Airy colonial inspired master bedroom
Created by Vinithra Amarnathan on November 27, 2016
I have always loved blending different decorating styles. When we moved into this apartment a little more than a year ago this large airy master brought in the same open and relaxed California feel that I loved while living in LA. Marrying that with all the colonial influences that I came across in India and Bangalore became the inspiration for this room!
The first element I worked on in this space were the lavender linen curtains. The linen fabric and lighter color bring home the bright and airy feel I wanted to reinforce. I always knew I wanted a colonial style cane back four poster bed, but it was hard to come by. While there were many four posters I came across they didn’t really have that vintage charm and the colonial feel I was looking for. And then on one of my shopping trips I bumped into Thar – the furniture store in Indiranagar and found this bed hidden away in a corner! Refinished in a glowing teak this bed brings in the vintage colonial look beautifully…..it may not be a four poster and I feel that adds to the openness of the space.
On another day shopping for white dinnerware at Adams near Russell market I stumbled into this tiny little antique shop with dusty old furniture and spotted those marble top nightstands….perfect nightstands for the tall bed and the marble top brightens things up!
I finished off with my favorite seagrass reading chair and a pouf alongside a tall floor length mirror for all those dress up days! Adding a simple blue n white cotton rug, blue n white bed linen, patterned pillows and blue glass bottle bedside lamps bring the whole space together!
Here are a few shots of the room…..look up the bedrooms section of our portfolio page for more pictures!
Diwali Decor – Shop the Look – Vintage Glam!
Created by Vinithra Amarnathan on October 23, 2016
Our last and final Diwali look for you….inspired by vintage glam! Luxe and romantic, sparkly metallics offset by pastels and white, glam with a refined air! My favorite look 🙂
Happy shopping and Happy Diwali ☺
Look 3 – Vintage Glam!
Wire Lantern, Pineapple Jar, Linen embroidered pillow, Chevron pillow, Floral pillow, Gray throw blanket, Metallic hurricane, Floral table runner, Gold scallop cake stand, Brass serving set, Ceramic tea light holder, Tapas plates
Diwali Decor – Shop the Look – Turkish Bazaar!
Created by Vinithra Amarnathan on October 16, 2016
More Diwali Décor inspo coming your way…here’s our second look inspired by a Turkish Bazaar – Turquoise, Shades of blue, White and Gold with a touch of gray to balance it all out! Bold, brilliant and full of personality!
Look 2 – Turkish Bazaar!
Turquoise Platter, Printed Placemat, Aqua Bowl, Napkins with tassels, Gold Dessert Cups, Metallic Serving Set, Silk Bolster cover, Blue pattern cushion cover, Blue camel embroidered cushion cover, Coffee Table Book , Tea Light holder, Pyramid Lantern
Happy Shopping 🙂 Stay tuned for our last look!
Diwali Decor – Shop the Look – Kitschy Indian!
Created by Vinithra Amarnathan on October 7, 2016
Tis that time of the year again! Family, friends, fun, conversations, colors, cards, laughter, lights, sparkle, glitter and make merry!
I have always loved Diwali and the energy that comes along with it. What better time of the year to entertain and come together with friends and family!
And what better than a quick festive makeover for your home! Here are my 5 favorite ways to bring in the look!
- Pillows
Yes, I love pillows and never tire of them! The easiest way to bring in fresh color and a festive look to a space when on a budget! Brights, metallics, florals, patterns and jewel tones work best to bring home the look and feel of the season.
- Mood Lighting
Another easy way to update your space is through candles, votives and small lighting to mirror the essence of Diwali! Candle stands, votives, hanging lanterns, brass lamps/ethnic diyas. wall sconces etc are all ways to bring in mood lighting that can all add to the festive look of a space.
- Fabric
A beautiful table runner, a plush throw, placemats, curtains are all great ways to carry through a new color scheme or a look! They help unify and tie the space together through pattern, texture and color. Look out for metallics, natural textures and luxe elements to balance bright color and patterns!
- Objet de Art
A little gold paperweight, a striking sculpture, a coffee table book, a hand painted tray are all easy yet high impact ways to put the look together! Contrast, color and drama is what you’re looking for!
