"Elsewhere" beckons you to Goa

Romance, solitude and dreams are the words that come to my mind as I gaze at these pictures. Elsewhere, is Goa's ultimate retreat for the dreamer in you. I could be inspired to become a painter, or perhaps write poetry, amidst these gorgeous surroundings! A modern getaway surrounded by nature's untamed beauty. An abundance of birds and river life including Otters for company. This ancestral getaway can be your secret haven, a beautiful world where memories are made........

This is merely a sneak peek into the beauty of Elsewhere. For more information about the four charming beach houses and the three luxury tent retreats please visit Elsewhere at http://www.aseascape.com/

All pictures courtesy: Elsewhere, http://www.aseascape.com/

A rustic accent

I love browsing in shops and online for unique home accessories. This teak and iron 4 light chandelier makes an elegant rustic accent. A great conversation piece don't you think ? An unusual and dramatic piece, it has been custom crafted using teak wood and iron from the 19th century.

Pictures courtesy : Eron Johnson Antiques.

Eron Johnson Antiques specializes in fine antique furniture, accessories and architectural antiques dating from the 17th to the 19th centuries.

Holiday with Mathew Mead...

Head over to Holiday with Mathew Mead to find out how you can win the opportunity to have your blog or online shop mentioned in the magazine. Holiday with Matthew Mead is a "book-azine" celebrating and offering inspiration for the Christmas holiday season. To be released in October 2010, Holiday is offered via online orders only - in limited quantities - and will not be sold on newsstands. But, by simply following the BUY HOLIDAY MAGAZINE link below their banner, you can reserve your own copy of this beautiful magazine, with guaranteed delivery of the magazine straight to your mailbox! Holiday with Matthew Mead is144 pages of holiday inspiration with well-known and admired designers, bloggers and top-notch features, printed on beautiful paper and not drowning in ads! Now, head on over for your chance to win!

Fabulous and simple decor ideas...

I literally stopped in my tracks, when I saw this gorgeous sunroom. Notice the gorgeous flower motif on the jute rug. Its a lovely room with some fabulous accessories. I will tell you more about them in the next picture. For now, take in this gorgeous room, and enjoy the rest of your Sunday..

Don't you like the leafy sun catchers hung on the windows of this room? Sandwich a leaf (hosta, fern, caladium, and palm) between two framed panels of glass, available at import stores. Here's a tip, fresh leaves will turn brown. Swap them out every few weeks, or use dried leaves and coat them with acrylic artist's spray to prevent discoloration.

Need a new look for your wall ? Turn inexpensive coasters into graphic wall art. Tape pretty coasters to colorful card stock and display in ready-made frames. For a more traditional look, add a pre-cut mat. Are'nt they stunning?

Egg cups used to store paper clips and other small utility items. I absolutely adore this novel idea.

Chic taupe paint and toile wallpaper highlight this dresser's traditional lines. They give an old dresser a complete makeover. A classy update..don't you agree?

Photograph the flowers around you with your camera. Blow them up, and then have them printed on canvas. This cheery, spring decor looks very glamorous. I am very inspired by this idea. Aren't you?

I am fascinated by this easy makeover. A bright yellow paint and a new set of casters turned this old bedroom shelving unit into a rolling kitchen cart. How pretty and convenient.

These carved ready-made ceiling rosettes make an impressive wall display. Painted in graduated shades of yellow, the discs add style to a living room. Did you know that they are available at most home centers for less than $50! Also, they are lightweight and easy to hang. All images and some text courtesy : Better Homes and Gardens.

Celebrating Friday

The weekend is here and I am all smiles :-) The next two days will be packed with fun stuff and of course the usual errands! However, today I am celebrating the joy of it being Friday. As I sign off, I wish you a weekend filled with happy thoughts and lovely smiles..

Image Van Gogh- sunflowers

The beauty of Lovely Clusters

In my quest to find beautiful things, I have come across Rachel's beautiful blog Lovely Clusters. She describes her blog as an escape, into the world of dreamy images and tiny treasures. This is so true and I am a huge fan. Rachel has come up with a lovely idea for us to share our creative spaces. I encourage you to join her effort at the Lovely Blogger List.

