An Apartment Tour : At Home With Arundhati and Aditya

Hello there. I am delighted to be back here after a hiatus.  Today I am thrilled to feature a home that's personal and close to my heart. I had a lot of fun preparing for this post. 

There is nothing ordinary about this New Jersey apartment, which is the home of my sister in law Arundhati and brother Aditya, or the assortment of treasures you'll find inside it. Overlooking the impressive New York skyline, their apartment is dreamy with a layered, yet, laid back perfection that is usually hard to achieve. My favorites are the stacks of worn novels and leafed through magazines that add charm throughout the home.

If the objects inside a home tell a story, then this home is a master storyteller with few equals. For me, their home is undeniably chic with an element of fun thrown in. I told my SIL, during a visit to their home last month, that finally after 19 years of living in the states, I have a second home:) Take a peek into their cozy apartment, and you too shall be enveloped in the warmth it exudes........

Arundhati is the writer in the family so I asked her to describe their home. According to her:

"Home. One measly word containing four letters but what a difference it makes to each of our lives. A warm corner to call your own and the realization that you are privileged to have a place you can call home, for the sight of the homeless languishing on the streets leaves little rents in the heart every time you set eyes upon them. 

The first home Adi and I had was in the town of Leicester in the UK. Now here's a fact. Everyone feels sorry for you when you live in a city like Leicester, yet it was where we started together our journey together as husband and wife in this lovely two-bed apartment. We have come a long way from that first nest of ours where we owned nothing, by which I mean the entire paraphernalia of furniture and tchotchkes. Just four suitcases and a truckload of books (because books are the center of my existence). 

Our decor has been since then influenced by our travels throughout the UK and Europe. In the coastal town of Tintagel in Cornwall, we picked up our first metal tin sign. This was the beginning of a significant period of madness so that today we have amassed an intimidating pile of tin signs from all around. And magnets. Our refrigerator is crawling with them. While it is not be the prettiest sight, it gladdens us to the cockles of our hearts to see these reminders every day. Each item that we own has a back story and I could tell you all day about them. The chirpy yellow wooden bird perched upon a tall stand that came from a store in Lisbon, the memories it brings back of that hot springs day of loitering around the hilly streets of the Portuguese city; the huge photograph canvas of St. Michael's Mount propped up above our bed that caught our eyes in the narrowest of alleys in the fishing village of Polperro in Cornwall; the pyschedic pink lantern I fell in love with in Bergen, Norway; a local French artist's painting from the streets of Monmartre that a Parisian hotel's concierge helped ship to  New Jersey, all for the vast sum of 26 Euros. These are just some vignettes from our nest which is essentially everything about our journey together.

Now, time to rein myself in before I hear tiny little snores and then a crescendo"

Thanks Arundhati for sharing your home with the readers of MDC. Trust me, there is not a snore to be heard for miles :) This home is where the couple have combined their aesthetics and creativity to build their little haven. I seem to notice that my darling brother is rather house proud as well and quite the shopaholic when it comes to knick-knacks for the house :) 

Arundhati and Aditya kudos to you both and I shall be back to visit you guys soon :)

Here are some images from outside the apartment. A picture of the stunning terrace where you can get amazing views of New York City.

The Hudson River by sunset.

Views Galore and in the distance the New York Skyline.

Autumn hues 

I would love to hear from you. I know that I have been missing in action for a while. I am back now, so hit me up with all your news:)

 Images: Copyright : Arundhati Basu and My Dream Canvas. Please do not use without written consent. 

Transition To Spring At MDC

Good morning! As spring makes its way towards me, I have the desire to redecorate and de-clutter. In winter, I tend to display more things around my home and in spring, I feel the urge to clear them out. Does that sound crazy to you:) 

I like to update my home for the season. Each space in my home has a few permanent elements and some that are temporary. For this reason I am very partial to a neutral palette for my furniture and my walls. I only need to change the pillows, add some plants and a few accessories to give the room a new look! For Winter and Fall I like everything warm and cozy with a lot of layers. For Spring and Summer I like to remove the extra rugs on the floor, reduce the accessories and try and make the space look more breezy and open! 

I strive towards making "my dream canvas" clean, refreshing, light and tranquil. I am trying to attack the clutter in my home. It is taxing work but rewarding. While, I am trying to clean the home on the surface, I am also attacking my closets, shelves and drawers :) Sigh! I am going to be working for a long long time.....

Do you have some ideas on how to effortlessly transition into spring?

The light this morning was just brilliant. I could not resist taking a few pictures to share you. I have switched to lighter curtains, added more house plants and reduced 
the pillows around the house! Of course, I have added a new berber pillow:)

Images; My Dream Canvas! Subject to Copyright

A Colorful Rooftop Party

My long absence from the blog is due to numerous reasons.......my parents are visiting, holiday season is upon us, kidos and their activities.....you get the drift :) Its been raining incessantly in my part of the world. I am completely fed up and long for some sunshine! I can't wish away the clouds but I can certainly day dream via the blog :) 

 The images of this stunning rooftop party is just what I need to lift my spirits! This lovely party was showcased in the Summer issue of the Merry Magazine! 

