Home is where heart is... (Home Tour of Shweta)

The adage “Home is where the heart” beyond doubt demystifies this infectiously cheerful, make-you-smile style, homey home tour of today.  Dash of soul and deepest passion of D-I-Y are the ingredients that brilliantly blend the comfort and style of our today’s home owner Shweta Markandeywar.

Nestled in a cozy town of Arizona, the décor and DIY packed home has some envy inducing homemade to hand me own treasures tailored to family's own style and preferences. As we weave the space together,  join me with all your ears (or eyes, rather) to delight your eyes and trigger inspiration.

Shweta’s pompous testimony of being her home “an ideal mix of color, patterns and somewhat eclectic” is spot-on, as her entrance positively hints out what’s yet to come. The arrival attracts our attention and envelops you in an arresting take with two flanking elephants used aptly for placing her greens.

The couple is plugged into a vast source of creativity and have achieved more than a mile long DIY projects through out their home. Driven purely by DIY ethics, the homeowners outline and shape the place sagaciously by building this low sitting “Baithak” with little bit of elbow grease and lots of love. The hardworking piece of settee now takes the lead in her living room.  

To fine-tune this creation, Shweta gushed about adding a playful spin with few foam cushion and throw pillows to keep things fresh in the room. Now friendly presence of this piece uncannily echoes championing a successful DIY mission.

Buddha anchors the main wall taking the central look in her airy open concept layout where chuckles and giggles are boundless, when couple enjoy “Harry Potter” nights with their 2 young boys.

Just like many of us, Shweta uses her coffee-table as a vehicle for an ever changing display of things she loves. Little hand me down pieces are always attuned to their surroundings, being their personal favorite. She chimed in with me declaring heirloom pieces like brass flower carrier and "paandaan" are the top picks for both.

A touch of luxury and oodles of nostalgic drama radiates from little corners of her home. Stenciling an ordinary lampshade here gave a striking difference turning it into an unusual piece. The Krishna frame at the head of the table is an old calendar, which Shweta’s father in law framed and gifted the family on her last visit. The orphan alcove is now a focal point with other clusters of hand me downs.     

The tight arrangement of a cohesive collage wall spreads the moments of memories on her staircase. These haphazard arrangements of loved ones, journeys or special events dominantly tip-off family’s time lapse moments to cherish every single day while running up and down the stairs.

DIYs are promoted throughout the home and couple’s fantastically glamorous bedroom delivers a bold testimonial where Shweta didn't shy away from giving her bedroom a brave treatment. She has hesitantly flirted with this hue of blue in her bedroom and to add an extra kick she stenciled the accent wall. This ingenious DIY creativity of stenciling is a real turn for anyone like me, who has ever considered pursuing it.

Moving same things in different spots keeps the same bed room feel fresh and new.

Visual moments are waiting at every turn of this home. The master bath wall is framed by Shweta’s beautiful drawings of cherry blossom branches in aqua and punctuated by tiny swinging metal cages making the place look noticeably exquisite.  

The right storage in right spot adds style. The attractive “bling” storage and double digits of shoes collection here is displayed skilfully in Shweta’s closet for finding it quick and adding a little personality in a space.

Wrapping and stapling small pieces add a dose of pattern on the walls of her Guest Bedroom. The softer shade of misty teal in the room is suited to delicate nature of a guest bedroom. Who wouldn’t love to land in a soft place like this after a journey?  

A budget friendly “wow” factor is also added in the kitchen. Another clever DIY secret of backsplash turned out a rescue mission to remodel the kitchen. Shweta loves how the copper tone backsplash blends in beautifully with her black granite counter tops. Ditching out the old ugly ones, the couple also replaced the handles of the drawers with lion head copper pulls and maple leaf pulls for the closets.

Funny decals and organized space makes the mundane task of laundry more fun for her. An old frame pinning her son’s baby clothes are to the rescue in her laundry room. These small tweaks mark a world of difference in this tiny space as well.  

Now, as we come close to this tour, taking you lastly at the darling little space of home. The backyard, a perfect spot to retire in the evening after a hectic buzz of city life. Shweta chimed in with me that living in Arizona have its perks, as they can use the backyard all year round (I declare my official envy here). She proudly maps out creating different nooks in her garden, “I had some left over shipping pallets which I turned into a day bed and completed the "baithak" for our patio with throw pillows, which is now a centre of our relaxation being perfect to lie down, reading a book or day dreaming on lazy days.” This compact place also has another inviting nook with two concrete benches and an adorning Indonesian Buddha statue, where Shweta put a playful spin (with another DIY) on a fire pit with curved bricks and a metal bowl.

The couple has advanced their home with sharp wit and offbeat charm. DIYs throughout this home express home owner’s personal knack and inherent quality for elitist projects in the home. I truly hope that the wealth of DIY experience in this home tour gave you a nudge you needed to kick-off your own projects.

Sealing off this home tour with warm wishes to the home owners. Interacting with this bubbly and cheerful lady has been my utter pleasure and I wish to record her warm thanks for letting us in and around her home. You may join her equally inspiring posts on her Instagram account here. 

Until we meet again, stay connected, toodles!