Anuja's Plant Filled Abode

Sometimes all I have to see is one image that is unforgettable and I yearn to see more :) Anuja's home in Ahmedabad (India) has such delightful vignettes that you can never have enough :) It is like a fascinating tapestry made up of earthy elements, plants and brassware.  Apart from her impeccable styling, she is also a fellow Army brat and that just pleases my heart :) Anuja grew up in a home where her mother kept a beautifully styled home and that has influenced her immensely. Anuja is an extremely accomplished athlete. She was the National high board and spring board diving champion for nearly 10 years and trained in London with the British Olympic team.  She flew with Air India as a flight attendant for 10 years and has traveled around the globe.

Today, Anuja Cambatta is a landscapist, plant stylist and a Bonsai artist. With more than 18 years of experience in organic farming, she promotes sustainable landscaping. She has mastered her skills by learning from the best in the industry via workshops, international Bonsai conventions and an NID course. Dragonfly farm was found by Anuja three years ago. It is a nursery, situated in the outskirts of Ahmedabad, with a large collection of Bonsais, styled plants along with an interesting range of garden accessories. 

In her words "We create designs and undertake landscaping contracts for residences, offices, cafes, restaurants and events. Indoor and outdoor garden design is our specialty. My design style is to use hardy species for plantation, use local materials and artisans for making accessories, integrate antiques in styling spaces and create a contemporary look with an international appeal.

A fascinating journey, don't you think? So many life experiences have contributed to her home being truly one of a kind. Visit The Dragonflyfarm to know more about her story and her work and follow her on Instagram for a daily dose of beauty and creativity.

Step into Anuja's plant filled abode and prepare to be amazed :)

Thank you Anuja for this lovely treat :)

 Images : Anuja Cambatta and subject to Copyright.

Ashwini's A Cottage in the Hills

Its been over a decade of blogging, yet I am as excited today about featuring a home tour on the blog as I was on the first day :) Meeting and connecting with like minded people, nurturing virtual friendships and being part of this decor blogger community has been immensely fulfilling. 

Today, I am featuring the home of a fellow Seattle resident. It has been fun knowing Ashwini over the years. Though we have never sat down and had a long overdue cup of tea together, we have had lots of online chats :) Ashwini has a lovely home which she has decorated meticulously over time.

Warm, with oodles of charm and sophistication, her home is an absolute delight.

I asked Ashwini to describe her journey and her home in her own words. 

Here is what she has to say...

"I am a neuroscientist by the day and a mom/foodie and home décor enthusiast around the clock :)  My décor style is inspired by my Indian heritage. It  is also warm, practical and comfortable. Ever since,  I was a little girl growing up in Mumbai, I’ve seen my mom constantly decorate our house with souvenirs from our  travels and combine them with a wide variety of indoor plants. My sister and I have followed suit. We would constantly move things around, add our home-made crafts to the mix and infuse my mom’s décor with some of our creativity. Fast forward many years later, my mother-in-law’s house became another source of inspiration. Her house has a different style and includes lots of handmade embroidery by her mother, vintage pieces as well as souvenirs from their travels in India and abroad. 

Both these styles, though very different, have a single-minded purpose. They aim to create a comfortable haven for the family and reflect their personalities, culture and inner selves. For me, this also means preserving a part of India in my house. We custom remodeled our home to reflect some of the things germane to India, hand stained wooden window frames, a handmade terracotta kitchen backsplash, custom bamboo blinds and terracotta floor tiles for the temple area. My pride is my art collection. Each piece has been curated with a lot of thought and has a personal relevance. My art collection is comprised of both unique/one-of-a-kind items as well as decor items that I have accumulated from some wonderful friends on social media. To name a few, there is Anu (@mydreamcanvas) , Chandan Dubey, Meenal (@paintpotteryproducts), Rashmi (@rkrishnappa), Shruti (@thebluetrunk), Lydia (@stonehouseartifacts), Deepika (@saffronanddaisies), Arpita (@vintagevistara) and Sumedha (@hast_kari). Some retail stores that I love are The Bombay Store, WorldMarket and HomeGoods.

I also love combining vintage with modern, wood with metal and splashes of color with neutral tones. Patsy Stone had once said “One should never be the oldest thing in one’s house”. You will see this theme resonate all over my house. Each artifact in my house has a story to tell. Many pieces have experienced events and lived in a time unbeknownst to me. An example is an aarti diya I got from an old Gulbarga temple. These days I like taking silver and brass family heirlooms (mostly used for worship prviously) and repurposing them into vases. Anu has been a true inspiration for me! Logging into Instagram and seeing Anu’s stories, motivates me to be creative.  (I am so touched and honored Ashwini, thank you for the kind words).

 

My favorite art piece is a watercolor I commissioned from Kalpana Hebbar. It is a painting of Lord Surya with his seven horses. Typically, amongst Indian deities, Surya is not a mainstream motif when it comes to home décor. However his smiling, peaceful face and glowing colors make up for our gloomy Pacific NW weather."

Thank you Ashwini for that wonderful insight into your home. Here are some images of her home. Prepare to be amazed :)

 

 

Images: Copyright Ashwini. Follow her on Instagram for more snippets into her life and home!