House Beautiful: At Home with Sharon

Glad to post this inspiring home tour from Pune, India. Lets peek into Sharon's lovely home. She is a lady of many talents and authors a popular lifestyle blog - The Key Bunch.

A Tete-A-Tete with her about her home, her work and her style mantra. Do not miss her tips on home styling and decor. :)

Handpainted pots and Warli wall art at the entryway

A little about your abode


It's a 3BHK flat, 1750 sq feet. I love the space because it's an open plan, and it allows me to move things around especially for my styling shots!

Decor and Style inspirations

I am very inspired by the desi global style of decorating mainly because it is a great way to mix anything Indian and still have a modern home. I am also on a mission to repurpose old things and re-using them in décor, so this style lets me do that without the home looking oddly mixed with the old and the new.

Favorite room or corner in the house

For all the styling and interior decoration I am obsessed with, I don’t have one favorite place. It’s wherever I am interacting with someone, or doing something I love – like playing a board game with my daughter, listening to my husband playing the guitar, or reading a bedtime story to my son.

Your prized piece of item / furniture or accessory

I think my Bhavnagari jhoola - she’s my drama queen, and can keep changing her persona – from casual to formal, romantic to staid, quite effortlessly.

Proudest DIY 

I couldn’t be prouder of my upholstered coffee table. I was hesitant to take it on, plagued with doubt; but from selecting and sourcing the fabric to working with a carpenter, it turned out simply beautiful. I would some day love to add upholstered furniture to my product line.

Favorite design and decor Shopping destinations

As a rule, I never buy extravagantly expensive stuff, because as a family we are not materialistic, and almost border on minimalism. We have the same stuff from the time we got married, and some of it handed down by our respective families. We are perfectly content. That said, being the décor lover I am, I do like to buy things that catch my eye, occasionally. 

Just yesterday I was at a store signing up space to display my product. I saw the staff removing an owl from their display. It was a beautiful piece, and when I asked them why they were taking it down, they said it was damaged. So I bought it at a steal! It’s these little purchases that make me ridiculously happy!

Tips for a cozy home

It’s your home, so decorate the way you want it – wildly pretty, heart-stoppingly beautiful and most of all comfortable. I know my family puts up a lot with all my décor madness, and I think I owe it to them to make the home as comfortable as possible. In fact, they sometimes play cricket inside the home,and I have left a little rectangular ‘pitch’ for them. Of course, I also have to make sure there are no breakables around.

A few snapshots of her beautiful kitchen

Thank you Sharon for the lovely tour. Do stop by her blog - The Key Bunch and check out her new venture  Style Radha, with products that she envisioned and designed. She is also working on a line of home furnishings using indigenous fabrics.

If you would like to see your home featured or know a lovely place, I would be happy to do a home tour on the Design Enthusiast. 

PS: Pictures courtesy Sharon. 


*** Click on any of the pictures to start a slide show

Vintage Love : Gunlocke Arm chairs

I had these awesome walnut wood armchairs at one point. Loved them for their sleek look and comfort but had to let them go. Extremely well made and not your average side / arm chairs

About: 

Vintage Gunlocke chairs from the 60's. A very stylish Mad Men/ retro addition to your decor. The set was in perfect condition. Walnut solid wood and original blue fabric were in excellent condition with no rips or tears or stains. 

The company:

The Gunlocke Company Inc, Wayland NY, made memorable pieces. 

Ideal for home office or a corporate set up, They were the most comfortabel chairs I have come across in the non reclining catergory

Images: Mine 

Announcing An Awesome Giveaway ~ Anu's Dream Canvas

Want to win this awesome Indian handcrafted trinket box? hop over to Anu's Dream Canvas to enter the giveaway. Wishing everyone the best with their entry. While you are there, wish My Dream Canvas a very happy third bday!

