Maadhumita's Curated Abode in Singapore

I am delighted to begin my first post of the year 2021 with a Home Tour. Maadhumita's Mukherjee's home in Singapore  evokes an old world charm  that is infused with an impeccable personal style. It is like walking into a beautifully curated space with the most delightful accessories. 

It is a warm and elegant home, well layered with textures and patterns that all blend together perfectly.  I asked Maadhumita to describe her style in her own words so here goes.

"We have been away from India for the last 35 years, but my heart and soul are still there. My love for antiques or vintage items came from growing up in colonial homes on the outskirts of Kolkata. Those were huge bungalows with wooden staircases, verandas with balustrades and filled with polished teakwood furniture. Scouting for old teakwood furniture is my passion. I have brought home many old broken-down pieces of furniture and restored them. My four-poster Burma teak bed is an antique which I picked up from one of the shops selling old furniture in Kolkata. The city used to be a haven for old furniture but nowadays it’s difficult to get genuine pieces.  Despite that, I still browse the shops, scouting for vintage artifacts. Vintage things appeal to me. The walls of my home are covered with paintings and unique traditional pieces like framed prabhavalis. These artworks create a focal point and give the room a finished look. Artworks can be photographs, simple fabrics that are framed or even children’s drawings. They don’t need to be expensive. 

My husband and I started collecting quite early. We used to buy artworks of unknown artists who are quite famous now. Only later did I go for more well-known contemporary artists from Bengal. Fresh flowers and indoor plants give my home a fresh look. 

I have learned a lot from my mother. She was a big inspiration. She used to keep a beautiful home. I start with a neutral palette and add cushions, artifacts, carpets and lamps to introduce color to my rooms.

After living in Singapore for many years I have come to appreciate handicrafts from Thailand, Myanmar, China and Vietnam. I have a collection of bells from Thailand and Myanmar. Additionally,  Chinese calligraphy brushes with lovely handles are on my coffee table.  I also have wooden lotuses from Chiang Mai hanging above my bed. Each piece is beautifully handcrafted.

My home in Kolkata is ready and we plan to go back very soon"

What a fascinating journey don't you think? Thank you Maadhumita for sharing your haven with the readers of My Dream Canvas. Wishing you all the best for your journey back to Kolkata. I am sure you will weave your magic there too. MDC will be waiting for a home tour part 2 from India :) It was hard to pick a favorite nook in her home as every corner is a delightful mosaic of interesting and colorful pieces.

My own love for vintage and colonial pieces made me instantly connect with so much of her home :) Do follow her on Instagram where she shares snippets of her home. Sharing a few images from her lovely abode on the blog today.....

This painting of Durga has my heart :)

 

I love this vignette with the lovely bells.

Images : Maadhumita Mukherjee and subject to copyright.

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

Suparna's Vibrant Abode in Kolkata

2020 seems to be passing by quickly despite the global pandemic that has crippled the world. Staying indoors has made all of us into homebodies. Somehow, the comfort of home is something we can no longer take for granted. The four walls of our homes has become out safe refuge during these uncertain times. Today, I am happy to share a warm and vibrant home from India.

Suparna Deb's home is full of color and artifacts. She seems to be quite a collector. I am drawn to the various corners of her home. There is so much life and creativity in the vignettes she creates. Suparna and I clearly share a passion for fresh flowers :)

I asked Suparna to share her home and her story in a few words. 

" I am Suparna, and I am a member of Central Civil Service of India. At present I am based in Kolkata.  I am an an avid traveller, with a  love and passion for writing, heritage, history and  art and crafts. I am a storyteller and my home reflects the same :)

My favorite quote is one by Kahlil Gibran to define what home decor means to me.Your house is your larger body. It grows in the Sun and sleeps in the stillness of night, and it is not dreamless. Not only comfort your house and home decor should reflect your personality and inner self "

Beautiful words Suparna. Words I think, that resonates with all of us who are  home decor enthusiasts.  

Enjoy a peak into the corners of Suparna's delightful home. It is a kaleidoscope of colors that exudes warmth and beauty.

Thank you Suparna for sharing your lovely home with the readers of My Dream Canvas. 

Images: Copyright Suparna Deb and cannot be used without written permission.

Sudha's Vibrant Home in Bangalore

Home tours on MDC have always been special for me. The homes featured here have always been a mix of styles. That is just the way I like it :) Today, I have a bold and vibrant home to share with you. Splashes of colors and an abundance of greens fill this warm and traditional home. Sudha Chegudi's home in Bangalore is spectacular. Each and every corner of her home is vying for your attention. I am particularly drawn to the plants in her home and the gorgeous brass utensils. 

Sudha invites you into her home today and describes her journey in her own words. 

"I am a garden enthusiast, wife, a mom and a total believer in sustainable and functional décor who has turned a rental “ House” into a Home. I am a Business Solution Architect by profession working in Bangalore. The world I work for, and where my heart lies are far apart. My career started with Dakshina Chitra in Chennai, a heritage museum and then I went on to work for Cottage Expositions that dealt with Indian handicrafts. A hardcore Vintage lover, I love things that have a stories, history and a character to it. The history of it intrigues me.I  had the opportunity to travel extensively in South India to source handicrafts. That is one of the reasons I’ve been bitten by the handicraft bug :)

Our home is a reflection of simple sustainable decor. We have a collection  of antiques and artifacts gathered over the years. Some old and some new. I have  never really believed in splurging and following the latest trends. I started by sharing my garden space, décor with plants, flat-lay photography on my instagram. The motive was to focus on the finer details and capture the magic that lies in it.

Most of the time, my décor comprises of roadside finds -fallen flowers, chips of wood bark or even  dry foliage. I am very unpredictable in terms of what I could use next. Life’s like that isn’t it? My personal style statement has always been heaps of vibrance and colors and that pretty much reflects our personality. I can’t handle whites or beige tones:)

I like to keep it simple and effective. That is my personal mantra.

Some days it’s brass, and on another day it is ceramic or a mix of both. They don’t necessarily have a format and don’t have to co-ordinate. I love anything Indian! Most of the things in my home are travel finds, souvenirs or from flea markets and gifts that friends bring over. I also like textures and patterns of fabric from different states in India.  don’t really follow a plan while decorating. My main objective is to make our home inviting and stress free . “Going out of fashion” doesn’t exist in my world of  décor. Some days there are framed fabrics that go up the wall, a vintage tiffin carrier becomes a lampshade, along with doodles and paintings made by the siblings, a Kanchi cotton saree border adorns a rose wood mirror frame and so on...

 I love having plants and bright natural light around me. Almost all my furniture are from thrift stores or seconds sale. This is a conscious effort on our part.

I can handle clutter and chaos, but I can’t handle a spic and span museum like house with no life and warmth in it. The warmth is what draws my family and friends back to our home .....and that is the feeling which pretty much sums up my vision of my ideal home."

Thank you Sudha. I love the way you have described your home. Authenticity in decorating our homes is what keeps it unique and personal. 

Follow Sudha on Instagram for lovely updates on her home.

All Images Copyright Sudha Chegudi @ pottedpassions and cannot be used without written persmission.