Whimsically Ethnic (Home Tour of Poornima Murthy) Part -1

The month of February takes us just that little bit further into the year, while still retaining the essential freshness of new beginnings. That being said about beginnings, bringing you a brand-new home tour to kick start this year at the blogging front.  

With color and creativity at every turn, this home is a purposeful reflection of what the home owners truly love and how they live. Seeking balance between beauty, art and functionality with a touch of quirk this home tour will definitely strike a chord with you all. So, to make it up to you all for this admittedly long overdue home tour (and my absence on blog sphere), I have decided to feast your eyes and senses in three parts. After all, a home packed with tons of ideas and lots of guts deserves more than a single post. 

Beautiful homes always brim with multitude of beautiful things. Portraits of many lovely vignettes - all with diverse style, colors, accouterments, layouts and ambiance illustrate how small personal touches of Poornima has bring charm to every setting. With her impeccable style of displaying her collection and artifacts, I was not ready to let go any of the big or small picture that she shared with me hence this part - 1 will be all about an attention to detail look at her collection and vignettes.

Whether you like to go bold or subtle, I invite you to embrace the richness and radiance of this home where the home owners Poornima Murthy and Srikanth Murthy have adopted “The-sky-is-the-limit" approach.

With all the colors around her, I am sure Poornima has all the reasons to smile. Driven by sheer passion, this software engineer is an "all-rounder" when it comes to interior decoration and has crafted her home with a heartbeat. She excels in whatever she attempts and puts her best foot forward; be it a venturing into a new decorating project or humming along on a wonderful journey of raising her pre-teen boy. 

This Seattle home of Bangalore natives with deep roots of southern India encompasses both traditional and western ethos at the same time. A home filled with family heirlooms, vintage collections and fanciful finds pay tribute to Murthy family’s heritage and tradition.

Beefing up the colors, mixing and matching with splendid fabrics and cloaking every room in some-kind of eye-catching wall treatment is what Poornima excels at. But she credits some spirited ladies for fanning the flames of her decor passion. She loves the design sensibilities of few women who have top the bill in her book of decor and where she usually looks up to feed inspiration and motivation repeatedly.  

Spilling the beans Poornima declares: "I started collecting brass/art for almost about a decade now. Anu, from My Dream Canvas happens to be my first inspiration. Reading her blogs has rightly converted my passion of home decor stronger. Her blog is a major inspiration for me to start my love for suzani fabrics and vintage decor. It was via her blogs only, I learned about many Indian artists including Chandan Dubey. I proudly own many of her one of a kind frames and that Gauri head is also from Chandan's boutique. I personally admire another local artist is Meenal.  Art pieces from her PaintPotteryProducts are proudly dotted around our home. My anituqe collection is from various sources such as The Indian Weave, Indian Antique Store and few local Banglore stores". 

Poornima is the essence of this space, so her home reflects her life and personality. Poornima coins: "I love everything ethnic and bold decor in equal measure. I am the happiest when surrounded by bright colors. Due to the frequent transfers in my father's job, we could not keep any artifacts in our home. But it all began innocently enough when I used to enjoy and re-arrange whatever we had. Now my home is powered through reflecting my love and passion of decor that grew over the period."

"Go-big" decorating attitude is nothing new for Poornima. Playing with different colors combinations come naturally to her. She sees her home's vibrant colors as an antidote to her busy work schedules and school calendars and the blah gray days of Seattle.

The more personal your collections and displays are, the more of a unique character your home will have. Artwork, collections and heirlooms are soul of Poornima's home. When heirloom pieces are combined together with newly founded gems, they solidify a naturally integrated display. 

A sense of unexpected is always welcome in Poornima's settings. She experiments with ways to add her own personal flair to bring a touch of whimsy to make every vignette come alive. 

Poornima just like any other decorista, believes in the power of natural elements. Flowers and plants are added in most of the settings of her vignettes to get an organic feel.

Her every vignette in decor highlights an important design lesson: Contrast adds layers and interest to a space. By incorporating colorful accents with the softer background she has created a look that's equally striking and beautiful. 

Poornima's home has got a very Indian flavor to it. Her amazing collection reflects her globe-trotting life. Her walls are the best story-teller of her home with the capacity to communicate and capture the very essence of her home. 

Riot of color and pattern in small confined areas are masterfully mixed in every setting. For Poornima, the bolder she goes the bigger the smile when she sees it.

Brave hits of color and patterns beautifully collide in this happy-glam home. Modern design infused with the ethnic essence proves a winning combination. This zen setting here is a part of her Yoga-Room....I don't think I would be interested in doing yoga, my eyes would be too busy with my flirty glances to see all the beauty Poornima has created around it. Will reveal the bigger pictures of all rooms in next post soon, Pinky promise :). 

