December and Good byes!

I have every right to be elated….why? Well, Pinkz is going away on a vacation and needless to say I am super excited. Yes, I will be unplugging from the blog sphere and Facebook along with locking the doors on my everyday chores for couple of weeks hence here is the last post of the year from me and my sparkly brass setting.

As much as it can be pleasure packing away those bags, sometimes let's be honest it's a bit of a grind and I feel like a gerbil on a wheel as I am muscling my way through this month. But as I believe these petty hardships will yield to some of the fondest memories of our lifetime. By breaking away all the humdrum, I am looking forward to spend some time away in a world away from all this frantic scurrying. The best part of the trip is a family wedding where fun and giggles will overflow abundantly and not to forget all the mingling with cousins and friends in between. As and when we have gone back to India, we have been welcomed with open arms and treated like royalty and so have my children….so thankful for the family and friends for their hospitality. 

On a colder note, winter scenes are back here but a steady snow fall outside hasn’t dampen the exuberance inside me. Yes, with the first appearance of snow, it's officially winter here. With temperatures dipping in negatives and snow covered streets, Toronto already looks festive ready. Trust me, kissing goodbye to this brutally cold winter is the best perk of going away in December for us Torontonians.

At the blog front, it was another great year in blogging. It is so very heartening to be connected with you all. Life wouldn’t be the same without you all. Thank you all from the depth of my heart for having me and my passion stories in your life. You all are a rock of support for my passion. Looking ahead, as we mark a beginning of a new year, hoping to create and share the spectacle and wonder of many more “design moments” with you all.  

Well, that's it folks, signing out today for this year with the thoughts of my heavy shopping list ;) and packing on pounds with yummy food. You all lovely friends stay connected with me on my Instagram to #travelwithpinkz stories until my return and miss me on the blog sphere until my return. A big hug to you all and a very Happy New Year! Toodles!

Moods of my entrance!

Nothing beats the deep sigh of release and the delight of arriving home at the end of a tiring work day. It is a feeling one has to feel and cannot be described. As we step into our sanctuary, our personalized entry way that sets a serene vibe absorbs the lassitude from a long day instantly, offering a comfortable transition to a restful atmosphere. What’s more? A lot! Welcome to our Foyer and allow me to narrate my love story with this humble place :).  

I have immense love for my Foyer and am absolutely obsessed with playing around with the decor here, changing up the look constantly. This humble setting at the entry way with its immense potential for myriad creative settings, gives our visitors a first glimpse of our personal style and introduction to our whole house.

In ourhome, the entryway is a “landing stage”, which apart from providing a comfortable place for donning or shedding shoes or Jackets, also extends a warm personal welcome to our guests along with us. Come on in, as I guide you along to showcase the portraits of some personalized (or should I say Pinkified;)) vignettes and kaleidoscope of art work that greets our guests with more than just hello!

 

Whatever may be the physical feature or size of your entryway, the first impressions always matter, and few thoughtful touches here can go a long way in treating one’s eyes as soon as they set the foot into a home. In my own foyer, a pop of color is the top layer on my vignette that can be easily changed. Red always works for me. Purposefully placed minimal brass setting here echoes the overall traditional setting of our home.

I do not really align myself with any particular style and select pieces solely by their jazz that intrigues me. However, I have always been passionate about styling with timeless and classic decor items and hence, my strikingly stylish brass usually accentuates the simplicity of my décor that I put together with a minimal effort.

A table is foyer essential and a best surface to accessorize, apart from making an exceptional first impression on the guests. With a narrow entrance, a shelf or a small cabinet can definitely solve the same purpose of a foyer table with some much needed storage. In our foyer, this practical table provides us a much needed ‘catch-all’ spot in its drawer, where all the mail, keys, glasses and every knick knack that we tend to carry in our pockets gets stashed easily.
When it comes to home styling, I am in a constant restless state of re-decorating with a continuous moving, adding and eliminating pieces in a study of the unexpected discoveries. This process goes on until I identify a correct placement of each element with a perfect styling, with a bonus of some exhilarating thrills of new discoveries.

Decorating walls is the quickest way to add a sense of depth to a space, apart from interjecting style and personality to your entrance. Some cleverly placed artwork can always add an instant focus on your entryway. Our artist daughter’s paintings have a pride of place in our foyer, which gives out a clear glimpse of our collective taste, personalities and fondness for Ganesha. These whimsical and lovely art pieces sitting pretty above console table not only lend an added sparkle in our entry way, but also engage our guests with a visible awe apart from being a great conversation starter.

