BACK !

Yeah..went on a break to lakshadweep island soak in the sun but ended up soaking in the rain..nevermind snorkelling in rain is more fun than i imagined and the pleasant wheather in between the rains made the beach all the more beautiful. And who am i complaining? NO SWEAT..i can trade anythng for not sweating on a beach :)

Still under inertia..will get back to you soon with alot more posts :)!
until then

cya

The "GOOD LIFE !! "

We went on a day trip around Bangalore (where i stay) last sunday..it was fun ...simple fun , like good old days.!

Get up Early- Find ourselves in the car -Pick up friends Enroute- Pass through villages and feel all nostalgic, retelling all our childhood stories-Sleep ourselves to the first stop ( here: Somanathpura) must say ..poor "driver"(sid) ..thats why i love him though!! :) - Stop for lunch at a  palace(you thinkin..simple?!yeah!..a simple palace!:) - Chill out at the palace by the pool and seriously consider chucking the rest of the tour and chilling!!- But Sanity prevails and we head to the next stop (mysore place) -our friend from mauritius gets to experience First hand "the Indian population & their style of doing business" ! ;) - we start back  - traffic chaos - tired - stop for light dinner-drop friends off- get home and hit the sack straight ! What a Day!

I must say i m starting to hate  Going to a mall -shopping for things you absolutely donot need-eating in a food court - and heading to movies...kind of  weekend fun. Im even starting to hate people who consider this "fun". Eating in a food court is tasteless and shopping in a mall every other day stopped making anymore sense :(. Am i experiencing social withdrawal symptoms !?! Anyways Have a Look at our trip in snapshots!

 Somanathpura temple,  the indian tourist crowd still didnt get a hang of it yet..breathtaking architecture and very well conserved for a 1300AD built temple tht was looted and attacked more than once :)

 Sid actually thought that idol is depicting vishnu sleeping...;) when we said its meditating..he is like.."yeah the same i do..i too never sleep i either think closing my eyes or i meditate..!" Liar! By the way "idol potraying vishnu in meditation is a rarity and can be seen here and one more place in the north.

                             Nitish, our friend and gud fun to be with :)!

There is a lil story behind these pics:)..On our way to the temple we past through this "comuntiy hall under the trees..kinda concrete benches around a huge tree where men sat and tlked abt all the things under the sun and discussed the newspapers" We talked , how these men mastered the art of doing nothing and leading happy simple lives! so we wanted to recreate it ..only with a modern twist..women, quite fashionable at it...sitting beautifully  and discussing current pressing issues like " the last shopping bill or previous months credit card statement" :)! We had fun and we were giggling all the time. The girl in the green tshirt, my partner in crime Sushma:)

 The Lalitha Mahal Palace,built in 1920s now turned into a hotel. Hence we had lunch there. Old truly is worth its salt in Gold.:)

 Coming down this royal staircase you cant help but feel like a princess yourself..the perfect example of effect of architecture and space on a person living in there!:) Love my job even More. Respects.

These circular day beds in the entrance lobby reminded me of the 70's and also mughal style...and i started wondering did one trigger the other..anyways.. i secretly wished"if only it cud start revolving now" :) A girl has her right to be whimsical...so Dont You dare judge me :)!

  These pictures aren't actually doing justice to the place it is even more royal in real...so much that it made me realise the potential of stained glass in mood lighting . More on that later :)!

We also had live music playing ..That elderly man was really a master of his art and was very simple too..:)

And so the good times followed :)

Then We headed to next destination..In the mysore palace cameras weren't allowed and it was pretty crowded :(.So Have to end the post here.

Do tell me what do think about our trip? and contact me if u want any more information on somanath temple.I would be happy to help. And about hating mall culture ..whats your say?!

Staying Intense

Divya

Things that "Bliss" me out !

Everybody has their choice of things that make them happy, people usually call them "the bliss list "! I wanna share my bliss list here

Traveling: Wandering the globe and absorbing the world, is my bliss. "Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living." -Miriam Beard

       

Paris And Barcelona is where my heart is even though i wouldnt mind anywhere else! :)

Reading: Feeding my soul with words and getting lost in them is my bliss. 