As we wrap up this part -1 of Poornima's home tour, here is a final picture to pique your curiosity. I personally believe the glimpse of this picture is not enough to prepare you all for visual dazzle that you will experience in next part. Come along on an adventure with me and Poornima that's full of exciting new decor surprises in part -2. There is lot more to appreciate but until I come back again, let your imagination soar. 

I would like to give a special mention to Meenal at PaintPotteryProducts for connecting the dots with Poornima. When the opportunity to showcase Poornima's home presented itself, I jumped and rightfully grabbed it....and I am so glad that I did. The beautiful new connection that has blossomed along my passion filled journey is just precious. Connecting with like minded souls like Poornima who shares the same great decor passion as me is -hands down- the best part of my blogging journey. Thank you Poornima for giving me this opportunity. 

For the link of part-2 click here.

Until we meet again, stay connected, toodles!

(Images are from Poornima's home. 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) 

Boho-chic, eclectic, modern and dramatic (Home Tour of Manmeet Bassi)

The excitement is always palpable in every new home tour and this home is not an exception but opening the door to this one took a wee bit longer 😊. Nevertheless, here I am with a home where global details and pieces from various eras come together for a blend that is easy going and warm.  

Following the rhythm of their heart the couple has won to kept their style cool and collected with textured looks and chic accessories. The tour of this cool meets cozy home will convey the energetic spirit of the home owners while tossing you a comforting hug from every corner of the home. Come on in!   

Say “hello” to Manmeet, a seasoned traveler, an ex-hotelier, a self-made artist and a Punjabi Kudi married to  a hotelier Bengali babumoshai. 'Globe-trotter' is the word that best describes our today’s home owners. Being in the hospitality industry, the couple has been journeying in different parts of the world. Before settling in Kolkata, the couple had not only been located in Ireland and Hongkong but within India also they have moved around quite a bit - Goa, Hyderabad, Amritsar and Rishikesh to name a few.   

Travelling has not been only there to show the ropes but it also has paved the way for more advancement in the couple's lifestyle. Hence, the source of décor inspiration in their home, differs from each travel destination. Manmeet personally cannot put a label on her décor style...but why put it up when there are many possibilities to explore. Looking at her living room, one cannot deny that the slice of Indian heritage perfectly fits into her modern interiors with the unpredictable mix of objects. However, she confesses: “I am quite influenced by the latest trends and try to incorporate them in my present setting in small doses”. 

With an impeccable sense of style and passion for decorating, the home resonates most effectively to the couple’s memories of the places they have visited and loved. The couple has embraced a lifestyle more aligned with their travel. Manmeet points out that she picks up the local art pieces of every place they have lived in and visited. 

Besides decorating, Manmeet has also dabbled in art and is currently occupied with the new found passion to the fullest. The brightly hued paintings are proudly highlighted on the walls of her home. Manmeet shares this enriching experience with the rest of the world via Instagram handle of Lifescapes_by_m. 

Manmeet has not only dared to, but also succeeded in challenging and changing conventional décor norms by adding her own signature paintings around the home. Every corner in this artist's home is a trip with her insightful, intelligent and impressive take on life through the strokes of her paintings. 

Manmeet always approaches every project with ‘CAN-DO’ mindset. Blending her love of art with her love of distressed and vintage furniture pieces around every corner of the home is fine-tuned. She candidly mentions about it: “I personally believe in fengshui, so you will mostly see happy and vibrant colors in the house through my art and decor. I also feel my home gives a very holistic and earthy look and also it has a bohemian touch to it. It’s more like a mix of old and new with my choice of vintage stuff and distressed furniture dotted around the home”. Distressed credenza in the above pictrue and the cabinet in this picture are from Jodhpur. 

The couple loves to travel and has poured their creative energy in their home. This corner has a visible Goan influence with Mario Miranda artwork on tiles and a vintage - old bar cabinet. Manmeet has accessorized with personal touches and statement pieces to re-define the simplicity of her home with a dash of drama.   

To achieve a sympathetic blend in décor, Manmeet embraces old while ushering in to the new.  With a happy collision of different cultures Manmeet has created delicious visual stories using the heirloom pieces around the home. Emotions tend to run high for her when she talks about it: “The utensils that you see all over the house are very old and very Bengali. They are called Kansa utensils.  I have proudly inherited them from my mom in law and have used them for the decor rather than in the kitchen”. 

Manmeet harbors a passion towards plants and flowers and she confesses to be a flower addict. Her personal taste and preferences for plants and flowers are easily translated in her design goals. To keep the drama going she makes amendments in her plants and flowers on regular basis to excel the style quotient of home.  The wooden sculptures (MAA Durga) and wooden musical instruments in this collage are acquired from Bengal. 

