Architect Kavan Shah's gorgeous green house in Mumbai

I was captivated by images of Architect Kavan Shah's apartment in Mumbai. Recently showcased in Good Homes magazine, this apartment stands out for two things: its touches of cement and the amazing plant life inside. 

I don't know how Shah fits a 7 ft tree in the apartment and manages for his plants to get enough light in the shadowy corners but whatever he does, it works. The images where the room is bereft of plants is quite startling as well, but shows that it is an elegant space, no matter what. 

I'm starting to realise that the height of plants makes a significant difference to decor as well. Instead of collecting a few dozen cluttered pots, invest in a couple of larger plants that will bring your room alive. 

Read the full story and drool over the pics here on Good Homes. 

The stillness of summer

The temperatures here are edging into the late thirties. Even in our 250+ year old home, the high ceilings and the open verandah do little to cool things down. We're all in a stupor. Thoughts of cold, cold watermelon juice and chickoo ice-cream are the only things worth waking up to.

And thoughts of rooms like these...Rooms that are quiet, even when they are full of people. Do you have a room like this where you can escape this summer?












All photos Pinterest

Auction – The Property of the late Dr Jamshed J Bhabha

Dozens of precious,rare and valuable items from the estate of the late Dr. Jamshed Bhabha are going under the hammer today and tomorrow. There’s lighting, jewellery, silver, glassware, paintings, rugs and furniture among other items. The catalogue is worth a look through just for the beautiful pieces. Try not to look at the prices!

Here are some of my favourites:

A Lalique Globular “Provence Shade” and Chandelier

A Regency-Style Ladies Writing Desk

A Regency-Style Side Table

A Sheraton-style display cabinet

A Bergere Chair

The jewellery is exquisite as is the art (including Hussains, Gaitondes and several Jamini Roys). See the entire catalogue here.

How to make your decor more exotic

I am delighted to host this guest post by Arcadian Home Decor.  Founded in 2002, Arcadian Home Decor originally started selling decorative home lighting fixtures and lamps online with its first website Arcadian Lighting, and has become one of the top Internet retailers for home lighting products. Visit their website and cool blog for more information. Enjoy.

Looking for a way to design your home décor in a way that reflects your ethnicity?  Or perhaps you're after a look that idealizes your favorite getaways?  Either way, if you want to make your house decor more exotic, it's actually pretty easy.  Look towards exotic, tribal, ikat or suzani prints for your textiles, and then add some exotic relics you may have collected.  Take a look at these beautiful images for tips on making your home décor more exotic.

Apartment Therapy via Elle Décor

In this gorgeous living room, designer Anne Backer created a space that reflected her world travels.  You'll see that she mixed and layered prints and colors, which is common in exotically decorated homes.

Elle Décor (via)

In the home of Brazilian designer, Sig Bergamin, home accessories and decor ranging from mid-century modern to Bahia and back, decorate this living room.  A pair of Kenyan masks flank a painting, hung above a sofa draped in suzani fabric and colorful pillows.

Luster Interiors via Nuevo Estilo

For those who desire an exotic interior on the more subdued side, an accent like  a zebra-skin rug is a great place to start.  You can also decorate with art, lighting and furniture from exotic locales in lieu of playing with prints and patterns.  Love that copper wall decor!

AphroChic (flickr) via Elle Décor

This bedroom, too, is subdued, though it is, of course, full of African influences.  You can replicate this look by decorating your bedroom in white, browns and blacks, laying a jute rug and zebra skin rug around your bed. To complete the look, don't forget to hang African masks on the wall, if you can find them.

Archinspire (via)

This Balinese bedroom is so serene.  Who wouldn't feel at peace getting to go to bed here, everyday?  Get this look by decorating with Balinese wood accents, and draping knotted white fabric above your bed for a canopied look. Hopefully now, you're one step closer to achieving a more exotic look in your home décor.  For more ideas, read the design magazines of your favorite destinations and frequent international fairs for handmade, exotic décor or art.  Or, of course, you could hop on a plane to your favorite getaway and handpick some items yourself...if only!

Content provided by Arcadian Home Decor, a site that specializes in top quality home accessories at extremely affordable prices. Come visit us today!

Antiques ‘n’ Ethinix Clearance Sale

This treasure trove of old and new things has been around in Goa (Porvorim, to be exact) for over nine years, but I only got around to visiting them now. They advertised a clearance sale in the papers recently and this is what they had on display.

(I’m sorry for the bad photos –the light was not too good indoors and I was also balancing a half-asleep toddler who didn’t care much for antique reproductions* (but wanted to take a huge marble elephant home). There’s no accounting for taste, I tell you.)

Walls of mirrors in metal and wood

A staircase lined with boxes of all shapes and sizes.

painted wooden trays

clocks

a funky tricycle which could be a magazine rack

dozens of photo frames (priced between Rs.150-600)

and a whole menagerie of wonderfully whimsical animals

 

You can’t see it too clearly here, but this wooden owl has a baby owl in her tummy.

 

and my favorite – this half-metal, half-painted horse.

 

Visit them here.

* A lot of the stuff isn’t really antique, but made to look old by craftsmen in Goa and Rajasthan. They also specialise in custom-made furniture.