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

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 :)

Heart(h) n Home : Kamini's Eclectic Kitchen

Continuing my series on Kamini's home, a tour of her Kitchen over at the food blog :). I had shared a few pics of her outdoor space and entry way in an earlier post on the DE. 

Link: Here

Artist Showcase ~ Bhavana Vijay

One of the blessings of being a blogger- you get to meet talented and very creative men and women who never cease to amaze you. Bhavana is one such wonderful person. An amazingly talented artist, a very busy mom of two and a sweet, down to earth lady. Another reason for my excitement - She is a hyderabadi too!! :P..pl excuse my excitement!!

To many, her work needs no introduction. This post is more of a documentation of my admiration for this very creative lady.  A Mudra Institute of Communications Graduate, Bhavana began her career in advertising only to realize she was cut out for spending time in her studio with her brushes and easel. 

Starting the showcase with this sketch of my favorite god - Ganesha

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....

House Beautiful ~ At home with Shweta Sharma

I came across Shweta's blog - Hastkala and her lovely home pics and requested her for a sneak peek. Her home is a neat and classy place with love and personality oozing from every corner. 


She won me over when she said " I believe in recycling, reusing and recreating the best out of waste. I believe in living a life which is healthy for me and healthier for the planet." People who know me would know why I was impressed by this talented lady who is not only an artist but also a wonderful photographer :). You must see her clicks to see what I mean. 

Now, a peek into her space -

Shweta say "I have never designed or decorated any home before I got married and moved into mine. It is so daunting to have a place of your own and then to make it comfy and cozy as a home should be. I must say it didn't come to me in one day. It took me months to understand  that a creative mind blooms in a creative home/space."

 A green and welcoming entryway. Ganapati ji with candle and plants are the first thing you spot when you enter her home. I couldnt help admiring the lovely iron and glass table with leaves and tiny birds; and neatly lined terracota pots

A close up

She says" Ganapati ji with candle and plants are the first thing you spot when you enter my home. This year I'd planted so many tulsi plants that the extra ones are sitting at the entrance greeting everyone"

I feel that every home evolves with time. Patience and thought behind everything we buy matters. That way our home reflects our personality rather than looking like a popular store's catalogue.

Love her Ganesha collection

Shweta adds "It is very simple and a little complicated like me :) It is colourful, cheerful and cozy. My style is very eclectic. I love Indian arts and handicrafts . They remind me of India, where my heart resides."

I am drooling ~ a very charming workspace :)

All the artwork has been done by her 

She has a lovely Ganesha collection 

A serene bedroom 

It is feels good to see all the personal touches given to a rental apartment given all the space and color constraints 
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Thank you, Shweta, for letting us peek into your lovely home

Pictures: shweta @ Hastkala
PS: do check out her blog and her artwork

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.

Vintage Love ~ Marcy's Saginaw Wall Unit

Marcy of rhanvintage recently shared her new(old) Saginaw wall unit. I couldnt help documenting it under my Vintage love series. I am on a serious wall unit and credenza hunt this very moment and hope to find something this nice very soon :)

It looked like this when she bought it... 

Her and her husband's hard work and patience made it look like this

I am drooling over the beautiful curves and the stacking design . (Another serious one for the wish list) :-). It is such a wonderful addition to her beautiful furniture collection. Want to see more of her wonderful home. Do check out the tour I shared earlier.>> Here.


Images: Marcy @ Rhanvintage :)

House beautiful ~ At Home with Tanya

When things dont go your way, sit back, relax and recoup to start all over again. Over the last few days, I did just that. And am back with a lovely home tour. We will be at home with Tanya of dans-le-townhouse. A Phd candidate, amazing DIYer and an excellent blogger. She is amazing...And her town house is as amazing as she is...as they say pictures speak for themselves. So lets get going on the tour

A very crisp and welcoming entryway

Tanya says.....

"Well, my husband and I are first-time homeowners but don't plan to live here very long - a total of approximately five years (hopefully the time it takes to complete my PhD!).  So we don't have the financial flexibility to make major improvements, nor can we personalize our house too much (must be sellable!).  But we have tackled what we could: re-doing the bathrooms, laying hardwood floors upstairs and giving the kitchen a "spit & polish," as I like to call it (new tiling, counters and refinished cabinet fronts).  Almost everything, renovation-wise, was (and is) a DIY project."

A glimpse of the Main floor which includes, the kitchen, dining area and the living room

Love the wonderful ottoman/coffee table with the super cool sofa

Another vintage chair with the ottoman...just swept me off my feet....and the fireplace looks yum!

Tanya's decorating mantra~ 

"In terms of decorating, we've chosen a mix of investment pieces and inexpensive "just for now" items.  Things we know we can use in our next place I don't mind splurging on - like the custom upholstery job on the vintage chair in the guest room.  But that's an exception because, with the help of our talented family, we tend to DIY. From the headboard I designed that my grandpa welded to the "Sigh" painting in the guest bathroom I DIY'd, we try to fill our home with things that are handmade and special to us. "

Lets take the stairs the next floor

She is a DIY queen...look at this awesome headboard she made herself

The "Sigh" poster and the guest room chair she upholstered

More about the house...."We painted all the walls, ceilings and trim a crisp white that allows the punches of colours I've scattered around to really pop.  Although I have DIY'd much of our art, we also have pieces by my husband's grandfather, mother, my mother and my grandfather.  I like the bright, spacious, gallery feel we have created out of a formerly run-down and neglected nightmare.

I know from her posts that she loves silhouettes...I really love the wall in their home office

A peek into the guest bedroom

Dont you love all the artwork

A persistent DIYer that she is.... she did a great job with back splash in her kitchen...I loved the finishing touches...(they needed a special mention!!)

"But, like most homes, it is a work in progress.  Along with tweaking what we have already done and finishing up some little projects, we have one major project left: a basement makeover.  We'll be starting as soon as the snow falls and it might be our most challenging project yet!"

Lovely kitchen

I cant get enough of every inch of their space...loved the master bathroom 

Fit for the queen isnt it :)

Here's the half bath on the main floor

 I was so pleased when I received her pictures. Thank you Tanya, for letting us peek into your beautiful home. 

To see how talented this young lady is, I strongly recommend you all to check out her DIYs and very inspiring posts on her blog - dans-le-townhouse.

One of the most lovable DIYs was the Felt Billy Button she made...

looks super cool..So do check it out

Images: Tanya ~ dans-le-townhouse