NDTV Profit features my home!

So..in the month of March 2012, I receive a call from Manasvi. She talks to me about being a part of NDTV Property Show. While I talk with her, I keep thinking, why would I be invited to a property show when I design homes? I also wondered why would I have a stall in an exhibit where they sell houses and offices? Anyway I thought I will dig deeper and ask her more questions. In my mind, I had decided that doing an exhibition at this time was not such a good idea! So, I call her up again to let her know that I would not be able to do the show. Before I could begin, she tells me about her show in details and why she wanted to feature my home! I almost stumbled with my words and asked her to repeat what she said. And yes!! She said she wanted to feature my home on NDTV Profit in the Property Show!! :)



So right after that, a date was fixed for them to come home. She told me it would take a few hours to shoot that particular room they had chosen to feature. It was the Leisure Lounge. The room which has so much thought behind it. A room that has a place for a study table, storage, book case, a podium for a large no. of drums, a funky bar and a beautiful cabinet for our shot glass collection.





On their arrival, we discussed what all we were going to talk about, the background of our collection and basically the entire idea behind that room. I spoke more about my work, the colours used and trinkets we picked up from our travels while Bipin spoke more on the lines of his passion for drumming and other little aspects of the room.





Finally after 6 hours of extensive camera and light setting, shooting the knick-knacks from our bookcase and of course the shot glass collection, Manasvi concluded the session. We couldn't wait for it to get featured. March 13th, 2012 was the day when it all came alive!



Here is the link of the video. I have cropped it so that you don't have to go through the entire show.

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The Lively-wood Studio

It has been a four years since I started Lively-wood. Nurturing and flowing with it made these years go by and I thought it was time to gift this endeavor a little something. It was time to progress a little! So a shabby little workshop turned into the Lively-wood Studio. A place to display my work, colour, ideas and every little thing that helps me create something new!!



To start with the mirrors, I needed a place to display each and every one of them so that I keep the artwork intact and at one glance, my customers or visitors have a chance to see them all. It also meant, having all the floor space for other things.



A desk with knick-knacks that motivate me, was an important element. I had preserved these mementos from my college days which had abundant memories yet were packed in boxes. I had to get all of it out along with some recycled clocks and put it up right there. I had a artwork, lying around from a project, that I didn't want to throw and was wondering how best to put it to use. So this leftover work turns into a bright bold red grid with the mementos and all my paper gets a display on the soft board hung over my desk!








Like I mentioned in one of my earlier post, I am going crazy recycling! Yes, I went crazy re-using as much as possible even this time! I started with using two steel cut outs which were lying around from Bipin's Dad's factory in the scrap heap. I coloured them and displayed them at the entrance of my studio. For now, I think they look great there! The next I re-used was a window grid made with very good quality sagwan or teak wood. I decided to paint it deep blue and used it as my little chandelier! The list like that, goes on and on...





Lastly, I wanted to display whatever was left behind. A ceramic bell, paper lights, a bird cage and so many little knick-knacks!







Its so nice when some loved ones visit you. I loved taking them to my studio and also felt good to be appreciated.

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The Imperial Compilation - Hampi Inspired.

They say everything comes to an end....my recent trip to Hampi & Badami as well...what was left behind were we and many more in their ruins of temples, markets and palaces which once belonged to the great Kings and warriors....What was also left behind were my thoughts inspired by these majestic ruins. I came home, studied the pictures of the architecture, studied the metal used, the bold colours and the importance of water in this area. And then, it was time to use it in my work...



Mirrors have always been my favourite. I love to experiment with them and guess what? Most things look nice on them anyway. So, talking about the rich Vijayanagara of Hampi, there lived middle class people as well. The most important metal used during those times was copper or peetal. This place was also full of temples where spoons, diyas or lanterns were made from copper. Hence, I thought, I should dedicate my tall, green mirror to the temples and the common man of Vijayanagara.





This next mirror has a very profoud thought after the beautiful and intricately carved Pushkarni. A water reservoir shaped in a square with triangular steps, was made around Temples for bathing before visiting the Gods. The deep Blue of the mirror with a combination of Gold marks the riches of Vijaynagara..





Bali is my next mirror. The reason I named it such is, after the gorgeous women of Vijayanagara. All the statues of women, goddess, queens that I saw in the museum of Hampi, jewelry seemed to have a lot of importance. It looked like they spent a lot of time getting dressed very elaborately. So along with the mirror, I decided to make a wall dresser with golden motifs and pieces of circular mirror and named it Bali, meaning earring.





Round, rich and deep blue, one of my favourite mirror is Jaala, meaning water. Water being the most important element of life, civilization and prosperity had to be a part of my work. The kingdom survived and prospered because of the infinite Pushkarnis and water holes and a splendid water supply despite the barren land of Hampi. This mirror marks the infinite water reservoirs and the riches of the kingdom of Vijaynagara.



Storage of any sort has been one of the most important part of our lives. We need it all over. Nidhanika meaning shelf in Sanskrit - is a solid display and storage shelf for books or anything else. It has simple yet ornate golden wrought iron embellishments. The little motif in golden marks the literacy and riches of the era of the Saluva dynasty.