- Dinnerware
After all Diwali is about food and more food! Dinner and serve ware are beautiful ways to incorporate a festive glam look. And if you focus on colorful elaborate serve ware keeping your dinner plates simple and elegant with whites or neutrals, you wont be breaking the bank!
So armed with these tips let’s set out for some shopping!
In the weeks running up to Diwali, I will be putting together for you 3 shop the looks! Here’s the first one, inspired by kitschy Indian! Quirky, colorful and fun yet elegant! Get shopping!
Look 1 – Kitschy Indian!
Birdcage, Wooden Parrots, Tablecover, Fuschia cushion, Stripe cushion, Embroidered cushion, Diya, Coral Platter, Handpainted Tumbler , Metal coasters, Wood and metal cake stand, Two tone dessert spoons, Square dessert plate
Watch out for next weeks look;)
From House to Home!
Created by Vinithra Amarnathan on June 29, 2016
This post is to somewhat try to document the journey of making a home of a house, a project I took on in February this year! Creating and designing spaces for families, always starts with knowing who your family is, how they live, what their priorities are and just what a day in their life looks like!
My project was for a young warm and wonderful family who are relaxed, casual and believe form follows function! We started out with a blank slate and worked on the entire 3BHK house.
The look is modern, bright and warm, with color playing a huge role in all the spaces! We kept the wardrobes light to fade them into the walls, a bold accent wall in the living room and pastel accent walls in the kids rooms! The furniture was simple, clean and modern with a strong focus on functionality and comfort. We chose vibrant curtains for the kids spaces, but kept them neutral in the living area to balance the orange wall and a calm blue in the master bedroom. The lighting in all the spaces is simple recessed surface lights throughout, a couple wall fixtures and mood lighting through lamps. Most of the soft furnishings like bedding and cushions are cotton fabric and easy to maintain.
Living Room
The living room has a monochromatic look throughout with grays, metallics and a brown gray couch, interspersed with color through cushions in varying tones of yellows and oranges, a bold red lamp and the orange wall! One of my favorite pieces in the living room is the gorgeous plaid custom made armchair….lovely colors and great workmanship make for a good looking and comfortable reading chair 🙂
The wall art is a 3 panel art print on wood and really helps tie in all the colors beautifully!
Here’s a look at the living room before with just paint on the walls.
And here are a few shots of what it looks like after!
Kids room – Girl
The jumping off point for this space was the beautiful curtains we spotted! The pink and purple florals made for a bold, beautiful look and we worked with the colors to add a pastel lavender accent wall, soft pink coverlet and a mix of floral and stripe cushions! The green rugs work beautifully to break the pinks and purples and add a punch of color to the space!
One of the key needs was storage and a comfortable desk and chair. We found a simple easy cube storage shelf that was easily accessible and provided ample storage and a purple upholstered chair with a modern desk. Here are a few shots of the space!
Kids Room – Boy
When we started out working on this room, I knew we had to work with a bright red sofa bed. So a lot of our decisions were built around it…like the paintbrush striped curtains, the patterned rug, pastel blue accent wall and the neutral storage shelf and desk!
The rug in this room might be smaller than I’d like, but gives a definite fun feel to the space and the bold red desk chair also adds to that feel! Here are a few shots.
Master Bedroom
The master bedroom was the last room we worked on and I think by then the extent of urgency had increased and the enthusiasm had dipped! So its still a bit of a work in progress with the need for art above the bed and some reorganization around the room!
Its a simple room with a king bed, bookshelf and chairs that the client already had. We added blue silk curtains for a calm serene effect, a modern narrow desk and some patterned bedding!
Here are some pics.
I hope you enjoyed getting a look at this project and the journey of creating it!
Until next time..xx
5 tips to create a gender neutral nursery!
Created by Vinithra Amarnathan on May 20, 2016
Check out my post http://www.polkacafe.com/how-to-create-a-gender-neutral-nursery-2786.html
Or find it here!
Having a baby is one of the most exhilarating life events! Creating a warm, happy and functional nursery for your baby is a first step towards making space for him/ her in your home! The traditional approach of a pink nursery for a girl and a blue nursery for a boy is long gone. There are a plethora of colors, ideas and themes that parents and decorators are using in their designs!
And if you are like me and believe that a baby’s gender is one of the worlds most beautiful and real surprises, then this post is for you!
