Indian Style

Vivid palettes of deep indigo, playful pinks, and sultry saffron, exquisite sari fabrics bearing delicate gold and silver threads, and elegant divans lavished with pillows...these are only a few of the decorative items that India has offered to the world! Just as the land is rich in diversity, so is the culture. A host of different religions and a long history of invasions, have all left their mark. And these varied influences have contributed to the unique masala, or blend, that is Indian style! Today it is easy to being this aesthetic into your home.
So get inspired - make a splash in the living room and drape a bold sari on the back of a couch, enhance a bedroom with a shimmering sari inspired curtain, spice up a dining area with a tablecloth bearing Indian motifs, use hammered silver and brass bowls with floating rose petals and Miniature Moghul paintings to accessorize. Here are some ideas to create rooms that embody or hint at the enchantment of India.

Living rooms

Bedrooms

Accessories

Images courtesy "India Style" by Alexandra Bonfante-Warren

Mosaic Monday - An Indian wedding

For those of you who have attended an Indian wedding, you know what I mean when I say it is a riot of colors. There's the red of the bride's wedding sari, the pure silk white of the groom's dress, the gold and saffron of the marigold garlands, the yellow and pink of the jasmines and plumerias, the greens of the auspicious mango leaves and then of course, the varying hues of the guests wedding wear! Bejewelled women wearing saris in stunning combinations of pink and purple, blue and orange, cream on cream, red and yellow, peacock blue and fuschia, moss green and orange...it goes on! The men are turned out in silk kurtas in shades of browns and creams. Add to all this the fragrance of incense, patchouli and sandalwood surrounding the air, the madness of people talking and kids running, smoke from the sacred fire tearing up your eyes, tinkling sounds of anklets and bracelets, hennaed hands, the jewel tones of the rangoli powder...and there you have it, a mosaic of an Indian wedding!

Check out this lovely blog for some mosaic fun!