Diwali Decor: 25 Ways to Light Up Your Home

The first thing my mum does, when Diwali is just around the corner, is buy our big, fat Diwali lanterns. Over the years we've also made a few at home. One was always hung in the balcony of our apartment. A few modest clay diyas lined the windows and precisely two were kept right outside the main entrance. These little lights and a colourful large rangoli meant Diwali was here.

Now my parents live in a row house, which means many more windows and balconies. So there are three big, fat lanterns, string lights and hand painted diyas. My sister loves to do up the traditional diyas with glitter and colours. She's super at it, maybe I'll dupe her into doing a tutorial this time!

So my point is, today, none of us can get away with the simple stuff we grew up with. Too much pressure, I say. As we amp up the celebration of the festival of lights, I thought of doing a quick round-up of excellent ideas to bring in the light all through the festive season.

I've pinned 25 lovely, DIY inspirations. Some of them can be assembled in 5 minutes flat while others can keep you busy all through this weekend. From the ever versatile tea lights to bare, naked bulbs, the possibilities are pretty much endless.

Head over to my Pinterest board Diwali Lights Decor to take your pick.

What do you do to light up your home for the festival?

Book Hunt Find: Home by Stafford Cliff

Have you ambled into a book shop without any particular title in mind? Just given in to the bookworm instinct, prepared to pour over book covers and blurbs, to discover a gem quite by chance? That's exactly what happened to me a few moons ago on a trip to a mall in Delhi. They (Landmark) were having some sort of a sale, and books were piled almost from the floor to the ceiling. What joy!

I pottered about and found this simply brilliant book - Home: 50 Taste-makers Describe What it is, Where it is, What it Means by Stafford Cliff. I loved the cover, the title and a quick flip through revealed that this was worth having on my bookshelf. However, it has never made it to the bookshelf since I brought it home. I love having it within easy reach just so I can flip through the pages, stare into beautifully captured homes, get lost in childhoods and the different interpretations of a home.

It's one of those books, that teach us so much about personal style, photography and the meaning of spaces we create. A home is so much more than a place to park your stuff. As my world-view evolves, I see my need for a place to call home change.

There are so many things that endear this book to me. As the taste-makers talk about their homes or special places they reveal so much about who they are, how they think and sometimes, it completely changes the way you have perceived them earlier. That is an exciting promise, don't you think?

Kenzo Takada's home in Paris

The photography is a different trip altogether. Some pictures add visual elements to enhance a narrative while some spin a new tale all by themselves. Designing is always subjective, but the sheer personality it imbibes from owners or designers is enchanting. Just looking at the pictures gives you so many ideas to transform your home into a reflection of its occupants.

Beautiful kitchens, the bottom one is Donna Hay's. So very her, isn't it?

A busy living room wall, with great character

What I have learnt, from this book so far:

1. Things that endure through the years, the many abodes and phases of your life are the ones that serve some purpose with an element of delight to the eye. So I'd suggest you don't buy things unless you see yourself living with them for a long, long time
2. On the other hand, it's perfectly okay to include a few things that aren't functional, but have an emotional connection for you. So that recipe your grandma gave you, can be printed onto parchment paper and framed to inspire wholesome meals in your kitchen 
3. Experiment, blend, get inspired by the trends and the design rules of your era, but leave some room to add your personal touches. A bottle filled with sands from all the beaches you enjoy may not come for a heavy price tag, but is a delightful reminder of fun times
4. Bring in the light, let it dance around. Most beautiful rooms become even better when you throw in a good mix of light, natural or arranged
5. Find a place for things that you love doing, make time to personalise it. Enjoy the after-effects. Donna Hay's kitchen, Paul Smith's office, Kenzo Takda's pool in his living room all inspire to carve out spaces where happiness is easy to find

I'd definitely recommend this fat little book of treasures, in case you like the stuff I've been raving about in this post.

If you have any thing to add to this list (whether inspired by this book or elsewhere), I'd love to hear about it. Share with us, your go-to inspirations for building a home that you love.

Vintage with a Twist: A Class Act

We've all heard the age-old wisdom of when life hands you lemons, make lemonade. I thought of taking a shot at it, and came up with this art print. Why not be classy, stare life in the eye, and make some lemon tea? Surviving a challenge with grace, charm and style makes me feel much better while am trying to get through it. The key of course is to remember that you will get on the other side, it's the middle that sucks, but is going to pass. Hang in there buddy, you're gonna make it.

Turquoise Blue Rooms

We tend to move homes at least once a year, thanks to my husband's line of work. Since we haven't grown roots in one place, I avoid doing a wall treatment calls for more than putting up decals. My mantra to building a cozy nest is to use fabrics. Since we've mostly lived by the sea, I like bringing a bit of it into the home. You can't go very wrong with a combination of white and turquoise, it always always brightens up spaces. I use accessories in yellows, reds, deeper blues and greens to add pops of colour.

Turquoise is one of my favourite colours, so I was looking for inspiring rooms and palettes with this colour. These interesting ones caught my attention on Pinterest. Do you find a palette here you'd like to use?

Source: thecoolhunter.net via Priyanka on Pinterest

Source: apartmenttherapy.com via Priyanka on Pinterest

Source: sasinteriors.net via Priyanka on Pinterest

 Source: cptnrin.smugmug.com via Priyanka on Pinterest

 Source: houseofturquoise.com via Priyanka on Pinterest

Source: alifesdesign.blogspot.com via Priyanka on Pinterest