- Get Inspired
To be creative and truly unique design needs to be inspired. Find what inspires you and use that as a take off point! You don’t need to look far….just pick an article, color, book, pattern, place, really anything you love.
A few days before I found out we were expecting, I found this pillow cover in a store in Pondicherry. I had no idea where I would use it, but I bought it all the same and that, alongwith a beautiful Valentina Ramos painting I fell in love with, became the jumping off points for my baby’s nursery!
Here’s a look at my inspiration and the final space!
- Know your space
Having a baby is a great experience, but also an overwhelming one! Its important to know your expectations of the space and understand how you will be using it. Will you co-sleep and use the nursery as a playroom, will it to be a self-contained space for your baby, will it be shared with anyone, will it double up as a guest room or office space when needed etc.
This understanding will help you create a functional and beautiful space specific to your needs!
- Where to save and where to splurge
A new baby means a lot of new purchases and one of the things I find invaluable is for parents to know where to save and where to splurge! While a lot of this depends on your individual lifestyle and preferences, splurge on items that can be reused like a good crib that will transition to other babies in the family, a dresser with good bones that can move to another room in the house, an open shelving unit that can transform into a bookshelf in the family room etc. Splurge on quality preferably organic cotton bedding for newborn skin, a soft rug to create a safe play area and a good rocker for all those feeding sessions!
Save on small toys and books, which you can pick at a resale/seconds store, pillows and wall art that can even be DIY, lighting and storage. And don’t forget the hand me downs!
- Think beyond yellow
When you are creating a gender-neutral space, color can be your best friend! Some of my favorite combos are;
- Navy, yellow and gray
- Indigo, white and coral
- Aqua, red and orange
- Pastel green, purple and gold
- Mint, chocolate and orange
Find colors that you love and are in the rest of your home. But also allow yourself to experiment!
- Build character
To make a space truly unique, I believe it needs to tell a story! So don’t forget to bring in soul to your baby’s nursery.
Whether its through a vintage piece of furniture, your once worn baby outfit, a handmade quilt from a near and dear one or a DIY piece of art, there are many ways to bring in personality and character to a space. These things may not match, may not be the color scheme you are going for and may stand out but for all the right reasons!
Good luck creating your baby’s first little space and I hope these tips have been helpful! A mama’s nesting instinct is the best creative tool you need J
5 Key trends in kids decor 2016
Created by Vinithra Amarnathan on February 25, 2016
Check out my write up on the Home Canvas Blog on 5 Key trends in Kids decor!
5 Key Trends in Kids decor 2016 – Home Canvas
Pastels
There is a resurgence of pastels in kid’s spaces – calm, serene and beautiful spaces are the way to go! After the mainstay of primary colors, saturated jewel tones and darker moody shades like navy and charcoal….pastels are a welcome break! Any wonder Pantone’s colors of the year are Rose Quartz & Serenity!
Nothing brings in the charm of summer better than pastels….personally I’m loving shades of gray juxtaposed with lavenders, lilacs and pinks and shades of ivory and natural wood with pastel blues, mint and silver.
Here are some easy ways to incorporate the look;
Source List;
Pink lamp, Blue Lamp, Home wall shelf ,Violet wall shelf, Elephant wall art, Mauve lounge chair, Mint pillow, Polar bear pillow, Rose white basket, Grey toy box, Chest of drawers
Metallics
Gold, silver, copper…metallics are everywhere! Not only do they make for a great contrast against pastels, they also serve to easily glam up a space. A little touch of gold here and a hint of sparkle there is all you’ll need to liven up a space.
Some of my favorite pieces that bring in this look;
Source List;
Grey gold pillow, Blush gold polka dot pillow, White gold bird knob, Antique gold knob, Copper study lamp, Gold side table, Fuschia gold curtains,Metal lantern pendant
Natural texture
Wood tones, seagrass, rattan all help to bring in the natural texture that gives a space dimension. And they work beautifully with pastels in creating a calm relaxed space. A wood stool, rattan chair or natural jute rugs are easy ways to get this look!
Source List:
Wooden car book ends, Wood cone hanging lamp, Woody kids chair, Natural wood stool, Upholstered stool, Two tone side table, Jute rug, Storage trunk
Up in the air
Kids spaces have seen the use of clouds, stars, moon, hot air balloons and all things dreamy lately! And what kid doesn’t want a little space of his/her own that lets their imaginations run wild!