In my quest to bring some calmness at my doorstep, at times a few Zen settings shape up over the foyer table. The serene visuals are sure to ease down our fatigue at the end of a long day. For a bit of whimsy, I experiment with designs and pair some beloved ethnic pieces with modern elements. This kind of old and new pairing often refreshes the look of older items, give a more collected look for the space and often makes both elements stand out.

A place we decorate with artwork and candles would also welcome flowers. Nothing looks more visually stimulating than a vase of fresh flowers, as you walk through the front door. Flowers are always a safe bet and a fabulous plus to any styling in my décor. Quite often, I prefer to pick an unconventional vase to attire my flowers as against a standard vase and my dear brass items always offer me a great choice.

In few of those “design moments” and creative cravings, the settings at the foyer do not stay the same for very long. While periodically combing through my collections, I tend to discover something more visually pleasing than the existing displays. After few ‘trial and error’ stages of experimenting with their settings, the existing decor promptly gets modified to include the new objects of my interest!

Personalization adds a special touch to anything you own.

For an instant glamour and to enliven a space, area rugs are great to brighten any floors. Textured and bright coloured rugs every so often offer an added radical change in our foyer.

If you are like me, looking to constantly play around with the art work or vignette over a console, displaying a frame on an easel or placing it informally on the table makes it easy to change the scene. Adding a layer of flickering candle at the evenings always adds the extra oomph illuminating the area, whether or not it is well lit.

Many of us tend to accumulate plentiful souvenirs through our travel or as gifts from friends and family. A thoughtfully put together collection of such story telling pieces on the console also adds an undeniable grace and warmth to the foyer.

In our foyer too, many of our accessories unfold the stories of our many valuable friendships and the places we have travelled. In a refreshing change of pace, I also sometimes keep my omnipresent brass at bay and embrace novelty with a few fanciful pieces, to create a fresh look for the same place.

All decor lovers go through a periodical itch of creating a new look time to time. And the normal mistake we all do at such times is to start shopping for newer items. But the trick to minimizing an overload of accumulated stuff is to begin the hunt right at home. You don’t need to look far and out for a design changer but first dig down the existing treasures (or even what you may consider trash) you own.

Running a leisure eye on what you already own will sometimes reveal surprising discoveries and offer innovative ideas without breaking any bank. Edit and style your existing collection, including clutter in a way that will empower each item in a greater decorative value.

And here is the new look of the same space. I love color- just not too much of it so instead of an entire room in a bold shade which can seem like a lot, we did just one wall which is totally manageable. And the best and easy part is I could always reverse it if I get tired of that color because it's just a small wall after all. With this bright color choice, my daughter's paintings are perfectly popping up. The new corbels at the far end came home from India on my recent trip which I had to manage a carpenter to custom made for me. 

I am usually good at keeping my promises and even though the post was swaying away for more time than I intended, it has finally been out from my draft box. Hope the saga of different moods of our entry way, in the full glory of its pinkification (can't stop myself from using it ;)) will inspire you enough to spruce up your own. Until we meet again, stay connected! Toodles!

A Vintage Modern Home Tour (Shalaka Pingale)

It goes without saying that a home should reflect the personalities of those who live there, and their personal touches enhance the character of the space more than anything else. To create a home that gives the impression of loved and lived in, every decorator looks through their own cultural lens. In the diversified world of décor, myriad ethos and styles wildly differ for decorating a home and only few can marry cultural influence with modern design in a subtle yet profound way. Our today’s home tour of the Pingale family can certainly attest to this.  

Old lithographs of Raja Ravi Verma atop an old table with distress finish

In the urban surroundings of Pune, Pingale family’s home is a brief respite from the busy city life for Shalaka, her husband Shantanoo and their two sons. Shalaka, the lady of the home, has perfected the art of blending styles from different resources and possessions from a different era; making their four bedroom apartment a timeless yet sophisticated haven. The indispensable look in her classic and creative home defines how brilliantly she has brought together 'old' and 'new' by choosing the right accessories. Step into Shalaka's home layered with a unique combination of cultural identity and mixed with a modern flair. 

                        

When it comes to defining the chronicles of her beautiful home, Shalaka claims to be a fairly organized lady who breathes "a place for things and a thing in its place" motto. Shalaka deeply loves the rich Indian culture and exquisite craftsmanship that it has to offer. Her inclination and love for antiques is present all through her home, but by blending old and new pieces, she has aced the ultimate balancing act of choosing the best of both the worlds. 

