Anubhuti's Decor Alchemy

I remember that when I was younger, my mother’s constant worry was that I could not cook :) She tried in vain to get me into the kitchen but I was constantly shielded by my Grandmother who said "she will do it when she has to, let her be.” I was definitely not interested in cooking back then, but I loved to set up a pretty table :) My Mom always said that food should not only taste good, but look good and should be served well. Now the last part, I could connect with :) For all the dinner parties at home, I was in charge of setting the table. My Dad was in the Army so entertaining was a big part of our lives. Eventually, I did tackle the cooking part and I cook endlessly now :)

With the festive season in full swing, table decor takes center stage. Today, I am delighted to feature Anubhuti's home on the blog. She is a fellow Seattleite and has exquisite taste in decor. Her styling is a work of art. It is refreshing, elegant and eclectic and  I absolutely love it!!

This is a peak into her Diwali table from a few weeks ago. I asked Anubhuti to share a few lines about herself, so here goes....

"An engineer with an artistic brain...with a strong passion for interior design, decor, gardening/landscaping and all things beautiful! My design style is contemporary blend of South East Asian mixed with Parisian style. I love playing with textures and mixing styles and elements in unusual ways to bring that uniqueness in my decor/design work"

Fabulous right? Now, who would not want to be a guest at this table :)

 

Anubhuti's style is unique. She has a knack of incorporating a variety of elements and yet, somehow manages to give it a cohesive look.Take a look at these incredible images to see what I mean.......

Thanks Anubhuti for sharing your home with the readers of My Dream Canvas. Do follow Anubhuti's journey at Decoralchemy on Instagram

Images: Anubhuti Singh @ decoralchemy

Deepika's Creative Pursuits. saffronandaisies and isan_pottery

These are troubling times and people around the world are suffering. Social distancing has become the new norm. During this time, it is also so important to stay calm and healthy. While we cant meet up, live life like we normally do, we can certainly stay home and spend some time looking at pretty things :) We can also drop by virtually into people's homes :) I am thrilled to showcase the home and creativity of a lady who has been an online friend for years. She and I exchange quick messages almost on a daily basis on Instagram. You can only imagine how much we will have to chat about, if we were to meet in person :)

While I have always admired Deepika's warm personality and her home, I am in awe of her passion and talent when it comes to pottery. Intrigued? Read on to know more about Deepika creative journey in her own words.....

"I am Deepika and actively share snippets of my home, recipes and pottery on Instagram. I started microblogging a few years ago to share pictures of  the progress while I was decorating my home. I was pleasantly surprised with the positive reaction and started sharing more . We moved to Texas 3 years ago. At the time, I began to feel the stress of starting over in a new place all over again. I started taking pottery lessons on Saturday mornings ( I waited 10 years to do this ) and never looked back ! I love making things with my hands. I don't worry a lot about the final product, but the process of making the pieces gives me immense satisfaction. Oh! The joy of holding and using something you have made with your hands is indescribable !

 Today I am also sharing a few pictures of my Pooja room. The biggest investment here is a custom made mandir that took about 4 weeks from concept to the finished product. Each panel is hand carved and was made in such a manner that it could be shipped packed in parts back to the US . My husband assembled it back together with a few nails. I feel so lucky to have met this carpenter who knew exactly what I wanted. The rosewood secretary  and the chest are facebook market place finds. It took me two years to find it and that too for a great price. The seller bought it back from Saudi Arabia and decided to sell as she was downsizing. I’ve learnt over the years to only bring pieces that I absolutely love into my home. I lean towards a well curated place. I stay away from simply filling it up with things that I will want to change again in a few years. There is a satisfaction in knowing that you found what you absolutely love. This room is filled with sweet little gifts and DIYs that make my heart sing. The dasavatara set was a gift from my cousin, the original Saraswathi was gifted by another cousin , the window film was put in place by me and the little bird hanging was a gift from my husband from his travels. The yellow letter holder is a repurposed ikea letter holder. The room was painted by my niece and husband . The paintings were found in the attic, the curtains are actually $10 table clothes I found in an outlet store that I repurposed as curtains . The chair came from the same outlet , repurposed with kalamkari fabric from my stash . The pen holders except the green lady  are (25 cents thrift store finds ) and are made by me.

This space is a labor of love. It  has special memories from family and friends incorporated into it.  I feel like I’m enveloped in a warm hug when I walk into this room ! The room is off the main entrance and is the first thing guests see when they come over. The  theme has always been cheerful, happy and warm like the rest of my home."

Here are a few stunning pieces from Deepika's pottery collection. To follow her creative journey, do join her on Instagram.  Her insta handle Saffronanddaisies is filled with color, warmth and creativity. Isan Pottery is where she posts pictures of her gorgeous pottery. You can reach out to her to purchase these beauties. I am a proud owner of one of her pieces myself :)

Another striking feature of Deepika's home is this green accent wall. This is the story of how the wall came about in her own words......

