Vision

At it :) Its working- I'm working :)
"A vision is not just a picture of what could be, it is an appeal to our better selves, a call to become something more" - Rosabeth Moss Kanter

DO.

I've been thinking of starting a few creative projects for SOME time now, but I haven't been moving butt on it. So I said, today is the day, and started the design. This is the 1st in a series of designs that I plan on making a feature on this blog. There, I've said it so I will do it [as and when I have time, of course- I had to give myself an out :)]


"Let the beauty of what you love be what you do" when my boss Zaheer Mirza (I have featured his home here) read this (Rumi's quote) to me yesterday, I knew I had to do something about it. And then I found "Iron rusts from disuse, stagnant water loses its purity, and in cold weather becomes frozen; even so does inaction sap the vigors of the mind." by Leonardo Da Vinci. They seem to say the same thing. So I will listen. And DO.

Devi Garh

India is known for its palaces, snake charmers and poverty as much as its known for its contribution to global software power. And since this is not a blog that deals with the latter I can only be talking of Palaces. Time for some pure eye-candy :) This post kickstarts a series I'm about to do on the palaces of India.
Devigarh lies nestled in the Aravalli Hills near Udaipur in (where else but) Rajasthan, the state that probably has more palaces than the rest of India put together. Ok, that maybe an exaggeration, but you get the point. Most palaces in the state have been restored and turned into resorts, in this Devi Garh is no exception. The difference lies in the contemporary edge the restorers have managed to bring into the design of the place. The website will tell you "Devi Garh, is ready for visitors after years of restoration and rebuilding. The Fort palace was conceived as a place where the past meets the future.This all suite luxury hotel comprising of 39 suites with an emphasis on design and detail."

Fort Exterior at dawn

Black Pool

One of the many stunning visages the palace makes - A tent by the poolsidePrivate dining in Janana

Sheesh Mahal

Garden Suite sit out area

Palace Suite Living room

Ram room- I simply love the genius of handwritten calligraphy on the wall.

Aravali Suite Bedroom

Devi Garh suite sitting room

Garden Suite Bedroom

Marble decked Spas

Honeymoon Suite Bedroom :)

Honeymoon Suite

A lovely view from the alcove seat

Bathroom

Conference room
Seating area in the Grand Durbar Hall

God lies in the detail. Brass reproductions of Shivas Trident as decorative feature

Detail of decorative raised metal work

Goddess in a flower Antique in the Honeymoon Suite

Images from Deviresorts.com

Collections

Maybe you are a collector; of odds and ends, of chocolate wrappers full of memories, of little souvenirs from travels and trips. Maybe you have an obsession, with little mint boxes or coasters (you just can't stop picking them from everywhere!!!) or maybe your shoe collection gives Imelda Marcos a run for her money. We are each different and it is important that in our lives and in our homes we have the space for these quirks that make us, us. Here's a post that puts together some pictures that display collections with great panache and become the focal point of a room.

The Saxon Hotel in South Africa houses an amazing collection of artisanal baskets.
The owner of this modern house in Germany has covered an entire wall with an eclectic mixture of mirrors and old portraits. The effect is both informal and exiting, a decorative counterpoint to the otherwise plain while walls.
Knitwear designer Diane de Clerq has framed miniature versions of her knitwear designs to decorate the walls of her office.
In this dining room,Asian wood blocks arranged on the wall have a striking visual effect.

Wooden shovels above the sofas complement the simple wooden table.

In this house in Brussels,architect Agnes Emery has lined all four walls with mirrors, framed and unframed, found in skips and junk shops and they bring in maximum light from outside in.
Antique eel rakes suspended round the window lend a graphic appeal in this American Farmhouse.

And its ok if your collection is not frighteningly large and doesn't cover up the entire wall. You can prop them up like here or you can even group them together on a table or line them up on a pillar or even frame them all together, the options are endless. So bring your gems out and let them see the light of day & let the world see the real you :)
Images from House and Garden March 07 issue.

Sunlit Afternoons

Getting away is brilliant. Seeing new places. Beauty. Trekking. The sun & lazy afternoons. The result of one such afternoon the last week is this set of pictures. Taken during a happy conversation with a friend. All the time I normally spend in office, the sun shines and makes beauty wherever light falls :) Here's my moments with the sun and some arbitrary reasonless prettiness.

Curving branches
Cast curving shadows
Stripes of light
An old wall glows
Leaves creep up

And make pretty shadows

While I count flowers in the grass :)

White

Since I'm going to be away for some 15 odd days, since I'm determined to post today, since the net at home is not working (the squirrel my mom feeds has eaten the net cable!) since I've been stressing over what to post and since I won't do it but as a last ditch option- I'm posting on white today. The non colour. The colour from which all the colours in the spectrum come forth. White is zen. White is peace. And may there be a lot more of it in all our lives. Amen :)

White and fun
I'd really love to be the one sitting here...sigh...!
Vintage white


Smart white
Cheery white :)
Serene white

Bold white :)
Strawberry white
Fire white
Calm white

and most importantly - restful white.

Images from Decor8, House Beautiful and my nameless collection :)