Companionship: Recognizing that your soul is completely understood by another and vice versa, is my bliss.

Cooking:  A creation of love, a nurturing of the body, the feeding of a loved one, is my bliss.When was

the last time you tasted anything?Not just eat it, but taste it? I just had a slice of raw mango I could  taste the beauty and energy of the earth in a bite.

Moving on....

Design[Architecture&Fashion] :  Shaping life and circumstances and placing a piece of your heart in it is what gives me bliss. For me Great Design = Flawless Beauty

"Physical things like fashion, architecture, design are important to me because they frame the life you lead - they're the backdrop and settings that intersect when you form an emotional attachment or memory in association with them"

Finally,

LOVE : All you need is love..the ability to give love is my bliss..Passion is its derivative i feel .

So Thats my Bliss list , what do you people think about it? And what defines bliss for you people?I would love to know.

Staying Intense,

Divya

More Ways to bring Spring Indoors

A quick post, as a continuation to the last post..

2. ADDING BRIGHT 'POP' COLOR TO YOUR DECOR:

 If you observe the above space..most of the elements that r making it colorful  are easily replaceable/changeable. The "colourful pictures", the" mini cushion",the "display benches" can be repainted easily.!

Adding colourful upholsterity,especially losing heavy carpetting and going in for dhurries and other canvas rugs   in delicious colours..! 

I love the above pic, primarily bec that cute lil girl with her color co-ordinated out fit and all..:)[thats a lady in the making for sure:)] Secondly because of play of light with colour... oh what better way enjoy spring!!!

3.LOVING PATTERNS AND GETTING CRAFTY:

Whats not to love about such cute DIY to add that much needed personal touch to your decor:)

A pattern,[ floral or other"season descriptional "] is the easiest and one of the best ways to add spring feel to the decor..use patterned runners on dining table or just get paisley light chiffony curtains.! even better ..find a wall paper or wall art in beautiful spring summer patterns.

4. JUST GET THE PLANTS INSIDE:

 If you are the kind of person who likes to take things at their face value..then this trend is all for you..you see green/flowering plants outside and decide spring is upon you...so just do the same indoors and you will know how beautiful spring indeed is :)
 Invest your time/money in some nice indoor plants/flowers..they not only add to the decor but also clean the air inside hence making u breathe healthier!

Place them where they can get atleast some passive sunlight for their best performance.

Using existing kitchen utensils as planters is a great thing to "inhabit" [lsense of belonging] the plants to the kitchen.

So i guess these are some of the ways i wud be implementing ASAP into my spring home decor..and what about you people..which of these wud you like to do this summer ? I would love to know! :) 

 Staying intense
  Divya

A man has every season while a woman only has the right to SPRING!

I know I have been M.I.A [missing in action] for almost a month...well lets just say ..i have been busy...and thts not an excuse.From now on..i will try to make up with atleast one post a day !

Coming to the post...Its spring or Pre-summer in Bangalore..Breezy Mornings, Sunny Afternoons and cool nights..! :).So i decided to do a post on "Bringing spring indoors"[spring/summer interior decorations].

You may feel changing up decor every 3 months isn't feasible,and moreover why should you do it? -let me clear things up here..

When the seasons change, bringing the outside environment inside makes the indoor outdoor contrast a bit cohesive and more importantly adds character to your space. ex: its bright and sunny outside and its the same old-sparsely lit inside.Solution: Window treatment..so that light is brought in but not the heat or noise.!I hope u got the point..still not clear..Then I Suggest you READ THIS POST CAREFULLY,and may be several times!!:) kidding!
Let me tell you..we r not talking abt changing the complete decor..just TWEAKING it...if thts the right word!

Different Ways of "Tweaking" -Spring Decor:

1. WINDOW TREATMENT:

" A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds  are singing, and the lawn mower is broken."-all this can be seen/felt only through windows...see how important windows are!!


              


 The long red valances are hung with grommets and simple hooks, making them easy to remove and clean-or swap out when your tire of the color. The cool shutters, which feature bold blue frames and metal inserts, provide some privacy but also allow plenty of sunlight.