Manmeet’s flair of drama towards her home is quite popular with her friends as well. And upon quizzing them about her home decor style, they chalked out good characteristics of the lady and her home. With a shine on her face, Manmeet shared the outpouring of appreciation with me. And her friends give a clear insight into her home and herself, wouldn't you agree?   

• “Your home looks like a house of a well-traveled person with a lot of exposure.” 
• “It’s an artist's home. An extension of your fine personality 'welcoming and warm’ to all. Gives very positive vibes” 
•  “Very much a reflection of your personality and inner self and ideology that you hold dear to your heart, it’s curated by self-for self” 
•  “Very classy” 
•  “Earthy and holistic” 
•  “Good earth vibes” 
•  “Boho-chic, eclectic, modern and dramatic" (This was an ideal statement to describe Manmeet's home hence I had to steal it to title this home tour) 

With ease being her priority in decor, Manmeet spills the beans about her design style:  

• I believe in up cycling things and hence have used the ladders and other old furniture pieces.
• To refresh my decor, I give a bit of a modern twist to old furniture by using trendy upholstery and cushion covers wherever possible.
• I love Fab India furniture so some pieces are from there.
• All the cane furniture is custom made in Hyderabad. Keeping our transitory life in mind, I have used a lot of cane furniture. It’s light and easy to move with. 

If you are someone who doesn’t like to play by the rules of the court, this would be the home tour you’re looking for. Manmeet has won to pull little bit of everything together creatively to make it a gorgeously fashionable and a very pleasingly decorative home. 

Thank you Manmeet for letting us visit your home virtually, as I wrap up this home tour, wishing you and your family all the very best. 


I have one more beautiful home tour in edit/write phase but I am planning to hibernate during this freezing cold Canadian winter ;), so until we meet again, stay connected on social medias of Pinkz Passion, toodles!

(Images are from Manmeet's home. 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) 

Under the Deck (Tour of in-built BBQ)

As I write this, I am sitting in the late afternoon sun gleaming on the gazebo on our deck. Sun’s rays are warming my face as the crooning of birds in the surrounding ravine and the gentle occasional breeze are accompanying me. It’s a cherished moment of calm that is making me feel that I am in heaven literally and literary. The only side effect of summer is, I catch myself smiling more and feeling increasingly carefree during the longer days of the season.  

Summer is at the very heart of any Canadian, just because we have only handful weekends to enjoy summer here in Toronto. And to make the best of it, we spend pretty much every minute possible outside in our staycation (a.k.a. our backyard). This year also, with the hint of summer, we have been totally plugged out with our outdoor surroundings on our deck. 

But to extend the time we spend in the fresh air; we have created the ultimate outdoor oasis under the deck including an inbuilt BBQ station with an actual hammock because sometimes the simplest summer pleasure just come from swaying away on the hammock outside after dinner ;) . Never did I think I would enjoy an outdoor project as much as I have worked on our interiors but looking at it now, it is our perfect private spot to unwind. 

As an extension of our household, investing in the backyard of our dreams has enhance our quality of life and the value of our home. For our easy bare feet walking we have invested in stone interlocking from the front drive way to most of the backyard.  

One of my favorite thing about summer is to take advantage of the beautiful weather by dining outdoors! Given a chance I leave no stone unturned in styling my tablescapes, be it indoors or outdoors. Let the creative juices flow and make this summer the best summer ever for your outside entertaining.

Since summer style is all about ease. I have fun with no rules approach while creating tablescapes by mixing with colors, patterns and not to forget food and wine.  

When planning an outdoor space, it’s important to think about your own lifestyle and how you will be using this space. You should think of your exterior space as an extension of your home. We like to layer our outdoor spaces in a way that feels comfortable and practical for personal use or entertaining friends. For the very same reason, designing an outdoor in-built BBQ was an exciting moment for us. 

At times dealing with it seemed like a myriad of decision and rules so daunting but thankfully my expert BBQ loving husband tackled the task with ease. For smoky and flavorful meals, we also installed a smoker/broiler. For handling food or cleaning up as the party unwinds the built-in sink is just perfect in our outdoor BBQ station. 

Who says we vegetarians don't enjoy BBQ? Here is just a glimpse of our veggies getting ready for grilling. From grilled veggies to hot dogs and from garlic breads to burgers...our outdoor food fare runs till quite late.   

Now with a practical, livable space under the deck our outdoor entertaining is a breeze. No matter if we are having some family over for an impromptu BBQ party or are prepping for a Canada Day bash for the group of friends, the pleasant weather under the shade of our deck and relaxed vibe gives us the chance to interact and connect.  

I am honestly not much of those green fingered types who love to tend to their flowerbeds all afternoon. I am in tune with throwing down a pillow and soaking up some rays with a good book here taking the advantage of the surrounding scenery and the view...so if you need me I am all settled here for this summer :). Until we meet again dear friends, enjoy your summer just because summer is too precious to spend indoors....toodles!