Harmoniously Traditional ( Home Tour of Padmaja Rama) - Part 1

I lucked bumping into this lady, who is passionate, talented and just as effervescent all in the same breath. The lady, who lives by her own enthralling interpretation of décor, has created a home that is a perfect blend of style, sensibility and elegance; coupled with a deep rooted respect for culture.  

Meet Padmaja Rama, lovingly known as Paddy, who is professionally a software consultant, a decorator and a creative soul by passion, a wife and mom by love and responsibility. She has effectively composed her motherhood by taking a break from the corporate world to take care of her two beautiful young girls. 

Paddy  and her husband Vinod Rama, bought their first house three years ago, into which she poured her heart and soul to create a breathtakingly ‘ROYAL’ home (yes, that's what their friends describe it as ‘RAMA'S ROYALE ’ )which according to her is still in progress. Their home can be defined as a harmonious symphony of traditional and contemporary styles, well curated with a coveted collection of brass artefacts, Antiques, vintages, colors, textures, DIYs, custom furniture, her own art and some unexpected juxtapositions. 

So pull up a chair, pour a cuppa and get prepared to spend some time ogling with me at this lovely home that is sure to pull every decor lover's heartstrings. I will not be able to do justice if I attempt to cover the beauty of this home in a single post. So there will be a PART TWO & PART THREE of this home tour which I am sure you will eagerly await by the end of this post.

 Yard, Entrance and Porch:

Paddy's decor and styling starts right from her driveway and flowerbeds, where visitors are cheerfully greeted with several kolam painted flower pots blooming with various fragrant, colorful blooms.

There  are no rules set in stone, only kolam designs, including one painted the Indian customary greeting 'Namaste'

According to Paddy, she is a sucker for anything traditional and highly favors preserving and safeguarding her cultural roots.  When it comes to House front, she proclaims her own mantra of classiness:“I strongly believe that Elegance is, when the inside is as beautiful as the outside! Our entryway is the first visible area in our home you would notice and is a clear indication of what one can expect inside. I wanted to create my own distinctive look right from here and make our home a little different from other homes. Hence I orchestrated my own style here by adding something original, creative and true to my culture."

Being an ardent Feng-shui follower the family stained the concrete flooring in Terracotta red

Paddy's fascination for kolam started as a child. She grew up watching her mom and grand mom decorate the entrance dexterously with intricate kolam patterns, which worked as a catalyst in her inclination toward that art. Paddy says: “As inspired as I was with kolam since childhood, I was also completely enamored and profoundly influenced by the ‘alopana’ or ‘kolam’ wall art murals that I used to see in hutments in my maternal Grandparents village. When we bought our home, I wanted to bring to life that fond memory I carried for years in my heart. For me, the hand-etched designs on the pots and rocks added something fresh and original to the overall look I wanted to achieve.” 

The marble fireplace is another estate sale find

A woman who gambles recklessly on yard sales (Estate Yard Sales) and yet always wins with loot has a collection of several vintage cement pedestals and planters. Metal bells (she is obsessively in love with them) are in the corner with a jute rope along with a vintage lantern she got free (along with 2 truckloads of items they bought from the estate sale agent), atta girl….that’s some covetous and excitable goodies you got there. 

Adjacent to the main door is a porch where family gathers the flood of friends but also where they collapse into each other‘s company for their ritual of evening tea. Elegance and expertise are mixed and interpreted here in myriad ways with results diverse enough to please our all senses.

More colors from Paddy’s porch

The lit diyas cast a romantic glare on the porch and the family and friends love to drink in this view alike.

As the evening unfurls, light seems to confer beauty and elegance casting a romantic glare on the porch. Aglow with the amber warmth of lit diyas, the family drinks the pleasant view. I wouldn’t mind a nibble and an ice tinkling drink here to wind down the rough day :). Though, with such beautiful porch, I wonder how she keeps onlookers at the bay.

As we head indoors towards the Entry way/ Foyer:

Her foyer carries forward a further enhanced theme of Indian traditional decor that was set outside her main door. With bold strokes of brass Paddy has invited glamour in her foyer. She does not let herself constrained by any typecast and quotes in a matter-of-fact tone: “In the things we love lie clues to who we are! And our home displays these clues all around! It is a complete reflection of mine and my husband's mutual personalities, love, passion, strengths and weaknesses as well."