Link>>Dream Canvas
Image owned by: Anu of My Dream Canvas

Store Profile: Anu's Shop

Another lady after my heart - Anu, of My Dream Canvas. She has been over at the Design Enthusiast with her lovely post on Diwali decor at her place and I had posted about all the giveaways she organized on her blog. This time around, she is here to talk about her new love, an online store  - THE SHOP :). I love her eye for detail and all the amazing things she has at home :). It is wonderful when such talented women get into sourcing stuff for your home too! isn't it :). 

I invited Anu to talk about the store, her love for decor and everything beautiful. :)...Over to Anu a.k.a Anuradha 

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I created My Dream Canvas a few years ago with lifestyle and photography as the two main ingredients for my blog. Over the years my interest in Interior Styling has grown and my home home has emerged as a canvas to showcase my thoughts and passion. Last year a thought began growing in my head.......a desire to start my own "little boutique". The idea behind it is really very simple. I enjoy collecting things that are both unique and  beautiful and I want to share it with others. 

At the moment I am primarily sourcing from India but over time my plan is to include products from different parts of the world.  I want my online boutique to be a little gift shop that makes people happy. Each and every product that I source is something that I have personally found inspiring. It gives me great pleasure to see  The Shop at My Dream Canvas  be a part of someone's home! I am a dreamer at heart, therefore I really don't have a business plan in my head :-). For now, I am enjoying the journey and curating a collection that's from my heart!

I am a very happy customer too :)..She was very prompt with the shipping and took care to schedule it as per my convenience. 

Thank you Anu, for coming over at The DE..wishing you the best and looking forward to many more beautiful things to be showcased in THE SHOP :). 

All you lovely folks hop over and own an amazing decor item for your lovely home. 

The online Store : THE SHOP

For updates about the store and products in stock:  My Dream Canvas on Facebook 

She accepts paypal and currently ships within the US :)

Store Profile: Indya Kaleidoscope, Part II

I am inspired by this young lady - Preethi Prabhu of IK

I had posted her interview earlier >>here. Also, in September 2011, DE had a giveaway sponsored by IK(IndyaKaleidoscope- the store).

Now for some more good news - Preethi has set up a beautiful brick-and-mortar (physical) store in Koramangla, Bengaluru  (India). And,  I had to share pictures of her amazing store on DE :-)..

So here we go....

Store Profile ~ Preethi Prabhu's Indya Kaleidoscope

If you are looking for  exquisite and functional pieces of art n craft for your home, with the icing on the cake being affordability – IndyaKaleidoscope is the place to go.

About IndyaKaleidoscope(IK) 
From making candy jars using age old lacquer technique of Channapatna - to incorporating traditional materials into contemporary lifestyle products- IK is on a grand mission.

Founder /Owner
Preethi Prabhu needs no introduction. She is the very talented and creative lady behind the Blog - IndyaKaleidoscope. Preethi gave up a secure job as an IT professional to follow her dreams and passion for Indian culture and heritage to start this design journey.

Guest Post ~ Anu's Diwali Decor Ideas and Inspirations

Anu of My Dream Canvas needs no introduction. Her blog and her flickr stream have been a major source of inspiration for me. Anu is a versatile blogger, an amazing photographer and a very genuine and down to earth person. She is a busy mom of two tiny tots, an entrepreneur and a busy blogger. 


When I requested her to write for The Design Enthusiast, and she promptly sent in her ideas and inspirations for TDE readers.  Herez her post about Diwali at her place....


