These are a few of my favorite rooms.....

Something I have been doing for many years now, is collecting pictures of rooms I love. These are interiors that I come across in magazines and brochures. Obviously the main reason I do this, is because they are so lovely and I enjoy looking at them from time to time, to get inspired. They also came in very handy when we remodelled our old house in Hyderabad, and I was looking for some creative ideas and suggestions while designing the interiors. For those of you thinking of remodelling your home, or building your own home or even redecorating your rooms - this is a great exercise to do. Start a few months ahead of your project, look through magazines and cut out the pictures that catch your eye. This is especially helpful if you cannot pinpoint your style exactly and are finding it difficult to explain what you like. There is a good chance that after you have collected, say, 10 or 15 you will notice a consistent theme running through them all. Something that is a constant in them that appeals to you. It could be the color of the wood - dark and tradiitonal or warm, blonde and modern; it could be the colors of the walls and furnishings - red, bold and dramatic or cool, serene pastels; it could be the accessories -  eclectic global pieces or traditional Indian handicrafts and earthy artifacts. Whatever it is, that is what defines YOUR style. That is what appeals to you and speaks to you. Its an easy starting point to jump off from.

I finally sifted through my collection, I must have had a hundred of them and short listed them to my real favorites. Here then are some of my favorite rooms. As you can see I like red/orange/brown/black, sage green/ochre; I like Asian furniture with a modern twist; I like textural funiture; I like pillows and rugs on the floor and I LOVE the color orange.