Shalaka takes pride (and my envious look) for working at a leading décor boutique “Sanskriti” (which we featured on our blog here) where she started helping her mother-in-law with her lifestyle store shortly after her marriage. Shalaka had already developed an 'eye' for old things but after she was amply exposed to lot of beautiful things at Sanskriti, she learnt and picked up gradually creating her own décor taste.

Walking on a creative path, her passion for antiques and old items of historical significance continued to shine through as she declares: “Because of the line of work, I am spoilt for choice and end up picking up furniture pieces which are rare to come by. Even on our purchase trips for the shop, I inevitably land up buying a lot of "old" pieces and add to the collection."

The fusion of different era commands attention in different corner of the home

Shalaka, the queen of mixologist, has added a soulful flavor in her home with a unique approach of design. With an amalgam of all diverse styles, she has broken her décor trend from the very ‘Indian’ to contemporary pieces. Seen here is her various collections from stone, metal and wood.  Shalaka verifies, “Like all the statues you see in my home, the black stone Laxmi, the marble Buddha or in brass are all antique. The green glass jars are also from old British era.” 

Metal surfaces throughout in the home have a tarnished rather than polished finish

Indian antiques have always been on the global radar for decorating. In Shalaka's home, they claim a truly unique mélange of cultural inspiration from vastly diverse and ancient eras.

Her home is a complete extension and reflection of their store 'Sanskriti Lifestyle'

Surrounded by the opulent furniture at Sanskriti, Shalaka brings home the pieces that speak to her. Now they don’t only lend a space more timeless lived in feel but also make them part of their home’s ‘story’.

Interesting touches of mix and match. A Buddha corner, Sea green armoire and damchi

As it is said for antiques, “The catch of beauty lies in keeping it real”, and these real pieces in Shalaka’s home fit perfectly with the room’s established color palette. Rare finds and vintage scores are brought back to life with modern prints and fun color.

Great mix of modern elements, classic furniture and bold patterns that speak to home owner's personalities.

Shalaka titles all her cupboards, beds and major furniture as an antique and one of a kind, which are now getting even more difficult to get. To establish a sophisticated look with vintage accessories, she opted for an upholstered sofa. The zippy throw on the sofa is a jumping off point which signals that room is prepared to offer comfort. The brightly hued sea-green armoire is the accent piece that makes this room pop.  

Chaotic jumble of old brass ewers, oriental china ware, handmade cushions, contemporary art pieces, African masks what is not to love about in this room?

Someone like Shalaka, who is preserving the charming element of old and utilizing global accessories, has taken a deliberate care in creating a casual, relaxed & lived-in room. With all trials and plenty of her own ideas, Shalaka has put her best foot forward in layering her home with many global pieces. Her bold approach and brilliant play with the eclectic mix of global objects that have both modern and traditional detail have created an interesting mishmash.

Lively Global mix of Accessories

Shalaka muses: “I love beautiful things and feel why not be surrounded by them, it's a feel good factor. For me, I can think bold and like experimenting with the décor keeping very classic pieces which are one of a type. I think we Indians don't shy away from colour so  I use either a painting, colourful throws or coloured cushion/bedspread to add that splash of colour against the wooden furniture which otherwise can look rather drab however beautiful."

Lacquer Utensils adds feminine touch

Unmistakable global influence is apparent throughout Shalaka’s interiors. Her effortlessly collected home has amassed a vast collection of global wares that she likes to display in her home. Many pieces of her collection have history that goes back as far as the British era. Shown here are the lacquer utensils from Czechoslovakia, that sit pretty on her coffee table décor.

Eye-catching gallery display of English wall plates

Just like all the elements that Shalaka has brought into her space, the walls in the home also declare the personal statement of the design-minded lady.To showcase the collection of old English wall plates, Shalaka has created a gallery wall where the strategically placed cute and quaint plates achieve a balance and scale, clearly taking a center stage.

One-of-a-kind and great finds at Sanskriti has added some buzz-worthy Buddha collection in the Pingale family

Picking up the best of these pieces from the décor mecca ‘Sanskriti’ have not only enriched Shalaka’s repertoire but also enabled her to mature her style.  Wisely chosen and smartly blended Buddha statues allude a calming effect.

Green plants dot many corners of the home

Shalaka is a big fan of layering small pops of green into her space. Many of her vignettes and corners around the home are a happy fit for multiple plants. Just as dramatic as her art piece and as pleasing as her antiques, Shalaka seizes every opportunity to infuse plants in her décor.

Few more of her rare and statement pieces. 

Tireless quest for the ultimate vintage finds for the store leads the lady an opportunity to pack away with few of the most exotic pieces for her home also. Shalaka, who finds herself drawn to the sense of history believes that, these pieces offer most classic designs in furniture and never go out of style.  