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Sudha of The Design Enthusiast has been a friend ever since I began blogging. I admire Sudha as a person and she has always encouraged and supported me since I began My Dream Canvas. Today, I am delighted to be writing a post on Diwali here at The Design Enthusiast :-)

It was a wonderful week preparing for Diwali and finally the big day arrived :-) The key ingredients for my Diwali are family, friends, flowers and diyas! Diwali evening begins with a Puja at home followed by the lighting of the diyas. When I moved to the US eleven years ago, I have to admit that the first few Diwali's were  filled with nostalgia. I would miss India terribly and it would be an effort to partake in the celebrations and rituals. Over the years that has changed. Today, Diwali is about tradition and enlightening my two children about our culture and the symbolism of Diwali. My kids love this season beginning with Diwali, followed by Halloween, Thanksgiving and then culminating with Christmas :-)

Diwali decor for me is nothing fancy.....flowers and the glow of the diyas, tealights and candles seem to set the mood for me! I tend to reuse a lot of things that are already in my home. I could go on talking about Diwali decor tips but I think you all know this.....be yourself and create your own style. The best decor accesory for Diwali is to have your home filled with happiness and laughter. When you have that your home will look naturally beautiful and it shall be a Diwali to remember!

Images: Anuradha Varma@ My Dream Canvas.

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 Thank you Anu for this wonderful post. The admiration is mutual, may be more from my side. :-). Glad to have you at the design enthusiast. Looking forward to another post from you...

Friday Finds: Brazilian Designer: Semana Carlos and his Reclaimed Wood Furniture

This week's Friday Find is a Furniture Designer who believes in being Environmentally responsible...(me likes!!!).  After I had posted about Thomas Wold and his super creative work>> HERE, Divya of Sound Horn Please shared her find with me. (Thanks Divya)...:-). I immediately created a draft post and somehow forgot to publish it the next time. Sorry about that...

So here I go...

“Good design has a social and environmental responsibility,” says Motta, who makes many of his chairs, benches, tables and desks from wood salvaged from demolition sites. “A piece of furniture has to last for a long, long time, because we don’t change how we sit, sleep, eat, write, and so on, so the overall attitude should stay the same.” Motta, who says he likes to design for people who have the same basic needs as he does, calls the use of reclaimed wood in furniture “a simple matter of sustainability.” To follow is a selection of furniture that will be shown at the exhibition. 

Read more: source

A few of his creations

Motta’s Butantã bench, which he says is “made of reclaimed wood from an old bridge demolition."

Motta calls this Aroeira-wood table Jaraguá—“another beautiful Brazilian Indian name,” he says. “This wood was once part of a post used by the English company Light, when they came to Brazil in 1910 to install power lines from São Paulo to inland towns.” 

The Mantiqueiras sofa, designed in 2001 of peroba rosa. “This is a very low sofa, so you sit very close to the floor,” says Motta. “I made the first one for my house in the mountains, to go right in front the fireplace.

Designed in 2009, the Butantã bench is held together by small, patinaed iron I beams.

Horizonte desk in waxed peroba rosa and cabriúva wood, iron and leather, from 2009

Named after a surf spot on the São Paulo coast, Taguaíba was designed in 2008 of peroba wood. Motta says that he strives to “stay far away from the ephemeral and what is en vogue,” in his designs, which he hopes “fulfill their utilitarian function and are comfortable and durable, with a good aesthetic

I really loved his wholisitc approach to using reclaimed wood and mixing it with other reclaimed material...Isn't he an artist :-)

Read more about his work >>Here and >>Here

Images and quotes : dwell 

First Giveaway on My Blog :): via Indyakaleidoscope

Hey Guys, Announcing The First ever Personal Giveaway on The Design Enthusiast....

Home tours, sneak peeks and Design and Decor ideas on various blogs, flickr etc are a major source of inspiration for me. I have always wanted to ask people about their decor sources, what, where and how they shop for such amazing things in their homes?  Wouldnt it be great if these talented bloggers and photographers manage to source amazing decor items and open up their own online stores for you! Amazing isn't it :-).

IndyaKaleidoscope: Blog, Store

Let me introduce you Preethi Prabhu's store on Indyakaleidoscope. If you are a regular on the decor blog circuit, you would be familiar with her super cool blog, and must have visited her wonderful store already. If not, I highly recommend that you do and see her exclusive picks - handcrafted and handmade by Artist across India, for your home. 

