Monday, May 27, 2013

Colours!

Making a new house or re-doing an existing one for that matter, comes with its own set of challenges, learning and mental blocks that you need to get over sometimes.
In the process of choosing colours for the house (the process is not complete yet!), I realized that I have a colour commitment phobia.

So for instance I love the colour on this wall and the resulting look of this room. Isn't it BEAUTIFUL?

Pic courtesy An Indian Summer, Thiru S, Elle Decor  India

BUT will I go ahead and paint a wall at my place in that colour??? Umm, errr, ahem.... no.
Why not, you ask?
I am too scared to commit to it. How will it tie in with the look and style of the rest of the house? What if it doesn't look good after it is done?
Paint over it. Simple!
Not that easy. What about the cost, budget overshoot and extra time to change it? What if the next colour I choose doesn't look good either?
Ughh! Frustrating thought process.

So what do I do to steer clear of this phobia? I decide to stick to neutrals and bring in the colour with the soft furnishings and accessories. All you brave colour lovers must be going "Scaredy-cat", "Chicken". I know!

But the neutral camp ain't bad at all. It's got its advantages, charm and lovely options. Must add flexibility as a trait.
Take the room below for instance, Neutral, minimalistic, colour added via art work, the carpet, the cushions, accessories.
What's not to love I say!

Pic courtesy Bluekrit

That said, my heart still tugs me towards the colour loving party! Maybe an accent wall, a niche that stands out with a favourite colour, a ceiling done in a bold hue. I can always change it right?

These pictures below make it tougher for me to decide. Colour or Neutral?

Pic courtesy Houzz.com

Pic courtesy Houzz.com

What path did you take? How did you decide? Any advice, learning or sharing of experience is welcome.

This post is a part of the Blog-a-Prompt week at Marathon Bloggers. Today's prompt is Colours.



Thursday, May 23, 2013

My philosophy of a home...

... has been stated perfectly by Nicole Paulus here! She says "I think your home should be constantly evolving with you. Decorating should never be over."
I want my home to reflect me, my likes, my loves, my comfort. I want it to become my haven and feel more comfortable and warm every time I add something to it. 

You could use a designer, carpenter or DIY, what matters, at the end, is - when you step in, stay, settle down, does it make you happy? If it does, then everything is worth it!!

Since the last few months I have been drooling over home websites, furniture, decor, soft furnishings, fixtures, whatever-else-home-related-you-can-think-of. Came across some lovely inspirations, incorporated a few into my design. Today I will share some of my favourites with you :) 
Here we go - 


Love this swing. Pic and design courtesy Bluekrit

Yes! I am getting a swing in my living room. I have wanted one for ages and this was my chance to get it. More on that when the swing is ready :)

Picture courtesy Houzz.com
I love how calming and serene this master bedroom is! I like this picture for the overall look and effect than any individual element. The white trim and the pastel wall and ceiling colour is beautiful. Designing our master bedroom on similar lines with the space for the two chairs. Will keep you posted.


I love love love this settee! Traditional yet packs a punch. I have a weakness for paisleys and the yellow is bright, uplifting yet doesn't overwhelm. This could be put in a room with neutral furniture and wall colours. *Note to self - Look out for fabric like this or the one below. 

Another favourite is this Ikat slipper chair!


Leaving you with this one - which appeals to the organized (OCD as some call it, but it is not) part of my brain. How cute is this. Need to source this and make a place for something like this. Enthucutlets are you listening?? 



Next post, next week - Electrical and Plumbing and what I learnt about them. Sounds boring? Let's make it fun shall we :) 
Feel free to send in queries, bounce off ideas, share thoughts, inspirations and ideas!! 

Monday, May 20, 2013

Architects/Interior Designers/Contractors/Carpenters - Figuring out which one works for you

After my previous post, I got suggestions, links and help in multiple ways! Love the online world at times like this - help at your finger tips and super quick at that :) 

A friend suggested this blog, which he found during his make-a-home project - Home Design Ideas by Nandita Manwani. Nandita has put together some very important and practical info in a very easy to understand manner. She realized the work involved and the learning curve in making a house when she made her own in Bangalore and started collating the info on her blog! Good for people like us :) 

Do check out her posts on 
Sliding doors - Bet you did not know some of the practical tips she has mentioned.
Types of Wood for Home Interiors - The ABCs of different kinds of wood used in home construction.
What is the right material for woodwork? - Which wood should you use for the carcass/boxes, the shutters and wardrobes? It is all explained in this post. 

Moving back to the topic for this post. The 2nd step in the make a house your home project is deciding whether you want help with doing up the house and what kind of help. 
I would like to refer to one of Nandita's post again (why reinvent the wheel) - Do you really need an Interior Designer?

S and I decided to check out all the options we had at hand. That meant checking out the architects, interior designers and contractors that we knew about. We collected references from our friends, friends of friends, acquaintances, ex-neighbours, people who had done their houses recently. I re-visited homes that I remembered for that special touch, or the soothing wall colour, the TV unit, furniture, furnishing, lights, general layout. Jotted down notes, names of shops they visited, any practical tips, dos and don'ts they had. Yes, I have a diary with hand written notes. A scribble here, a note there.

Getting all the gyaan from real people has helped! I know more than I did a month back. I can talk the language of MDF board, crown moulding, trim, laminate, acrylic, LEDs and a whole lot more. I still am no expert but at least it is a start and a HUGE learning. 

In our search we came across some firms for interiors. I am listing the names linked to their websites. My intention is not to promote any particular firm, this is just a list of firms we came across during our search. If you would like to know specific feedback about any of these, or what information I have about these, whom we chose and why, please feel free to send me and email at simrand@gmail.com 

What did we discover during this process?
We realized that if you have the money there is no end to what you can do. 
There are designers in the market who provide end-to-end services to suit different budgets. 
There are contractors who provide the same set of services but for your designs. 
It is a pick and choose, mix and match.  You need to pick what works for you, your sense of style, your  need for freedom, flexibility and the biggest factor - your BUDGET. 

And the grass always seems greener on the other side. So if you go with a designer, you might feel "What if I had gone with the other one?" Or "How I wish I had the freedom to just get this table made the way I want to from the carpenter." 
It is okay to feel that way. Very normal!! :) 

If you go with your own designs and get them done via a contractor/carpenter then the thoughts might be "What would a designer have done with this place?" "What if there is better material out there for this space? A designer would have known about all those options!" 
That is okay too!

So I would suggest explore, research (in your own way), prepare a budget, then choose based on gut feel. There will be issues as in any project, there will second, third and many more thoughts while you are doing it and even after ;) But in the end you will come out wiser and experienced and am sure still have a lovely home. 

Ah and one more thing, I would suggest leaving a few things to be done later or in a phase 2, 3 or N. Especially soft furnishings, some of the furniture, knick knacks. Once you move into the house it gives you a better perspective of what you really need, what colour throw will go well with that neutral sofa and beige walls. Also provides opportunities to keep you busy with mini projects if you love doing interiors like me :) 

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