Front Porch.

"Being fourteen years in the profession, one learns fast and you have an eye for things." says Shalaka, and I could have not let her go without spilling the beans on her experience and expertise of home décor.  Here are few tips from the lady:

·  So what if you fail while making choices for décor, we all make mistakes and get a better understanding of things by learning from these mistakes.

·  I hear this very often from customers at Sanskriti and in general that "Oh, our furniture is all dark finish or it's very modern or "A" particular type." "This piece is beautiful but will not "match" my home."  I personally feel there's no such thing as "it won't match", in fact, the contrast looks rather nice. If you place them tastefully and smartly then they bring out the beauty in each other.

·  If you can't change/afford to change your bed indulge in a great bed spread, for sofa either change the upholstery or even cushion covers, these small things can completely change the look on a very low budget.

·  I also love the use of indoor plants, which by themselves act as an accessory and add a colour.

Thank you Shalaka, I am sure your inspiring tips and home tour will encourage our readers to express themselves with a different approach in decorating. Also a big thank you for welcoming us very generously in your beautiful home. The home tour, we have been pondering over since August, would not have been done without your kind and patient indulgence. Wishing all the very best to you and your family.

And to all of our readers, thank you for taking this journey with us, hope you enjoyed the tour as much as we both relished putting together. You can connect with Shalaka on her Instagram feed here and the décor mecca Sanskriti Lifestyle here. And until we meet again, stay connected on Instagram and Facebook feeds of Pinkz Passion, toodles.

(Image Courtesy: Shalaka Pingale. 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)  

Celebrating November and My Second Blogoversary

730 days….yes, approximately 730 days ago, Pinkz Passion was born. The fact is, this passion page was started on a whim in the middle of one sleepless night and two years and nearly 135 posts, I am still here and my, how much we’ve grown. My décor chronicles have led me to somewhere much better than I could have dream for. I am in a happy place where life tastes different, a little sweeter with all of you :). Opportunities find their way, when you unfailingly work hard in the area you are passionate about. Looking back after two years, I am constantly amazed that this is something I created and grew out of my passion.

Though, none of this would have been possible without you all. I can’t drop the opportunity to thank all of you for reading my blogs, commenting on my posts, fanning me on Facebook and following me on Instagram and all the other many ways in which you lovely peeps have backed up on me. And it still really jazzes me, when readers go out of their way to touch base with me and let me know that my blog has inspired them to look at their home décor chronicles in a different manner, especially with my timeless brass collection. My brass fondness has set a new trend in the décor stories of my readers and few close friends who have started their own collection. It truly warms my heart when readers sent in their pictures when they uplift corners of their home inspired by my posts, it makes me feel I have been invited to their home. I truly hope this little blog of mine can be a source of inspiration and do its best to help you look at your home décor stories in a different aspect.

I must confess that, few motivating pundits of blog industry have been the silent force in shaping up my blog. Stirred from their style, I often feed myself from their inspiration and motivation. After all, that is what blogging is about….get inspired and be inspired.

As we move forward to the month of November, we have a beautiful home tour lined up next which has been bottled-up due to Diwali posts. Also a post of moods of my entrance (sitting in a draft for a while now) has been overlooked but will try to pull it back and publish it in November.

However, after November I am planning a digital time out and hoping to pull the plug from blogging for a while and restore my serenity as I have travel plans to meet and mingle family and friends. Will share a final post of the year sometime later but until we meet again, stay connected, toodles!

Rangoli - Expression of Cultural Mannerism

Rangoli is woven tightly in our any celebrations, but Diwali witnesses the utmost use of it. It brings the beauty and wonder of Diwali into our home. It is a center of festival celebration, where I slow down and gaze every time I pass by to remind myself that we are in the middle of a very special time of year.

 

In our part of the world, weather is a constraint and we lack gracing our actual entrance, hence the rangoli, like every year, is placed indoor where it creates an instant impact.

 

As a true ‘Ganesha’ fan, we also happen to have a perpetual love of his presence in every décor and style we follow. This year’s rangoli is not an exception. Since tackling the dusty rangoli colors is not my forte, we use two simple ingredients (rice and food colors) to make our rangoli every year. To personalize the design, I threw in some craft mirrors in the design. 

With a bit of effort and imagination we have learn to preserve this tradition alive. It’s the time of the year where, we don’t only connect with one another; we also tie with the past and cherished memories we have created following this tradition. 