Here are my top picks;
Source List;
Around the world wallpaper, Framed art print, Hot air balloon decoration, Cloud mobile, Cloud Pillow, Grey pillow, Air theme wall stickers, Candy clouds sheet set
Pattern play
With all the textural and neutral tones forming the focus for design trends, there is a lot of pattern play to contrast them. Tropical prints, florals, animal patterns and tribal prints are all great ways to incorporate pattern and visual dimension to a space. Use them in pillows, curtains, throws and even larger pieces like a rug for a bolder look!
Source List;
Tropical print cushion, Graphic animal print pillow, Elephant baby pillow, Kilim rug, Pink floral pillow, Pink and purple floral pillow, Mint floral pillow, Pink floral curtain, Blue bird print curtain
A fun modern little girl’s room!
Created by Vinithra Amarnathan on November 29, 2015
One of my very first projects in Bangalore – a fun, modern and happy room for a little girl! When we started it was a cluttered and tight space with a lot of stuff and very little open space for play. There was a clear need for storage and a change in the room’s layout to better optimize the use of space! But what the space also had was beautiful natural light, a large balcony and a lovely window seat!
Brand new wardrobes to add much needed storage space, a clean modern twin size bed that can last the growing years, a fresh coat of neutral gray paint that acts as the perfect canvas for all the colorful accessories and a gorgeous bright pink rug bring this room together so beautifully!
We still have to work on the upholstery and curtains saved for a later date….but what an amazing transformation this is! I have said it so many times and this is probably the best example of what a can of paint can do to transform a space:)
Here are some before and after pics 🙂
A playspace makeover in under Rs.6000!
Created by Vinithra Amarnathan on November 25, 2015
An open space and 2 kids screams playspace!
So I set off on the mission armed with a measly budget of Rs. 5000 and here’s what we came up with!
A pretend play nook with just a few nails on the wall!
A great way to display your kids artwork!
Breakdown;
- Paintings made at home by daddy and son got framed – Rs. 1000
- Plastic floor mats (9×6) 2 -Rs.1500
- Storage stands (Amazon.in) – Rs. 3400
Well yes I did overshoot my budget by a wee bit….but I never said am good at math 😉
Splurge or Save!
Created by Vinithra Amarnathan on September 29, 2015
One of the biggest dilemmas of working within a budget is what to spend on and where to save! More often than not I see a space created with sub optimal use of resources and one that could have looked far better for the money spent.
So here are my tips on what to splurge on and what to save on!
Splurge
- Sofa – Always always consider buying the best sofa / couch your money can buy! It’s a key piece in defining your living space and your style. Also it will likely be the most used piece of furniture and you want one that’s not only comfortable and classy, but also one that has great bones!
- A Statement Piece – Oversized art, that beautiful chandelier, the silk upholstered accent chair…make room for at least one such statement piece in your space! They bring in the wow factor and make things stand out! Like they say go bold or go home 🙂
- Mattress & Sheets – We spend a third of our life sleeping…it only makes sense to splurge on the most used item in your home! Buy the best mattress your money can buy and the best sheets your money can buy. Simple white sheets softest to touch when in doubt 🙂
- Dining table – A solid functional table can live for years and double up as a work space, spot for kids to work on, long family gatherings and chatter!
Save
- Rugs – Area rugs are predominantly a decorative accessory and while there’s a place for that beautiful oriental silk carpet or a vintage beni ourain…..rugs in family spaces tend to wear out in a few years. Here is something you want to save on…what with all the beautiful budget options these days – dhurries, cotton flatweaves and beautiful outdoor rugs!
- Accessories – This is a great place to save and still be on trend! Pillow covers, throws, curios /objets de art are a great way to bring in new color, trends and an element of change to a space.
- Small furniture – Save on the less used accent furniture like the side tables, accent chairs, shelving units and task lighting! These are pieces where it is form over function…and with the choices available you wont have to look too far.
- Hardware – Drapery fittings, faucets, cabinet handles, door knobs are all areas to save. There are numerous budget options that are great on the eye to pick from. I might even go a step further and say tiles and simple cabinets are also areas where you can save!
Happy decorating 🙂