A brief introduction :

I am Anu, and I live in Seattle. I am a full time mom, of a four year old boy and a one year old girl. I have a deep interest in Interiors and my home is my canvas to create and experiment. I am also an aspiring photographer. My work can be viewed at my other blog, www.mydreamlens.blogspot.com. My main focus is landscape photography and the beauty of the Pacific Northwest is my greatest inspiration. I love to decorate, write, day dream and travel. My husband shares my passion for travel. There are many new and exciting places to visit, and the journey has only just begun....

You can also find me at my Flickr portfolio.

A touch of sunshine at home

The sun is shining. A bright, warm light envelopes my home. I am enjoying this glorious weather and hoping its here to stay..

Thank you Design IQ for a lovely feature and interview

I am very grateful to Rekha Nambiar of Design IQ. Rekha, has featured my home extensively in her Interior Design blog. She also contacted me for an interview and her lovely comments are extremely gratifying. Rekha is a talented Interior designer and professional who runs her own design firm in Delhi. She has also written numerous articles on Interiors in leading publications. The design concepts featured on her website Design IQ are both unique and stylish. Do visit My Home showcased so beautifully at Design IQ :-)

Walk down memory lane..

Monday morning blues...a dull grey morning or simply nostalgia. Not sure what made me look for this photograph. This morning, its been a walk down memory lane. Here is a snapshot of the living room from our home in Atlanta. I love the grand feel of this rustic brick fireplace. I bought the rug on a trip to Mexico. The cushions were from Urmul, in Rajasthan. The little paper kites pasted on the mantle were from Dilli Haat in Delhi. Don't we all have that special room, the one that stays close to the heart as the years go by. This one is mine.

Beauty of Brabourne Farm..

I cannot begin to describe my admiration for Brabourne Farm. A visual treat like none other. I bring you Leigh's stunning blog which showcases design concepts that are classy, elegant and simply inspirational. Here are just a few images of Leigh's home " Brabourne Farm " in all its beauty. I love the attention to detail in each corner of this lovely home. The little knick knacks, the gorgeous artwork, the subtle splash of color, the whimsical touches, and the understated elegance of her home. Brabourne Farm is located in Australia in the Southern Highlands between Sydney and Canberra. Having visited the general area in my frequent trips to Australia, I can picture its idyllic setting. Brabourne Farm is all about beautiful things and I could not agree more...

Images courtsey Brabourne Farm.

Sunny weekend..

We are enjoying glorious weather in Seattle. I am going to enjoy my sunny weekend outdoors :-) Have a great weekend and keep on smiling..

Orange glow

The sun is shining...you can only understand what that really means if you live in the Pacific Northwest :-) Like the renaissance painters of yore, I too am fascinated by the effects of light and shadow on a bowl of fruit :-) The multi-faceted texture of the orange peel softly reflects the rays of the sun in a kaleidoscope of color.

Outdoor living from Spain..

Summer is just a few months away. Its time to spruce up the backyard. Mine is a mess and needs a complete facelift :-) For a visual treat do check out these very stylish design ideas by Kettal. I discovered Kettal while browsing Trendir, an online home decorating trend magazine. I love the clean lines, the eclectic style and elegance of these outdoor spaces. Kettal is a European company based in Spain with stores all over Europe, Miami and Guangzhou. Would'nt it be great to "kettalize" your home ??

Images courtesy www.trendir.com and Kettal.

Tulilp time..

Its that time of the year again. The Tulip festival kicks off in Skagit valley close to home. I am planning a trip there soon. However in the meantime, I dropped by Pike place market this weekend for my tulip fix :-) The weekend has come to an end and we all need that little bit of cheer to face the week ahead. Here are some happy flowers for you from my home to yours...enjoy!

Spring beckons with mysunnybalcony....

Spring is in the air and flowers are blooming all around me. I am highly motivated to give my backyard a much needed makeover. We are based at opposite ends of the world else my pick for a dream makeover would be mysunnybalcony based out of Bangalore. Their creativity, ideas and designs are truly inspirational. In the words of the four Bangaloreans, "to bring the gardens back into the garden city, but in a peppy new avatar, that has led us, four young urban professionals, to start mysunnybalcony: a project aimed at giving everyone the dream garden that they’ve always wanted, right outside their windows'".

I could not agree more. These pictures are my top picks and are a preview of the amazing talent of the team at mysunnybalcony. Do visit their website at http://www.mysunnybalcony.com/ for some great ideas to create your very own garden oasis.

Picture perfect..don't you think? I wish I was lucky enough to wake up to the beauty and tranquility of these lovely green spaces....

All images courtesy mysunnybalcony.com