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Thursday, March 29, 2018

My Home - My Pride (Laundry Room)

I do not walk around with a rule book when I personalize any small space. Though my general rule with revamping any place is to play it safe when it comes to patterns and color pallets. But it seems with my laundry room's color and bold design choices, that rule is also out of the window.  
As the before picture hints out our laundry room was functional and organized enough. With a great deal of counter space, it was easy for me to clean, dry and fold our laundry. An under counter stainless steel sink and built in soap dispenser are just perfect for us to easily clean our messy boots or to shine my big brass pieces here. With plenty of storage space, this place has always been quite organized one but I wanted it to be a pretty place, where the rituals of doing laundry would give me enjoyment....who am I kidding? no...no...laundry is never pleasant, but my laundry room is..come on in!
When we had the paint work done, all the rooms were painted neutral shades but I wanted to try a daring wall color for my small laundry room. I decided to add a little spunk to our boring beige laundry room with this rosy pink shade and guess what...it instantly turned this 'dreary' room into a girlie glam laundry room.
Nope...the painters didn’t do the stenciling work. It was one of those unproductive weekend recently when the creative bug inside me got hyper and made me undertook the challenge of stenciling. Eventually this little DIY turn out quick (finished in an hour) and was quite easy on pocketbook (Michael's stencil with 40% coupon) with less efforts. Here is the link to paisley wall stencil by Michaels.
Highly inspired by the mud work embedded with mirrors and being a big fan of paisley designs, I tried and mimic the same look by adding a singular paisley design with tiny mirrors that would enhance the overall look. Now the room adds the hint of traditional elegance where I could leave the door open and show it off to my guests.  

Renovations might seem timeless and enduring but it should certainly not prevent you to express a sense of fun and experimenting with new skills when it comes to your home front. Hope this little tweak from my end will inspire you to revamp one of your spaces. Until we meet again, stay connected on Facebook & Instagram. We also have a giveaway and another beautiful home tour coming up so stick around, toodles!  

P.S. This Launddry Room is now added to 'Our Home' tab. If you wish to take a complete home tour, visit here

Friday, March 23, 2018

Decidedly Desi home with a Global Whimsy (Home Tour of Priyadarshi Family)

Everyone has a personal design style and knowing exactly what it is leads you to make the most of your home. Our today's home tour proves that having design guts often leads to interior glory while infusing character and personality in spades. Join me as I walk you through a glorious home laced with a genuine reflection of its dwellers and triumphant musing of their personal style.
While creating a colorfully welcoming home that blends their Indian heritage with a new found global whimsy, this inviting abode is established with a decidedly 'desi' décor pallet. An extreme affinity for Buddha, Ganesha and elephants (glad to know that there are people other than me who have the same good taste as me :)) is full-on display all around home. The Indian traditional royal look with "Rajasthani' touch is well layered by extracting best of the pieces from HomeGoods, Pier1 & Cost Plus World Market over the years. 
Meet Priyadarshi's, a Rajput family based out of San Francisco Bay Area. With lavish sophisticated look and full on richness in their surroundings, this family picture is adding more power to the adage: "Home is where our story begins". So, lets begin with Rachna, the lady who left her heart in India has won to create drama and interest through juxtaposition of different style while infusing traditional and modern pieces. Guided by passion and artful eye of Rachna, her daughter Kanika is also foraying into her mom's footsteps as she embarks her own creative journey of design field.  
The scene is set as soon as the door swings open at Priyadarshi Family. Entryway is sort of a calling card of their style leaving the first impression about the design direction for the rest of the home. Two French empire benches are dotted with elephant pillows to enliven the Indian flair. Being able to perch while puling those boots on or off would be luxury in such a space. Placing a brass urli on a traditional handcrafted elephant table shows that Rachna has won to maintain traditional bone while infusing contemporary pieces.  
All the zing and wow of a grander entryway is well achieved with pop of red and glam of gold on the other side. Rachna played up with the opportunity in the smallest transition area which often gets overlooked. Replacing a typical console table, the traditional - hand crafted and hand painted tables here are put at their best use, who says there are rules?  An engaging and scene stealing intricate art piece is making a big statement.  A small temple with an effigy of Ganesha is poised with a fresh approach and a visual delight.  
With jolts of juicy hues and neutral canvas, the living room is a best expression of Rachana's global sensibility. The minimalistic path and neutral background has allowed her to jazz up the elegance by scattering rich color as and when needed. With a neutral starting point, Rachna has kept the door of changeability open, where she can always swap out old accents for a new pallet whenever the next wave of trend rolls in. 

