshmi on my tête-à-tête series, but have been extremely lazy in sending her the questions. I just couldn’t wait to introduce her work to her….
So interview to follow soon (when I am not so lazy) *wink* – In the meanwhile, Please check the following links for her work – Blog on Hyderabad City or Lakshmi’s travelogues or Lakshmi’s online flickr pictures or on Facebook.
Are you as amazed as I am????

Tuesday 20 July 2010

My Home, My Magic - home tour July 10

I simply love seeing what your home looks like… Real peoples, real homes inspire me… Magazines are a great inspiration… But those homes are way tooooooo perfect, way tooooooo photogenic.. I like homes, with a little bit of clutter, lots of love and loads of personality…. Reflections of the beautiful people who live in them… I believe EVERY ONE has an awesome home, the styles may differ…. But who cares?? Its YOUR style… YOUR home, YOUR magic. Now don’t wait, email me pictures of your magic on torresp27@hotmail.com I’m dying to see them…

Now one such character filled home is what I’m peeping into today.. I’m eyeing the home of Artnavy … These are leather paintings from Andhra Pradesh in South India… Gorgeous walls.. isn’t it??

A home filled with wall hangings, paintings, curios & knick-knacks… What does that tell you about the awesomely creative person who lives in there???

I simply love this mask-wall.. Do you have a collection as beautiful as hers??

So… you must ask… who is Artnavy??? A loving wife & a working mother of two. When she is not playing the role of wife & mom, she works in the fragrance industry. She also writes serial stories for Chandamama, a children's publication. You must know by now where the inspirations come from??!!

She blogs at About time now and has been here for almost four years. She has recently begun contributing to Saffron Tree- a children's book review site.

This is what she says about herself and her home –

“I was raised all over South India and in Mumbai, turned Chennaite post marraige and am now a Bangalorean, interested in a lot of things- travel, home decor, Indian art, dance, music, films, food, books, photographing children, though I am not even a Jack at most of them.”

As for our style, I think we want it to reflect us and so a no-no to interior decorators/ very modern fat couches and so on. Beds are lower level too... Home is just a comfy place- a lot of colour/ Indian folk art/ handicrafts/ antiques and paintings that we like. It also holds a lot of memories of all the travel we have done

We love collecting Ganeshas, masks, affordable art, puppets and so on.

Her home is a mixture of old world sofas for comfort seating as well – no leather…. Just wood & lovely fabrics.

Look at the gorgeous paintings... the colourful walls.... the awesome masks.. Can you spot the two elephants in this image... oh !! so cute!! What do you think?? Isn't this home simply lovable... Dont you just feel at home... Can you feel the warmth??

Oh and guess what… when you visit her blog, don’t miss the link on the side bar – Her Chennai home tour was featured in Times of India Chennai I’m thankful that she is also sharing this baithak, a low level seating area from her home in Chennai.

Now… do you agree with me??? This home has loads of attitude, personality, overflowing love and simply captivating…