All Decked Out! (Tour of our deck)

We, the truly Canadians, are the biggest weather fanatic. After enduring the most classic and long winter, we impatiently wait for summer and sunshine immediately connects with us. This year is also not an exception, with the hint of summer in our ravine; we have been totally plugged out with our outdoor surroundings in our newly built deck. Set against the backdrop of the sparkling waves of pond where the water is shimmering with the heat haze and leafy ravine splays for miles, our deck is a ready-to-go stage for all of our outdoor activities and entertaining. 

My mind often boggles to think how many efforts it went in to build this place from a house to home. We have been contemplating to bring in this major change in our outdoor space ever since we moved in. Finally we could get an actually believable space (almost 500 square footage) last year in which we could relax, have privacy, entertain and where my husband can also catch a cat nap after a long day ;). So, come on, let�s walk out to the back door and tour our patio/deck which is our happy place that we crave at the end of each summer day.
 

Unlike regular wooden decks, we decided on composite decking for almost ZERO maintenance and high comfort place to relax. Composite decks offer the same beauty of wood without the any downsides. No paint-no stain, adaptable and Canadian weather resistant for years to come. We also picked safety tempered and shatter resistant glass railings to create a modern look without blocking our ravine view. It also holds up the extreme temperatures of Canada.

Stunning vignettes are a key ingredient in any of my d�cor so why should our outdoor be any different ;). A contemporary outdoor setting for dining in style is a must. Thrown in here are some glass accessories and few low-maintenance plants and flowers to complete the look.  

Though, it gets ridiculously hot in summer and to keep Mr. Sun at bay and cool off, we have installed a gazebo from Lowes. It occupies the perfect amount of space to protect us from rain or rays. Gazebo contains net curtains with zip for us to recline or doze off on relaxing afternoons while protecting us from those unwanted bugs at evenings (though we have hardly found any).  

Each piece is outdoor friendly here yet sophisticated enough to use indoors when the weather gets colder. I have extracted the very best out of what I already had indoor. I strongly believe in relying on your imagination and style rather than deep purse for all those seasonal decorative changes. 

The best highlight of our deck is the light. At the stroke of a dusk, the patio instantly becomes a party hub with lush green view. Dimmable lights, that greatly extend our outside living with ambience, can be easily operated from our smartphones on Wi-Fi. They set the perfect mood to take our deck up a notch on the welcoming scale even for the people who walk around the pond.

The space allows us to connect with Mother Nature. The feeling of being enveloped in lush greenery while sipping Tea or chilled cocktail in the company of chirping and tweeting birds (and frogs at night) is a cozy retreat for us from the pressure of modern life.

Be it a sunset or star gazing...many smile inducing and satisfying moments take place here on summer evenings.  

Multiple zones for relaxation and entertainment on the same level make the most of summer's laziest and haziest days comfy. A sweet bench here offers an extra seat for our guests or a makes a perfect place for me to slink away with a book in the evenings. The deck also provides a set of stairs that leads to our walk out basement. (we have a built in barbeque and another outdoor space underneath the deck, where the major work is wrapped up, will hopefully share the space with you all soon.)

 

So, if you ask me for my summer plans, relaxing is the only task on my to-do list this summer so far. And this year, with this summer entertaining oasis�looking forward for another season of barbequing and grilling outdoors. Until we meet again, stay connected lovely peeps, toodles.

Chic Touches of Cherry Blossoms!

Spring�.the time of rebirth and renewal of gorgeous flowers...is here. Finally the warm weather has settle in and I am absolutely celebrating the return of warm breezes and sunlit days�.our ravine backyard has started giving us the hint of resuming our love affair with the season. The trees are starting to bud and songbirds are returning back in our ravine. My tulips are breaking the ground and soon will be showing a hint of color. Though, I am a new schooler and learning to graduate with the familiarities of planting, I am determined to embrace my inner florist this season :).  

Regardless of that fact that I have a brown thumb and I don�t keep indoor plants thriving�I always appreciate the happy side-effect of having beautiful flowers around the house.  And with the transition in season, huge splashes of spring flowers around the home are a sure-fire way to cheer anyone up. Unlike last year�s tulip touches, this year chic touches of cherry blossoms are spreading the array of beautiful pink around the home. A very thoughtful friend of mine lugged away few stems of these beauties from a park where the park officials were pruning the tree due to heavy rain. Now these short lived flowers are �pinkified� modestly in our humble abode ;).

 

In our first vignette, pink blossoms have picked up on the brass accents beautifully and they seamlessly blend with the existing hot pink color and d�cor accessories in our living room. Beautifully cupped here with my brass tea kettle they lend a delicate touch of spring and I am so loving it.   