 Pretty, don't you think? I love the vibrant colors and the boho touch!

Images: via

From Italy With Love : Decoratng With Souvenirs

When you ask me about things in my home, its very likely a souvenir from one my travels abroad. I cherish my family heirlooms but the rest of the things in my home are hardly expensive or fancy but little objects  with a story to go with it :) When , I look around me....... it brings me back to that day!

I usually look for things a place is famous for. Recently, on my trip to the Amalfi coast I was blown away by the handmade paper the town is renowned for. In a small way its like bringing back a small piece of the town's history. This charming seaside village has made paper for centuries and its one of Italy's ancient traditions. Amalfi began producing paper in the first half of the 12th century. It was one of the  earliest locations where paper was produced in Western Europe. While modern processes are being used today, the paper produced has the same characteristics as the artisan paper once created in Amalfi years and years ago.

I had no desire fill my bags with cute beachy knick knacks, I have no place to display them at home! I chose to bring back a few iconic recipes to put on my kitchen wall. I love the look and the texture of the paper! It also reminds me of all the exquisite pizza we ate during our trip :)

My advice for you, is when you travel look for things that are traditional to the place you visit. Carting heavy things around when you are out for long can be tiresome as well. Sometimes the most unexpected and quirky things can look interesting in your home. I am pleased as a punch with my souvenir from Amalfi :)

What are some of the unusual or interesting things you have picked up on your travels?

Images: My Dream Canvas

Friday Sunshine and A Trunk Filled With Memories

"I couldn't live without something that touches my heart. No one should."—Fashion designer Donna Karan, April 02

As sunlight filters through my home this Friday morning, I feel relaxed and happy. Its amazing what sunshine can do to you when you have to survive the winter months in the Seattle area :) However, this year, I really can't afford to complain with all the bad weather in the East Coast!! We, on the other hand have been pretty fortunate!

My prized possession at home, is this trunk filled with my personal memories created by the very talented Chandan Dubey. Next week, I shall take more pictures and share the details and the story of how this trunk was created!

Happy Friday people! Go on and enjoy the weekend and keep on smiling :)

Image: My home this morning!

Monday Musings and Some Quick Ideas For A Room Makeover

I got off to a late start this morning. My Monday post got delayed as the kids are off  from school and therefore its been busy at the MDC Casa :) It is beginning to feel a lot like the Holidays! Today, I had a few kids over for a play date and it was a fun morning! The mom's chatted and of course there were tea and cookies :)

I have a question for you today. What do you do to give your space a quick makeover? Nothing elaborate, just a spur of the moment kind of thing... for me its fresh flowers, changing a few pillows on the couch and rearranging the look of my coffee table. 

A few simple touches can liven up a room and give it a new look. Do leave me a comment with your "one" special trick to get that instant new look :) It will be fun and interesting to share ideas and compare notes. I can then publish a post sharing all the comments so that we all have a bunch of ideas to work with. Does that sound good? 

So hop on, I am looking forward to hearing from you:)

Image: My Dream Canvas

Personalize Your Home with Some Fun Ideas :)

As you know already, I take thousands of pictures :) Lately, I have been incorporating a few of the photographs I take into my decor! I have created a collage from photographs of lanterns that I took in Mexico for my family room. Two weeks ago I decided to make a pillow using my images :) It was a  fun project. I selected a few photographs from my home and made it look like this using the Waterlogue app. I then used the images on a pillow. I was not so sure about the "love sign" but now when I look at it on my couch, I quite like it ! Its fun, quirky and personal :)

What do you think? Have you got any interesting ideas on how to personalize your home in a fun way? Do share your thoughts!

A closer look at the pillow :) 

Images: My Dream Canvas and subject to copyright!

Don't Take Your Decor Too Seriously :)

I have a question for you! Do you take your decor too seriously? Do you want everything to be picture perfect and elegant? I have to admit that I like to keep a neat, clean, and pretty home. However, I also want the home to feel lived in. I want to come back home after a long day and plop myself in my favorite chair :) I also want to surround myself with things that are comfortable and make me feel loved. My home should always have a warmth and coziness, because this where I see my family nurture and grow.  My home is where memories are created, everyday!!

I have seen a lot of lovely homes in person and online in my five years of blogging. I love the homes that have a character and tell the story of the people who live there. Then there are those homes that seem to be" trying to hard" I am not sure if I can explain this well, but I shall try :) There are also homes that suffer from an overdose of decor.  It's decor to the point of clutter.  The artwork and prints on the wall, while stunning, are simply too many. It is like walking into a museum and not a home :)  Patterns everywhere seem to collide and simply stress me out! 

