warm blush...

It's official, in my home the 'warm pink' is the fall colour:-)

What are the hues that are painting your fall this year?

Red, Blue & White...

Let me get over my 'Nilgiri Hills' hangover once and for all (for a while) with this post on 'Fernhill Palace'.* The name that brings to mind the colours Red, Blue & White.

* Chilly mountain breeze.

* Sunlight making my eyes squint.

* Mallika's excitement, my excitement.

* Forms, patterns, shadows.
* Shadows, patterns & forms.
* Ornate 'bulbless' lamp posts.
* Never seen blue like this before.
* A former hunting lodge of the Maharaja of Mysore but now a Welcome Group Hotel.

It's...

that time of the year when
* tabebuia blossoms paint the earth as well as the skies pink.
* sparkly stars descend on the balconies.
* the sun decides to go to bed early.
* hot, thick comforting soups are simmered.
* my home gets dressed in shades of red & green.
* the mind wanders in multiple directions trying to decide on what to bake.
* melodious voices of carol singers add excitement to a quiet winter's night.
* colourful arts & crafts fair are organised in the city.
Here are some amazing colours from Kala Madhyam Folk Mela organised by Madhyam in Chitra kala Parishad ( Art College)Blue Pottery from RajasthanCeramic mugs from KhurjaBastar Metal ArtTraditional Kerala Painting
Blue Pottery Ceramic Tiles
Enamel work Meenakari earrings in various colours.

Diwali Ki Shubhkamnayen: 2.11.2007

Diwali- The Festival of Lights, of happiness, of celebration, of prayers, of beauty, of prosperity.

It's a day where we pray to Goddess Lakshmi to fill our lives with health, wealth & happiness.

What better way to decorate, bring out those silverware, line the 'Thali' ( plate/platter) with shiny one rupee coins, fill it up with colour powders of your choice, or get creative fill it up with coloured rice, pulses, shells or crystals!

Offer your guests some chocolates, a great alternative to traditional Indian Sweets;-)
Add some fresh flowers & diyas and you have created a super, shiny, silvery & shiny Diwali arrangement!

(Images & ideas by Arch, feel free to get inspired and link to me but if you want to use my photographs for some other purpose please send me a mail.)

Fab(ulous) India...

Most of us know about Fabindia and their colourful & vibrant range of clothes and home decor accessories.

Today let me take you inside one of their outlets in Chennai where the floor manager was kind enough to let me take some pictures inside. The entrance is in traditional Chettinad style with wooden pillars and tiled terracotta roof.
A rainbow of colours greet you when you enter. Colours, Patterns, Textures is all your mind can think. Shades of orange bed linen displayed along the stairs leading to the next level. Beautiful Athangudi Tiles & Wood form the stairs.
I completely love this 'Trial Room' door on which this woven fabric is mounted, there is a tiny mirror on the side.You'll find all the colours in the colour-wheel here. Now for some interesting finds from Fabindia...

Embroidered Booti Organdy Curtain motif.
Three Flowers Organdy Curtain motif on light-weight sheer cotton organdy.Chanderi Prakash Curtain motifs.
Kalam Jharokha Bedspreads in beautiful vegetable dyes.
Applique Organdy Phoolwari Bedspreads

Loads and loads of crafts from India used in Fabindia products. Explore Fabindia. You can buy their amazing products online.

( images from fabindia.com, interiors by Arch)

Rajasthan & Bollywood

Something extremely alluring about the sand dunes of Rajasthan and the burst of colours in the form of turbans, lehangas, odhanis(veils) & gorgeous jewellery...I find the women with colourful odhanis very mysterious & enigmatic...
Bollywood has captured these aspects in some of their recent movies like Paheli, Dor & Ekalavya

( images from Eklavya The Royal Guard.com, nowrunning.com, movietalkies.com)