Decorating in Red Hot.....is it pleasing???

Red is a very strong color and everything red around gets a bit over-whelming. It brings life and vigour to your decor but how much? Decide whether to make red the focus or the accent color in the room. Let us see how we can do it to make it dazzle your space!

The Floor Space



http://www.lively-wood.com/chairs.html

Starting with the floor, try a dark wood, covered in the center with a red Oriental or cotton rug. Try to use reds which tend toward the burgundy or deep red rather than the flashy version of the hue. The depth of color brings with it a safe sophistication that warms the room. Decorate your sofa with golden or floral print cushions to make it more inviting.

Now the Wall Space



One of the wall in your study could be painted bold red. Black and white or abstract pictures frames would make a statement of strength and stability.

Signature Piece of Furniture

http://www.lively-wood.com/chairs.html

http://www.lively-wood.com/chairs.html

A signature piece of furniture...maybe an ottoman or a single chair or maybe just a bright red upholstery over a stool changes the look of the space. Try non matching chairs that still match the color scheme of your rooms, you can look out for this unique type of furniture on my website www.lively-wood.com rather than the big department stores.Its always recommended to break the monotony of the dark or light colour sofa set.

Bold Red Accents & Patterns







If you do not want to indulge in too much red, patterns are simply wonderful for borders, backsplashes, floors, accent tiles. Patterns are especially good choices when you don't have a lot of space to work with and also when you don't want too much of red.

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Books...Book Shelves...and more...

I read a lot from the time I was little, maybe as old as 6-7 years. Since then, books have been with me all the time. After I moved back to India, I decided to start collecting them. Though a lot of times I think collecting books can be such a waste due to the amount of space they require and they are practically of no use once they have been read. But somehow having a good collection of books and having them around me, inspires me. I also lend my books to a lot of my friends and family, it does give me some kinda pleasure and satisfaction. Hence, I thought, why not deviate from the home decor subject to some thing else and make it more fun and
interactive. Scroll down to have some fun!

How much do you know about books? » Quiz School

My brother has suddenly started taking interest in photography and is always waiting to take some nice pictures. Since I wanted to write on this topic, I asked him if he could take a few pictures of the books I have. He wanting to do more of it, took some wonderful pictures. Here are some of them....

















(All the above pictures are taken by Kshiteej Sumant)

Now lets move on to the Book Shelf topic....

I have written about how you should arrange your book shelves. I hope the tips have been useful so far. Here are some more quick 3 do-able tips without removing all your books -

1. Match colours and sizes of books.
2. If you have a shabby stack of books, hang or put a painting or a nice frame on a small easel in front of the books.
3. Use books as pedestals for art objects by stacking them on their sides and placing objects on top.

Hope taking care of books hasn't been a hassel for you. If it is, then the best way is to give away your books to a book store which takes used books. Maybe you can earn some pennies from it and also make more space in your book shelf for some new ones!

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Lively-wood travels to Bliss in Andheri, Mumbai

Store called Bliss in Andheri, Mumbai

I am very excited about the new venture. A brand new fashion & decor store called Bliss is now open in Versova, Andheri, Mumbai where Lively-wood displays a variety of Mirrors, Bars, Yoga & Comfort products, Coffee Tables, etc.


Siddhi - a low comfort chair

Through some connections Mallika Desai Thakker, one of the owners of Bliss, and I got in touch. It just clicked very well and there, I have chance to open my avenues in Mumbai while she enhances her store with more variety. Bliss is very creatively inspiring store with various designers potraying their art and designs. For all of you in Mumbai, or planning to visit Mumbai the address is 180, Aram Nagar1, Fisheries University Rd, 7 Bunglows, Andheri. Contact them at 022 26332111. For more info of the store, visit http://www.artnlight.blogspot.com


The Persian Trunk - a wine cellar, beautifully displayed at Bliss

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Can Diwali be Economical & Eco-friendly?

Above photo is taken by Tanmay

Diwali, or the festival of lights is a beautiful mélange of pooja ceremonies, lamps or diyas, floral decorations, fireworks, etc. but also a reason to clean and decorate your home and to break the monotony of our mundane lives. The festival is such a beautiful blend of all the above elements. While we walk through the few days of it, we cannot forget and avoid the environmental and health hazards it causes, but in our small ways, we can definitely celebrate this auspicious festival keeping in mind to help and save our environment.

Cleaning & disposing......is it a waste of time?



Don't even think of cleaning and decorating your home in one day! Assign your work to all your family members. Most of all, try to reduce clutter from your home by removing all the unwanted things like glass and plastic bottles, newspaper, old clothes, shoes, etc. Make a list of things you need to dispose and and give them away. Start by giving the used glass bottles/ newpapers to the recycle vendors, make a neat heap of your clothes and shoes and donate them to orphanages or needy people. Start your Diwali by helping, organising and disposing unwanted stuff by not just throwing it in the trash but by making sure it its re-used and recycled.