If you have fed your eyes with the beauty here, draw your attention to the bench under the huge mirror...which is actually a covered fireplace. Yes, I knew it will get your heart racing as it did mine too...with the pleasant weather that Californians are blessed with, they do not need a fireplace hence family decided to give some decorative treatment to fireplace with few extra sitting for their social gatherings. The deceptively elegant bench built by Mr. Priyadarshi now serves as a focal point in the room.  

Considering the swarm of people this family expects while hosting parties, they have made the best use of a large room by creating distinct areas, zones and furniture grouping.  
Picking another handcrafted, octagonal Moroccan table with carved Moorish arches cut-out as a coffee table Rachna has won to flirt with the fresh interpretation of décor. Instead of a sizable coffee table, this table can be easily pulled up close to a chair for extra seating or can be used to settle down your drinks. While furnishings inject pops of color, the unique shapes of accessories balance the room's other vibrant components.  
Everything in this room is kissed with all the sparkle, shine and glamorous accents. Rachna, a thoroughbred decorator at heart who harbors a passion and follows the rhythm of her heart, has won to add traditional touches with fanciful and global attributes as room's reflective glamour. A pair of octagonal handcrafted red table infuse a dose of desi glamour, while the accessories atop bring a warm brassy hue into the play. The playful mix of patterns and greens encourage the eye to glance around the room to absorb multicolored yet cohesive design that flows throughout.
If your décor fundament veer towards maximalist - announce it to the fullest. Investing in all the traditional accessories and well curated items Rachna is able to express her evolving style in a unique way.                                     
The youthful family spirit that occupies the home with saturated colors and lyrical patterns continues in the formal dining room also. Unplugging from work and technology, the family compels their friends and families to delight with a spread of mouthwatering delicacies in a great ambience of this room.   
After laying the dining room in plush comfort and extra ordinary array of global finds, Rachana's designer DNA adds a pinch of her bright idea on table top also. Engaging their guests in good food and good mood the family celebrate many milestones here.    
With plenty of choice to satiate the need for everyday comfort, the good times actually roll in the family room where the teenager duo lounge and giggle freely. Leaning in a slightly more modern direction than the rest of the home, the family room is enhanced with electronic recliners to chill out, watch late night movies and make memories.   
The love of Ganesha and elephant is dotted around the breakfast nook also. 
Every time I look at Kanika's room, my inner princess is swooning. It is my personal favorite room in this entire home tour. With those fairy lights, I bet Kanika feels as though sleeping amidst the pages of a royal story in a palatial surrounding. A healthy dose of Kanika's favorite pink color is punched on the wall with that Rajasthani handcrafted hanging, which definitely makes waking up in the A.M. all the easier (or so I think).                                                                     
Little desk in the bedroom provides a quiet spot away from the buzz of the house in a peaceful environment. Kanika also begins her every day surrounded by a sea of good memories above her study. By those two velvety chairs Kanika goes on gossiping with her girlfriends when she is not preparing for her university exams. A decent size of window with a feminine touch makes Kanika's outdoor connection undeniably strong.
To jazz up the elegance, the fairy lights found their way to the sleeping quarters of the couple also, where they retreat to rest and recharge each day. The other side of the bedroom partially impart a masculine vibe with a desk for the man of the house for daily communication on unfinished business. Though, keeping a relaxing chair closer to overly populated collection of books, Rachna has also spare a spot for herself to wind up a day curling up with a book. 

As we end this tour, with all my heart I want to say a big thank you to the family and specially to the lovely women (Kanika and Rachna) for allowing me to share their home with my readers. As I always say, crossing the path with inspiring women with extraordinary homes and their stories help me shape my own life and creativity.  

Just like me, Rachna has also adorned nick name 'Pinky' since babyhood and her Instagram feed is named Pinky Interiors by her daughter. Be sure to connect with the creative duo on Instagram feed here for more décor ideas. 

Until you see me here again, connect on Facebook and Instagram for daily dose of décor, toodles!

((Images belong to Priyadarshi Family). Please do not use the images without the prior written permission of the home owner and Pinkz Passion however, you may re-pin them from Pinkz Passion's Pinterest account)