And now, the Giveaway: The First ever on The Design Enthusiast

Preethi celebrated the second anniversary of her blog - Indyakaleidoscope and has decided to organize a Giveaway via The Design Enthusiast. (sweet)

Here is what you could win

Isn't he the cutest!!! Who wouldnt want to have him at home :-)

All you need to do

• Leave me comment here on the Design Enthusiast to participate in the Giveaway
• Visit her store and the blog via here ; Indyakaleidoscope and tell me here on the Design Enthusiast: what draws you to her blog and her store. 
• Everyone is allowed a maximum of two comments on this post (here). (you can leave as many comments as you like on her blog though)
• And one very important thing, this Giveaway is open to readers in India and to all those who can provide an Indian Shipping address (sorry about that guys)
• The Contest is open until 16th Sept 2011. A winner will be announced on 17th Sept 2011..Do participate and inform your friends about the giveaway!!

Before I wrap up, I need to mention that this is the first ever giveaway on the Design Enthusiast!!

 All thanks to Preethi :-)


Images: Preethi Prabhu 

Design Enthusiast Featured ~ Prismma 's Blogger Style

This post is long overdue. Prismma, came out with its first issue in April, 2011. Rekha Nambiar, The Editor of the magazine, was kind enough to include The Design Enthusiast as part of a feature called - Blogger Speak. 

About Prismma

Prismma showcases space and style and brings in-depth features on design and home living, interviews with Architects, designers and photographers, exclusive home tours and profiles of stores, products and crafts. We have a special Discover India section that covers everything from heritage to travel. The content is spread over three formats.

• Magazine—which has a focus on visuals and design and is designed for ease of reading
• Website—content with slideshows and add-ons like contests and giveaways
• News Blog—here we bring you product updates, news, views and experts.

My feature...

Thank you Rekha and the team at Prismma for the feature...I am glad I was a part of the first issue. It feels good to be sharing space with other very talented artists, architects and bloggers. Wishing the team all the best and many more successful issues in future :-)


Link to their website, facebook page and the magazine. 

Cakes and more!! ~ Sindhu's Cakes & Catering

I posted Sindhu's puttu recipe on the food blog a few days ago. I am delighted to announce the opening of her online custom cake  store. She is an amazing cook and an accomplished baker. Need to see more...check her website

>> SweetLite

Look at this amazing cake...super... isnt it :)

Sindhu caters in and around atlanta area...so hop over to her site and place your orders...I assure you..you will love her work. I personally recommend her cakes and appetizers.

I know how hard she works to complete each order with utmost dedication and lends her personal touch to every party she caters to. I have tasted her veggie cooking so I can vouch for its yummy-in-the-tummy-ness!! I hear great reviews for her non-vegetarian dishes as well...The next time you or your friends are having a party..call her!!

image source: Sindhu's portfolio

Artist Showcase ~ Aarti Verma

I love to feature wonderfully creative people who are passionate about Art in any form. This time around, I am glad to be writing about Aarti Verma, the very talented lady behind the Mumbai based independent fashion label 'Art meets fashion' 


Art meets Fashion, an 8 month old label, deals exclusively with hand painted and handcrafted stuff, particularly fashion accessories. Aarti Verma has an art teacher diploma from Sir jj school of Arts and also a crash course in fashion designing. After working as an Art and craft teacher for a year, Aarti pursued her passion and combined her love for Art and Fashion, and thats how Art meets Fashion came into existence. 

Aarti describes AmF as "a very quirky and Artsy label, every piece is handpainted and handcrafted with love..." This very creative lady makes Handpainted tote bags, Hand painted cushions, Hand painted tunics/kurtis and very pretty jewelery.  

I ll let the pictures do the talking, and you will know what I mean :)

Handmade totes

madhubani inspired

 

Beautiful Pillows

Hand painted Kurti

Hand made Jewelery

Want to see more...just hop over to her blog and see all the handmade beauties she has for sale...Wishing Aarti the very best with her venture - Art meets Fashion.