Splurge on embellishements from home!





Just because it is Diwali, it does not mean buy, buy and buy a lot of unnecessary things. Lets talk more about splurging on things that you have at home. Decorating the house can include making a beautiful rangoli with flowers. Now-a-days we find non-toxic rangoli which mixed with soil does not contaminate it, or drapping old sarees as curtains instead of plastic streamers, or using floor rugs. You can also use old scraves or duppattas as table runners or table cloth. Filling up old bronze and brass pots or urns with flowers and displaying them at the corner of your living space also makes it look ethnic and festive.


Above photo is taken by Tanmay

Welcome Nature this Diwali



Bring in some indoor plants and pots. Make the house look cosy. If you already have plants, re-arrange your furniture and plants to make it look different.

Diwali is about lights...





Yes, I totally agree with it but how can we bring radiance in our home while still help our surounding? Use paper lanterns with CFL bulbs instead of the traditional yellow bulbs which are less energy efficient. Light earthen lanterns or diyas instead of lights in the house. Though earthen lamps need oil the quantity is less and will make your home sparkle and save energy bills.

How can we forget Diwali Feasts???



Impress your guest with being traditional. Use banana leaves to serve sweets and meals. In place of glass or plastic glasses, use those made out of mud. This will not only give your party that uber-ethnic edge, but it will also keep it natural.

Fire-crackers....is it a must?



The photos above and below are taken by a budding artist Tanmay



Being Diwali, its hard to not indulge in firecrackers. They cause serious hazards not only to the environment but they also affect animals. Instead of buying traditional chemical cracker, go for eco-friendly crackers. Eco-friendly crackers are made up of recycled paper and the sound produced by these crackers is under the decibel limit defined by the Pollution Board. These crackers produce paper fluffers and different color lights instead of sound on bursting.

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6 Tips To Get Your Home Dressed Up To Impress Your Guests

Get your house dressed up and ready to impress. Have you got some friends who love to visit on a Saturday night? Somehow the house is always welcoming, the living space looks lovely and the dinner table is inviting.

Part of getting it right is in the planning. Allow yourself to prepare the food, tidy the house and get yourself ready. Your cooking might not be perfect but its the ambience that you create when you ask people around to dinner. Here are some ideas for you -

Table Styles



Have your table set to the theme of the dishes prepared for dinner. For example, if you have traditional Indian food, have some flower petal decoration around the plates or if you have a drinks and cocktails, then arrange a nice bottle of wine with a few wine glasses on your dinning table. Or float a single flower head in a bowl at the centre of the table.

Switch Moods



You can change your seating areas to bring about some change. If it a casual dinner, go for a low seating instead of your dinning table. Bring in floor cushions and use them around your coffee table instead of dinning chairs.

Candle or Tea lights, is that essential?



Well yes, it creates intimacy that overhead lights can't match. Did you know if you stored your candles in in the fridge for a while before lighting them, they will burn longer? If you happen to have diffused low lighting in your home, put them on because that will support the intimate ambiance.

Flower Arrangements don't have to be "perfect"



Have small flower arrangements in your home. May be you can put them on your coffee table or at the wash basin or bathrooms where guests will certainly visit. Smaller arrangements can have just as much, if not more, appeal, charm, and beauty. As long as you like the arrangement, and as long as it makes you happy, it is indeed a "perfect" arrangement. To have your flowers last longer, add a little bit of salt and sugar or maybe a tablet of disprin to the water to make it last for a few days.

Scent has a powerful effect

When your guests walk into a room and there is a wonderful scent, it immediately says "welcome". Sometimes Indian food tends to have a strong aroma and if you want your home and linens to smell more inviting, then spray a fragrant room freshner, light some scented candles or simply arrange naturally perfumed flowers.

Your Entrance, Porche and Hallway should not be ignored!






Always remember not to neglect your entrance, porches and hallways. Your guest will pass through these areas leaving the first impression of your place. If you decorate your interiors fantastically and overlook whats on the outside, it will throw a jumbled impression on your guest. A simple tip would be potting a plant at your door step or making a rangoli and placing a small diya at the entrance or simply placing some pebbles or cactus which makes the entrance look warm and welcoming.

Entertaining at home should be relaxing for your guests and pleasing to both of you. The best way to do this is to plan the occasion to avoid stress and mess.