 

My law “more is less” is especially apt when it comes to Diwali lights. Stairs are the classic place to display lights, adding an unexpected sparkle. And few scattering tea lights on the rangoli complete the overall effect.

 

Hope the series of Diwali posts were a catalyst in making your home festive ready. As we wrap the last post of the festival, wishing you all a very Happy Festivities at your end. May your home be filled with many memories of the festival. Until we meet again, toodles.

Diwali Home Tour ( Living & Family Rooms)

It is the time of the year when I eagerly crave compliments for our festive adorned home and yes I admit, bagging away applauses for something you feel proud is indeed a best feeling :) This year, sparkling setting with a sophisticated golden theme has made our Diwali perfect, exotic and special. A generous sprinkle of our well envied collection has maximized the impact and made our home festive ready for us and the crowd of friends we entertain every year. In order to capture the magic and spirit of Diwali, I have kept a tight rein on the color palette. Deep red from our entrance has been carried forward into our living room.

Come step in, to tour our festival ready Living Room and Family Room to soak in all the extra special details we deliberated for this year's Diwali.

Coffee table happens to be the centerpiece of any room and adding an element of drama on it will draw an eye with irresistible focus. Let your fertile imagination flow and give a big decor punch for Diwali, by adding a bit of sparkle and shine on your Coffee table. And you will notice how it instantly changes the whole decor dynamics of the room. In our home, our NEW collection, a handsome musical troupe of “Ganesha”, is displayed on our coffee table, adding a new dimension and sparkle to the existing array of displayed collections.

The new frolicking group was pre-destined to join our cherished collection and become our all-time favorite. Here is a closer look for each one. 

By now, you are all aware that brass is a must-have element in my bag of décor tricks. Just as it does for every festive occasion, our collection of brass has cast an inimitable landscape this year too for Diwali. Every successful collection begins with a carefully devised purchase and I want to thank my husband’s keen eye for his addiction of hunting for antiques and one-of- a- kind pieces. It is the allure lent by these treasures that enabled me to shape our home with a sparkling appeal.



Let us dwell a minute on the show stopping corner of our living room. I placed colored votive in a "ghunghroo" embellished plate on the side table to boost the drama. The burst of colors from votive, coupled with the festival staples, the candles and flowers is exuding a warm and welcoming spirit this corner. Come dusk, with the flickering lights splattering colorful hues, this show stopping corner is sure to steal the show from the coffee table ;).

If you have been with  me on my "Diwali with Pinkz" journey on Instagram, you must have seen few of our prized collections. Here is a round up of few for them again for those who missed it. Due to the herculean cleaning task and heftiness, these vintage pieces appear only on special occasions in my décor.

The charming jumble of all traditional artefacts compliment our neo-traditional living room, that has a bit of modernity thrown in from the furniture and other accessories. 

Diwali is rooted in glimmerings and socializing. My most favorite thing during this time, is to spend leisurely evenings with family and friends, basking in the hypnotizing glow cast by the flickering lights. 

As the evening unfolds, beautiful glow spreads out all over the room from liberally placed candles around the room. The blazing fireplace adds the much needed warmth on this nippy fall evenings. With overflowing crowd of friends and family, conversations and giggles in this cozy room make the best memories for years to come. Oh, I love this time :).

Let us step into my family room. I took a creative freedom in my family room as well for the festival. The game here is upped by adding a pop of fuchsia all over the glamorous gold.

I added a thali (plate) to serve as a center tray over my coffee table in family room.  One of the studded 'rangoli’ from my rangoli collection came in handy to work in sync with the colors of the bloom.

I keep trying new approach to freshen up the décor rotating the things I have on my hand. Few beloved ethnic pieces are mixed here with modern elements on the side console table. The juxtaposition of the modern and antique elements stand out with an interesting visual mix.

In order to enhance the depth of the theme of Diwali, every corner is adorned with plentiful glows and fireplace mantel has also became the victim of the same.  Few flickering clay diyas and collective lamps have vivified the otherwise monotonous space here. 
 

The all dressed and festive ready room with luster and shimmer is now calling upon me to relax, put my feet up and enjoy the celebrations.

A piece of work by our teenage daughter on our chalkboard

Wrapping up the post by sending in the good wishes from our family to yours. Have a happy, happier and happiest Diwali  Enjoy the celebrations, gobble up all the goodies and have a blast enjoying the festival. I might squeeze in the rangoli post, so stay connected on facebook page and instagram for more decor inspirations. Until we meet again, toodles!

You may visit our last year's Diwali ready home here and here. If you have missed this year's Diwali decked up entrance head right here.