"The green wall came into existence as it was the only wall I could paint with an accent color. I had just got some beautiful custom made curtains and therefore I was itching to paint it blue  (my favorite color) I got many samples from the paint store but I couldn’t find the exact color I wanted. During that time, I remembered the uppada saree in my stash. I decided to get a sample color matched to the green saree .  I tried on the paint and sent pictures to my  friend Kriti for her opinion. She said yes and I went to town:) My husband tries often to coax me to change it to black, but I have been resisting!! The masks are from our trip to Mexico, some from Trove Craft India, the ceramic plaques are made by me, the bull head is from Yellow Verve in Hyderabad . Being a potter myself, I love supporting small businesses and independent artists.  I understand the effort and workmanship that goes into each handcrafted piece . The bench is a find from a local store and the pillows are from my studio. I got the kalamkari block printed especially for these covers . The mirror is a Pier 1 find."

Thank you Deepika for sharing glimpses of your lovely, warm and vibrant home. All the best for your creative journey :) This virtual tour has definitely been my much needed break from reality and I hope it does the same for you :) Stay Calm and Carry On!!

Images : Copyright : Deepika Dhoolypala.

Macrame and a Colorful Abode in Madrid

This colorful apartment in Madrid swept me away! The pops of color and the eclectic vibe, whats not to love about it :) This is the home of Sara Moreno who weaves her magic and creates the most beautiful macrame products.

Her brand is called Fruto Samore. Its a collection of her signature and handmade macrame items. From Blankets, Tapestries, Pillows, Poufs, Baskets and planters, Sara creates them all. The name of the brand means " my fruit, the fruit of Samore, a word formed by the first syllables of her name and last name ” Sara loves the world of DIY's.

Every corner of her home reveals her passion and that of her husband. From the loom and macrame pieces and their love for natural plants  to travel....their favorite hobby. Their recent travels took them to Japan and the Maldives, and their next family vacation is to Indonesia. The couple loves backpacking and always try to integrate into the local culture. 

For her home, Sara looks for simple and creative decorative solutions. Her ideas bear a handmade stamp. By doing so, she believes that her decor will be personal and unrepeatable.

What a lovely thought, don't you think ?

Images: via Micasa Revista and subject to copyright.

Design Inspiration Sincerely Sarah D

I am now in my tenth year of blogging and it has ben an incredible journey. There has been so much of learning, inspiration that has come along the way. The reason I choose to call my blog "My Dream Canvas" is because, I like to think of my home as a canvas bringing my thoughts to life. We are all individuals, with our own identities, and are home should reflect that individuality. When I stumbled upon Sarah's home pictureS, I instantly felt a connection. I love the fresh, clean and elegant look. The white washed walls with the pops of color look perfect. While every home is different, and people's design ethos vary, we connect with some more than others. 

More than these images, its her thought process that resonates with me even more. Her decorating philosophy is a good read " Although it's taken me awhile to get to this point, I realize that not everyone is going to love my design style, and that's okay!  I have grown to appreciate different design styles.  We don't all dress alike, and honestly it would be such a boring world if we all decorated and dressed the same. As a result, I've come to really appreciate (and follow) designers who have a different design sense.  I realize I can find inspiration from their designs!"

I could not agree more! Designing my home for me is extremely personal, and thats what I love most about it :)

Sarah has a lovely blog and her Instagram feed has lots of delightful pictures. 

Sigh....if only all the shoes in my home home looked as pretty :)

Images: Style Me Pretty and subject to Copyright.

Earthy Meets Modern in NSW

Do you think Earthy and Modern can co exist? I think so! This striking bungalow in Australia's New South Wales is a perfect example. Designed by Interior Design expert Louise Walsh, the home has a unique vibe. What struck me the most was the dark charcoal wall contrasting with the stunning red rug in the foyer. It does create quite the drama! There are pretty textiles beautifully layered in the bedroom and it all looks so appealing.

This home has a moody yet clean and airy vibe. A combination that is hard to achieve but here it seems pretty effortless :)

How are you doing this week? I am inundated with Diwali orders at the Shop At My Dream Canvas. While its been hectic, I can't afford to complain. I am grateful for the response to the new collection. As a small business owner, the  appreciation and support is what keeps me going :) So a "Big Thank You" to all those who have made my "finds" a small part of your lovely home!

Images: Louise Walsh and subject to Copyright.

Inspiring Interiors : A Wedding Designers Home

I am completely besotted by how cute this fella is :)  The house too looks awesome by the way :) This is the home of Heather Balliet, a wedding specialist whose translates her designing skills  from wedding decor to designing her stunning home. Heather is the owner of Amorology. In her words " We're known for creating personalized events that really tell the story of our couples. Our design is romantic and eclectic with a touch of playful, which is also reflective in our modern farmhouse home"

To me her home looks so inviting with the pops of color against all the white. Its both dramatic and super chic!

I love the bright vintage rugs!

This kitchen is what dreams are made of :)

Such a beautiful color palette. The rustic table blends in effortlessly with the sea green hues in the dining chairs.

I could not resist another cute picture of the doggy :) I do hope you enjoyed this home tour as much as I have :) The home looks dreamy, modern yet eclectic.....definitely a lovely addition to the Inspiring Interiors series on MDC!

Do you have a favorite element you love in this delightful home ?  I would love to know?  Have a great week ahead and keep on smiling:)

Images via Style Me Pretty, Photography via Pura Soul Photography.