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Semblance of Feng Shui & Vaastu Shastra

A lot of us believe in Feng Shui or Vaastu Shastra or either. Both the beliefs are a science of construction, architecture and in general help us to improve life. The Indian-derived Vastu Shastra is said to be the basis for Feng Shui and has recently gained Western popularity for its eco-conscious appeal while Feng Shui is based on the idea that everything in your outer surroundings affects the course of your life.

Although different, Feng Shui and Vastu Shastra share some common core timeless design approaches. A home is where you spend a lot of your time, let it reflect your individuality or the uniqueness. I will mention a few easy and doable tips to enhance your daily lives.

Surround yourself with things you like:



When you look at your things what do they say to you? Do you look at your furniture and/or art and say “I love that!?” This is where you should keep or get rid of things that don’t make you feel good. If you have negative associations with objects in your home then pass them on.



De-clutter your home:



Home can be where you go to rejuvenate. Environmental chaos can clutter your mind too. Remove all the unnecessary things and make your home more spacious and open.

Colors cue moods:



The palette to embrace is one that satisfies the range of human emotion: pink and orange trigger joy; green and blue create calm; red inspires passion; black and white embody grace. Decorate with colors that please you and positive energy will flow undisrupted.

Illuminating spaces:



The choice of lighting sets the tone for a room. Flooding the home with early-morning light refreshes the mind. Lower the lights and it will trigger relaxation.

Mother nature can come in too:



Going green at home can help you form a connection to the natural world. It soothes and refreshes the mind and body.

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The Daily Deal's Mary Kathleen Flynn interviews me on the state of the IPO markets - VIDEO

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Taste of Indian Heritage

Everybody talks about India and its heritage, culture, etc. Even though we talk about it, we tend to ignore the character of all the little things that make this country so versatile. I think I am a part of this negligence but things changed a bit when I visited this place called Choki Dhani in Pune. This place takes you back to who we are and how we have changed through the years. It is a fantastic combination of entertainment hand in hand with reminder our skill and tradition, long lost and forgotten.



It all started with a fanfare of the traditional dhols and a folk dance from Rajasthan. Just the grand welcome made such a difference to the entire visit to this place. I loved the beats of the traditional drums; they did make the audience move. Not only that, the rhythm got so many people on toes which ended up being a huge parade of dance and music! That was the very moment I realised how much of our own art is lost and hardly valued. I did make up my mind to see, study and observe each and every form of art and understand much more than what we actually see.

After the grand greeting we went to see the puppet show. I’ve always loved the vibrant colours of the puppets. They sure look charming with their string moves in their little theatre. While talking to one of the performers, he added that puppetry started off as a custom to ward off evil and to bring rain and prosperity in the lives of villagers. The play was based on the story of Amar Singh Rathore narrated by the members of the show. The performers produce sharp, trembling and shrilling sounds as a part of the dialogues of the play. Though I’ve seen this so many times, this time was different because I did not watch it for entertainment but as an art, so creative! I also came to realise that puppetry must also be an expensive form of art or entertainment. My curiosity did make me ask the puppeteer about the elements involved in the process of the show. He started off with a long list which in no doubt surprised me to the core. The art involves drawings, paintings, wood carving, carpentry, plaster cast making, clay modelling, costume designing, story, script writing, dramatization, song and music composition. It surely was beyond imagination!





Our next halt was an astounding performance of a rope walk done by a boy not more than 13 years of age. He was an antic entertainer who performed on the beats of the dholak. It was stunning to see the little boy balance, sleep, jump, sway and do all sorts of antics of the one inch rope. Later after the show, he said he came from a small village in Rajasthan where most of the people have ropewalk as their profession. He also said that for generations they have been performing and hardly remembers anybody who had not mastered the art of rope balancing. He got the maximum tip and appreciation from a lot of people. He certainly did steal the show. It was so unfortunate to see this art almost completely lost in time.



Followed by the rope acrobats, we entered a small theatre where a group of women presented the Bhavai dance. In this dance the veiled women move to the beats with nine brass pitchers over their head. They also have unusual skills like balancing and dancing at the edge of a sword or glass. It is so fascinating to see colourful dance which looks even more graceful due to its spectacular attire and dazzling ornaments.





And hence the evening of unusual events continued with mehendi and tattoo, followed by the chudi wala where he made lacquer bangles in the colours and size we wanted. The potter also stole the show by letting us make miniature pots. The whole evening was a blend of art and crafts, special and interesting in its own way. By the time we finished visiting all the affairs, it was time to have dinner. Our day ended with a sumptuous Rajasthani food of dal bhati, kheer, bjre ki roti with lasan chutni and a wide range of sweets. I wish I could write more and more about that evening but I will leave it to some other time. For now, the rope walk, dance and puppet show really impressed me above the rest, hoping to remember this day that opened my eyes to something so age old and prized.

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