Nearly 4 foot vintage Brass elephant that was yet another stroke-of-luck find on Craigslist several years ago

With her tasteful collection, bold use of gold accents, ornate furniture and bright floral arrangements (flowers are must in her décor mantra) she has brilliantly conjured a spell binding arrangement, set deliberately in a traditional tone that always holds her guests captive from the time they set  their foot in..

By now, I am lusting after Paddy’s awe inspiring collection and the stories behind each of these dramatic pieces are equally magical. At display here is one of her prized Teppanom statue: “This original Teppanom Statue in Silver (there are several replicas in the market but real ones are limited) was sold to us by a retired couple who were downsizing and they had actually bid and won this piece at an Antique auction!”

Traditional settings are brilliantly conjured up in each nook and cranny of the home. While juxtaposition of red flowers on gold accents on these vignettes add a lavish touch on her otherwise beautiful collection.

The cabinet at the entrance is a vintage looking, made-in- India piece the couple found in a furniture store

Each and every corner is grounded with dramatic pieces of furniture made out of architectural salvages from vintage Indian homes. Taking pride Paddy coins: "Next to the vintage looking cabinet is another Antique teak pedestal column which is made out of architectural salvages of ornate columns from old south Indian homes. These pieces remind me of my grandparents’ home that I am emotionally connected to and hence will not blink an eye before picking these whenever I happen to find them!"



 The carved Mahogany mirror in the corridor is an Indonesian Import

The main door is painted around the door frame in an royal arch pattern with terracotta-orange shade to add some visual interest as well as to satisfy Paddy's Feng shui color requirements for the direction the door faces. The corner shelves on either side of the door have serene figurines of meditating Buddhist monks. Peeking behind from the figurine is an antique brass lassi glass from India used as small planter.

 

Her fetish for hanging bells is very evident outside and inside. She let her fascination for bells literally hit the roof by customizing her lovely crystal chandelier with mini brass bells from India, totally elevating its look. The visual continuity she maintained with brass hanging diyas and bells through various rooms set tone for a regal continuum.

When sun light hits the crystals in the chandelier at an angle, hundreds of brilliant light bubbles in rainbow hues are strewn around the Foyer. Watching her kids play with these sparkles is her favorite pass time.

Surprising, being a die-hard collector of antiques and vintages, Paddy herself hasn’t visited India more than twice in past 7 years. Apart from Estate and Garage sales, Antique shows and auctions at times, she was able to fetch her amazing collection from India through her best friend. Her inspiring friendship with her friend played a great role in many chapters of her home story: “I was able to get a lot of brass and other stuff from India. THANKS TO MY BESTIE SHOBA. She patiently adopts my eyes and ears, shops for me and sends across everything I want from India”.

A vintage brass vase and an Antique kum kum container is placed on this pedestal

Each and every corner lifts up our senses. A closer look at an intricate details of 'Zarokha" and  a vintage brass vase and an antique Kum-kum container. 

 

And as we end our part-1 here, I am leaving you with a peek of what is in store for you in part-2 . Trust me, even a glimpse of what you saw thus far will not prepare you for the visual dazzle you are in for in the next part!

Me and Paddy, both had been mulling over the possibility of this home tour but the wee-bit long post took good amount of overflowing exchange of emails before we inked the deal.  In the course of our conversation, we have cemented good friendship and the joy and pleasure of bonding with this beautiful lady is precious. I thank her and her family for inviting us virtually in her home and wishing them all the love, luck and happiness today and always!

And you lovely peeps, get connected with this uber talented lady on her Facebook page Paddy's Decomania or follow her Instagram feed Padmaja Rama, where she often belts out her home décor sagas.

Stick around on Facebook page or Instagram  feed of Pinkz Passion for part -2 & 3 of this beautiful home. Until we meet again, toodles!  

(Image Courtesy: Padmaja Rama. The pictures can not be used without a consent  from the home owners, however, you may re-pin them from Pinkz Passion's Pinterest account)