Select Versatile colourful Shades - Window shades are all about function. Tie them up to let in sunlight or let them down for privacy. But just because shades are practical doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be lovely to look at. These pretty pink-and-yellow tie-up shades perfectly complement the other fabrics and weathered furnishings in the space. 
Point to note: Mounting the shades inside the window frame shows off the wide crisp white moldings.
              
    
 Layer Treatments for Function : Combining window treatments[in this case roll-up bamboo shades and floor-length panels.] Open the shades and panels for maximum sunlight or close them for complete light blockage and privacy. 
Point to note: Mounting the rod high on the wall makes this room appear taller and grander

Are Plantation Shutters Better than Curtains, Blinds and other Window Treatments?

Plantation shutters – also known as wooden window shutters, Louvre shutters or colonial shutters – admit light and air whilst providing complete privacy as well as additional security. When closed, plantation shutters help minimise the heat in a room, but still allow cooling air to move freely

                           

          

Plantation shutters  are, without doubt,  the crème-de-le-crème of the shutter world. They always look stylish and allow a greater flexibility and control of light than ordinary curtains, window blinds or other wooden window treatments.The Problem here is they are pretty darn expensive. But i still think they r worth it..if u cud remotely afford it :)!


Well as post is getting too long, "More Ways to bring Spring Indoors -to be continued!"


Staying Intense,
Divya

A Bedroom requires a Bed. Everything else is Extravagance.

These are our humble three Bedrooms that i decorated (tried to) with all the different styles i appreciate.

Classic [Easy Breezy Beautiful :)] 

Classic [Easy Breezy Beautiful :)]

This is the master Bedroom with a white Box Bed. More or less everything is done in blue and white colour scheme.I do have tiny regrets about the final output..but i still lovee waking up with warm light on my face

For all the sons of guns :

This ,well as you can see..instrumentaly done in red color( with a sofa cum bed) was done for a friend of ours who used to stay with us and he was a huge fan of club liverpool (Red club). So i guess ..........now you get the drift :)!

   For all the beautiful things in the world:

                                                        
This is our actual modest Guest Bedroom , and is done in purple to satiate my "girlish" love for purple and all things girly girl...:)

So what do you ppl think? which one is your favourite? Do let me know which is your style and why ..:)?!!

Staying Intense,

Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and then like it too.!

Summer is already here..and i started collecting cottons and light chiffons. flats and strappy numbers in shoes :) (I confess im a sucker for all things beautiful !) And also started scouting for "in vogue" trends that i wud feel comfy and are affordable(mostly!) and there it was.."zara "spring lookbook. Here are the links

http://www.zara.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/category/in/en/zara-S2011/70001/Woman
http://www.zara.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/category/in/en/zara-S2011/61137/Dresses

And My favourites are..

all images via zara.com

Your rules, if you choose to accept them: color block, crop, anchor with black, throw in a dash of white, simplify your silhouette and go.

I'm ready to play this fashion game, are you?!

Half the fun of the travel is the Aesthetic of lostness.! (Personal)

Pic by Divya Reddy.k

Pic by Divya Reddy.k

Web of Ice @7.am, 2degree centigrade

Pic by Divya Reddy.K

Pic by Divya Reddy.k
Nothing feels better than being seated next to a fire place.(in that climate) Nothing
P.S.:Dropping in a small design tip, As you see, the fireplace wall alone is coated in bright contrast(red)to beige walls, This explains one simple and elegant way of colouring walls in "pop" bright colours to add warmth to the room. Also the pointed to be noted., people back then had better brains than we assume.. :)!! ( this building was built in 40's)

Pic by Divya Reddy.k
The 'plucking tea leaves' process :)

Pic by Divya Reddy.k
The closest I could get to 'walking on the clouds' !!

Pic by Divya Reddy.k

Pic by Divya Reddy.k

These are just few pictures from our last trip. Meghamalai, a coffee-plantation hillstation in nilgiris is just a piece of heaven on earth :)..." Unexplored and innocent beauty "could sump up this place !

Staying Intense,