Travel, Inspiration & Art

A lot of times, I go clicking pictures of different things like fruits, a scene at a bus stand, or a shoe display...etc. Its incredible how many pictures I have of things which seem irrelevant and pointless! But for me, they are a constant source of inspiration. I have over 1000 pictures just randomly clicked, all intending to flood me with ideas. My post this month is about these photos and its implementation into my work, so far.

Persia comes to my Door Step

From the Land of the Turks came my little inspiration of a beautiful dresser I made for my friend. Most mosques in Turkey had these ornate taps in their courtyards which encourage people to wash their feet and then enter this religious place, clean and pure.



This old and ancient tap inspired me to make her dresser. If you notice, you will see the similarity in the shape and the ornateness in the design. The rich golden yellows and deep blues reminds me of my wonderful trip to the land of the Sultans.

A midst the Himalayas

A midst the Himalayas is this little state of Sikkim, heavily influenced by the Tibetan culture. I call it the spiritual, lost little paradise. Its simply gorgeous! I was so touched by how beautiful it is that I decided to use it in one of the most popular items I make, yes, a mirror!



The script on the mirror says "Tashi Delek" meaning May Good Luck come to You in Bhutia language. One of the most beautiful prayer rollers in the Rumtek monastery inspired me to make this piece!

The Zanzibar Islands in Africa

I was shocked to see the overwhelming intricate doors on all the houses in Zanzibar! I had to use it...the idea, the design! It came popping in into another deep green mirror I made, I call it Peacock Plumage!



Balloons of Cappadocia



Going back to central Turkey, I had this wonderful experience of sailing through morning skies in a hot air balloon. The view from the top was like a wonderland. A wonderland which I tried creating for a children's room and on multi-functional trunk I call the Balloooooni Balloon Trunk, made to store toys and use it as a chair while studying.

Jaatt Riksy after Whisky!



You might be wondering whats wrong with my title??!! Well the core of our country, the everyday scene which we hardly notice was brought on to my work. I have seen so many varieties of trucks, lorries or semi as they call in the USA but I have never seen one as decorated, colourful and funny, anywhere else in the world besides India. I always wanted to use all the gaudy designs and funny wordings! Hence Jaatt Riksy after Whisky!

Its all about Lights!



Going back to my Turkey trip, all over, everywhere were these dazzling lights hung from the ceiling. There were times when some of us has to duck down to avoid bumping against them. The warmth created by them was so kindling and cozy. I used it in one of my projects. It made the room look, warm and inviting.

The Fall Colours!



When I look at the trees during fall, a strange feeling of content and peace comes over me. The colours look so bright, warm that the rising cold feels so insignificant. During my stay in the USA, this beautiful patchwork was done by a very dear family member of mine. Its took effort, love and a lot of imagination to create it!

The Turkish Cat Story



I am still not sure about cats from Turkey. They are all over, everywhere, on the roof, in the meadows....on the chair!! I wanted to pet them all, cuddle them all!! I saw a beautiful, fluffy one sitting on a chair...that concluded it all. I recycled a used paint drum with pretty little cats on it and converted it into a stool.

Well...I think I can go on...and I know I have to stop! I would love to hear stories from you...little things that inspired you to create something. Please write to me about anything that motivated you, and made you build something...very close to your heart!

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Doctors Office gets a Makeover - Ballooooonni Balloon Library & Children's Work Space!

My doctor client now has a consulting room, a waiting area, a small reception and a pretty little library with loads of goodies and space for toddlers to teenagers. When I met her, she was in great dilemma, she has a lot of books, little therapy sessions for kids and young patients, so how could she accommodate all this in her spare area? The room needed to look cute, bright, cheerful on one hand and on the other, demanded space for her books and work area for children. So here it goes.....



A central view of the room, a wash basin, a nice display of children's work on a push pin board and a study on the side.



I thought of displaying children's inspirational handy-work on the central wall of the room. It made the room very warm and welcoming.



Making the room comfortable to sit and work was also important. In case of sessions, a spare examination bed was essential. Hence we gave it enough storage for books underneath and threw pillows to make it warm and inviting.