I know this is my personal opinion and I am not commenting on any one style in particular! We all have the right to decorate our homes in our unique way without caring about what people think :)

Over the years, I have realized that I don't want to take my decor too seriously!! I want to relax and enjoy the experience :) A house turns into a home because of the people who live in it. It could take days, months, or years to turn a home into a haven. This process should ideally be effortless, but for that to happen, you need to have fun :)

This is a corner of my home, which is my fun space. I add color to it when I feel like it.  A happy thought, a few flowers, lovely memories from my travels, and thoughtful gifts are what make it special! It follows no trend :)

Do you have fun decorating or do you sometimes think its too much work ? Do you have a happy corner? I would love to know?

Images: My Dream Canvas

Korakia Pensione

The Korakia Pensione in Palm Springs is my idea of a perfect holiday. It is also the perfect setting for a wedding. I spotted these stunning pictures in the wedding layer blog 100 Layer Cake!

You can view more pictures here and daydream like I have since I spotted these images :)

Photographs by Gary Ashley of The Wedding Artists Collective  for 100 Layer Cake.

Weave Your Memories Into Your Decor

A great way to personalize your home is to weave your memories into your decor. Intrigued??  I will elaborate what I mean! Off late, I have loved visiting homes that are a reflection of their owners. These home owners are not afraid to" get personal". I believe that your decor can fall flat if it does not tell a story.

I have always wanted my home to speak of my personal style. This year, I have literally decided to spell it out :)  A beautiful way to tell a story is to create a "heritage display."  Collect old photographs and letters of your family and creatively display them around your home. I have diligently been rummaging through closets and albums in my parents' home in Delhi. As a result, I have managed to bring back some lovely heirlooms and photographs to Seattle! 

The photographs below are very personal and significant. The lady on the left is my maternal Grandmother (Nani) and her the lady on the right is her sister (Mausi Nani), my Great aunt. In their later years, they both lived with us in my parents home. My Nani was my room mate for years :) They were both incredible women and a great influence in my life. While, I do have a lot of pictures of them, I recently found their wedding pictures. You can imagine my excitement. I love the drama, the clothes, and the romance these pictures exude! This weekend I found the perfect vintage styles frames for these photographs. 

These are not necessarily designer decor finds that come with a hefty price tag. However, these are perhaps the best decor additions to my home!! Another important thing to consider is not only what you display, but also how you display it. I took my time finding these perfect frames and I am very happy with the result :) While, photographs are the obvious choice to personalize your home, its still fun to get creative with it :) For me personally, photographs in my home and not just vacation pictures but tell a story about our roots. I believe that my kids will benefit from it.

My home brings me joy and I wish the same for you. I hope your home is a place where you enjoy living with your memories....... and look forward to creating new ones!!

I would love to hear your thoughts on weaving your memories into your decor? 

Images: Copyright My Dream Canvas

Holiday Entertaining!

Its the 11th of December and Christmas is a few days away. I am sure many of you have holiday entertaining on your mind!! This country Christmas decor featured on Homelife recently caught my eye! The vintage decorations and natural linens look so elegant. Do you like it as much as I do???

Images: via

A Basket Full of Books

It has been busy on the home front these past few days. Hubby and daughter have both been sick and are at home. We are in a deep freeze with icy cold days and foggy mornings. I am going a bit crazy juggling errands, volunteering at my son's school, getting physiotherapy for my shoulder and playing nurse!! I know  is going to get better, but for now things are a wee bit crazy at the MDC Casa :)

Its days like these when I want to retreat into a corner with a cup of tea and a good book!  Its not going to happen for me, but I like the thought of it :) This basket full of books looks tempting and so perfect!

What a lovely way to display books, don't you think?

 

 

 

I could spend an afternoon here with a good book!

 

 

 

 

I like the look of this room/ study. Very chic yet cosy and comfy at the same time :)

 

 

I hope you are enjoying your day wherever you are!


Image: 1 and 2 via, Image 3 via

Holiday Cheer At Home

My cold winter nights are looking a wee bit brighter these days :) I recently found these pretty twigs at a lovely home store a few miles away from home. They have tiny little bulbs that sparkle when lit :) The best part is that they do not have no ugly wires that need an outlet to connect to. These twigs light up using batteries. You can stick them into vases or or just about anything. With no wires outside they look so pretty as a centerpiece on a table!!

I absolutely adore them :) They are perfect for this season! For now, I am using them with some Christmas decoration to spread some holiday cheer in my home :) However,  I can see myself using them year around specially when I have a dinner party. These twigs can be used by themselves, or with  flowers and other types of decorative branches to create a sparkling centerpiece!

Aren't they fun :)

Image : My Home on this cold winter evening!!


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