Last but not the least, after so much time, we saw the Milky way in the twilight that spread over Hampi. That moment was so significant for me, that Koshayi meaning drawers in Sanskrit is a piece inspired by the clear starry nights over the expansive strech of these ruins. The drawers are made blue with golden beads to imitate the shinning stars.

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Prismma & Lively-wood come together!

Prismma...an online magazine conceptualized as a platform for showcasing interior design, home decor and lifestyle. The features span various aspects of home living and interior design......and it featured me!! :)



My post on trunks and its usage got its place on the Prismma magazine.







The step by step feature on displaying art on the wall was the most welcomed post on Prismma

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A Teacher’s Philosophy & Dancers’ Delight

You might wonder, why I have such a strange name for this bedroom project for the Bhupatkar residence! Well as much as I like my friend Maithily & her dear mother, I loved working in these spacious, well-lit and clean bedrooms of theirs. I am glad I got to work on two extreme diverse concepts; one eccentric and eclectic while the other was contemporary with a smack of family heritage!

Now let me start making by making the title clear. When I say Teacher’s Philosophy, I simply mean the way a teacher thinks. The family are a bunch of extraordinary teachers. When I worked with Mrs. Bhupatkar, I was surprised to see how careful and observant she was. She didn’t miss out a single detail when it came to little things like handles, curtains, her picture frames, to the extent of switch boards! The first time I met her, she made it clear that she wanted something in straight lines, and it all had to look clean! That’s when I knew she wanted to go contemporary in her room.





Whites & greens, basic and minimalistic was her choice. Long curtains, patterned bedspread and bold pillows made her happy. We refurbished the existing wardrobes and built a little entertainment centre for her antique TV.





Since all members of this family are ardent readers, creating a corner where they can unwind was important. The advantage of working in this house was that the rooms are good sized. I did get a nice cosy corner to change the focus of the bedroom, which was previously unattended.



Well to my good fortune, they owned a 100 year old antique gorgeously made chair with an even better old trunk lying around. They certainly valued it but really didn’t know how it could be incorporated into their home. When I suggested it’s place, they were truly delighted and happy that these antiques could be a part of their decor. So, this unattended corner became a reader’s haven. I placed good amount of lighting behind it with a few abstract shelves which made the room look cool and contemporary with a splash of the old.



Lastly, I did want to provide a little dressing area. Even though reading was a highlight of the room, I didn’t want to forget that it was after all a bedroom. In a small space beside the bathroom, just on your way out, a simple peek-a-boo mirror cabinet was fixed.

Hence ending the story of the Teachers’ Philosophy, keeping it straight and simple!
Now let us talk about the eccentric dancers’ delight. My friend, who is an outstanding dancer, wanted her room to be eclectic and on one hand and on the other wanted to bring some form of dance into the decor. So let me start by explaining how we went about doing it.

The corner of this spacious bedroom was a bit neglected. I knew not much could be done with it since accessibility to the corner wasn’t convenient. But without doubt, I could make it a focal point of the room and yet give some functionality to it. Hence, we hung some kandeels or lamps from the ceiling and arranged a beautiful old cabinet to display her Natraj (God of dance) statue on it. The lower cabinets could be used to store her books and other brass items. The cabinet was refurbished and glass was put on 2 sides to showcase her collection of antiques.



The next very important part of her room was her beautiful dresser named Surya. We scrubbed and rubbed to make it look old, frayed and antique. The contrast of yellows and blues with ornate brass handles made the corner look brilliantly distinctive. Since that little dance element had to be added, hand-made handles with ghoongroos or bells were installed on the drawers. We also added a touch of golden wrot iron embossing on the deep, rich blue full length mirror with some ghoongroos to match the dresser below. Since all my products have a name, I call this mirror Lavanya because it came out very graceful! With ample storage of 3 drawers, the corner looks exquisite!





To match and balance colours, a similar side unit I call Turmerica was made. It stands next to the bed and has sturdy carved teak wood legs.



Along with these two features, arranging and refurbishing her existing bed and wardrobes, lighting and entertainment centre had to have their place. Below are the placement of the wall mounted entertainment centre opposite the bed and the overall view of the room.





Lastly, I want to thank my dear friend Vikrant for helping me take such wonderful photos of my work. He has been helping me do so always!! :)

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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.

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GO GREEN with GoodHomes

I just love GoodHomes magazine! They seriously emphasize enormously on going green, environment, re-use, etc! I thought it was very nice of them to have people participate in contests which in some way spreads the word of saving our Earth in a small way.



So my friends, here goes their little play -

GO GREEN with GoodHomes Contest! (10th - 16th December)

http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=287941917914342

Ronitaa Italia-Dhanu, the Editor of GoodHomes magazine shares a video of a Green Christmas!

Take inspiration and GO GREEN in your Home! Share a picture of a Green Christmas decor setting done by you in your Home. 1 lucky winner with the best setting will win goodies from GoodHomes!

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