So far, the view of the library has been hidden. Ardent readers often have problems, they can't resist buying books and then, there is no place to stack them. Small open & closed shelving was made to display some interesting books and the stack the other reference books below them.



However, a desk, toy trunk and toys were important ingredients of this space. Yet everything needed to be compact and comfortable.



A Ballooooonni Trunk was made with a fluffy foam seating, with ample space which serves well as a bench for the table and fits perfectly under it, saving space and making it compact. A lot of people asked me if the cushion came off the trunk while opening it. The answer to this is no, it is completely removable with a removable cover as well and yet attached well to the trunk top.



The biggest highlight of the room were the Balloooonnni balloons on the wall. The light blue wall with a variety of air balloons painted on it made the room look colourful and alluring for not only kids but even adults.

I even thought of making a frilly light curtain to cover a small window. It did wonders to the wall and to the face of the entire room.

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Home - Colour, Art & Tradition Inspired!

View of the farms, feel of the winds and openness of the large windows inspired me to take up this project. A small splash of colour was the only thing required to make it look cosy and inviting.





The living room is large with its king size windows and a terrace which opens to a farmland so vast that it is unbelievable to conceive that it is a part of Pune. The owners had some sturdy Sagwan sofas with orange jute upholstery which became my focal point and helped me design the rest of the home. The dark brown furniture helped me to tone down the blues of the walls, orange of the sofas and the yellow of the lamps. We made the room look retro with its retro sofas and a mix and match of wall decor.




To accentuate its retro look, we designed a corner shelf and a little magazine table to balance out the spaces and to help them store things. Instead of using veneers and laminates, I decided to give it an old rugged look to match the rest of the living space.




I also wanted to use some original artwork in this area. It had to be something that nobody would have in their homes. We got some paintings done for less and from the scrap we had.




A corner of the room was also made to store CDs, music system and their TV with a little bar and glass cabinet.




A dance studio became one of the other important themes of this home. The room belongs to an upcoming dancer who according to me should wake up every morning feeling inspired. Hence the ‘dance studio room’!




I could not forget the hallway and the entrance. They had to be classy and inviting. They provided storage for shoes, helmets, tools, newspaper, and inverter.






Lastly the master bedroom, done traditional with so much sunshine and freshness and a mixture of art from various parts of India.

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Colour in the Right Amount & Right Places....they Rock!

Colour is everywhere! Tress, flowers, mountains, people, animals, just everything has colour! It surrounds us at all times so why be scared to use some? I agree that everything does not solve all questions like what colour, or which combination, etc? However we can connect them and receive thousand tints which can be used in our decor, clothes, or anything that makes sense to us! Here is a little colour palette that may help you to choose combinations and implement is your daily life!

Wooden Flowers

The oddsome combination of subtle pink and bold orange with dark platform brings out a tender nuance between colours. Such combinations look good when you match smaller items instead of large ones like paitning connecting walls or sofas, etc.





Vase

Orange can be overwhelming, but orange and beige is just a right combination! A lot of beige, cream or white with patched of orange will bring in an abundance of life!




Antiques

Sometimes we have to leave the natural colours to make a difference! If the furniture is made with fine teak, leave it alone! Its lustre, elegance and character is matchless!




Peacock Plumage

When you need something serene and meditative yet colourful, use the peacock combo! A best way to feel cool, fresh and happy at all times!




Zanzibari Cottage

Look at the nuance of light yellow, blue and red, its so pleasing to the eye! It is a great combination to use in your living space. The yellow gives the warmth and the blue brings calm, both serve the purpose of life and peace in your home!




Spanish Window Fort

When something needs to be highlighted yet have a subtle look, pale yellow, white and black does the magic!




Stained Glass Celing

I had a chance to visit this exotic country in South America called Peru! Rich as it is, I also got a small subject for my blog! Loved the way the subtle peaches and greens looked on the ceiling of a church in Lima.




Buddhist Inscriptions

I visited Sikkim in 2009 and I can't explain how colourful and beautiful the monastries look! Though they use bold colours, some combinations are so vibrant that it makes the whole scene alive!

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