Grouping can be more romantic to add an instant floral fabulousness around you. Graceful bunch of bright blooms are emulating their presence here with copper, silver and brass all together! 

Every spring I go ahead and pile on colors in our home with spring accessories, delicate pink here is just blending in effortlessly with all the rest. Especially paired with an equally eye catching vase, these beauties are standing their own with an oriental touch on this setting.

You know me, I drain every last bit of my flowers and they literally go through a process until their survival and that�s why I didn�t have heart to toss away petals also�hence these pretty pink blossom petals are scattered in urli and big brass ice bucket (an impulse buy and a new hunt from an antique craft sale) for Ganeshji and Buddhaji also ;).

Flowers in any season radiate serenity for me. They are naturally welcoming to enhance some freshness in any place. Until my outdoor blooms rest a spell�I am all set indoors to nestle in the company of cherry blossoms after all day�s work. Are you spring ready yet? I do share bite size ideas on Instagram and Facebook, so stay connected peeps and have a wonderful spring time, toodles!

My loots of India

�India� and �shopping� phrase seem so obvious. I still love the ritual of India shopping and it�s the oldest con I still fall for ;). How many of us haven�t surrendered to the lure of Indian shopping. There is nothing quite like walking along the old streets where nostalgia strikes you again and again. Taking in the window display at your local favorite stores, pausing at your favorite ice cream 'adda' or gobbling a sandwich at that local street vendor whom you still remember, surprisingly bumping into friends along the way and ultimately finding the perfect piece you were looking for. I feel euphoric...there is something so pulsating and hearty about India that makes us miss it deeply when you live overseas...shopping for me tops the list that I look forward on every trip.

 

Since I have many readers asking the sources of my shopping and brass, I thought it would be apt to let you in and see all of those loots I lugged away on my recent visit.

Along with our vivid memories, our beautiful Indian attires and jewelry many new things followed us from India to our home this visit also. The very first stealing the show is the new handsome lantern from a central mall of Baroda (my home town). The place was brimming with many glamorous pieces that I would have love to add in my collection but controlling my frisson of excitement, I did not give into the impulse buy and excitedly bring home those big pieces that I liked. However, there was no wavering about bringing this perfectly stylish tiny lantern shaped candle holder with symmetrical design and glossy texture. The impeccable intricate work was just perfect to mingle with my traditional brass. ?

The most classic �Lassi Glass� was a very hard find. Being it on the top of the list, I wouldn�t have left any stone unturned to bring it home. Though, in a state of �CHHAS� lovers, finding a Lassi glass seemed like a herculean task :). Finally rummaging through old stuff at �Bartanwala� (utensil seller) I lucked into bumping this unique and timeless piece which he handed me over for Rupees 300 only. I definitely had a smirk on my face while homing these tulips in it.

Road side vendors on the streets of the city are the best bet for you if you are eyeing to add any reasonable brass collection in your home. There is always something I have picked up from them. Interestingly edged and etched brass plate and bowl ended up being mine for styling my vignettes. The decorative approach of floating flowers with candles is a breeze to pull off when you have such elegant d�cor accessories.

The shape and mini size of these brass pots sold me at the same vendor. From the minute I have got them, they have been my  muse and taking several turns on my Instagram feeds as well. After all, it is not necessary to inherit an antique or brass to love it and make it your own...there are many pieces that will just instantly connect with you and your personality...be surefooted and confident when you include them in your collection.

Treasure trove of priceless pieces in your ma�s or grandma�s attic is your best bet on your next visit to India. Dusting off that old hand me downs and instilling them in your living space adds a sense of charm, warmth and soul. Each piece in my mother's khazana tells a family story and opens up to an imaginary world to us. Bring a bout of that old fashioned sense by packing away those heirlooms. When was the last time you stumbled upon a spittoon? Here is mine�proudly a heirloom piece with a reasonable twist and shine pleasantly adding a splash of modernity in my living room despite of its age.  

 

For me, these heirlooms jog a memory of someone special and it provides a sense of both cohesion and intrigue in my d�cor style. Here is one more of those heirloom that I stole away from my mom- a German silver glass, thoughtfully integrated housing my flowers. There is not any standard recipe to fit these heirlooms smoothly in your surrounding d�cor, but with some simplest approach they win to add that historic charm in any d�cor style you follow.

 

And if you have missed these two beautiful pieces on my instagram feed that I happen to pick up on our travel to kerala...here they are!

A prabhavali is a disk or circle of light (a halo) shown above or surrounding the head of the divine to represent their holiness and feel the peace emitting from the creator. It was checked off in my shopping list after stumbling online. The piece was sadly biting the dust in one of the Kerala store and upon the request (pretty please always works) the shopkeeper gave it away for 100Rs. (For him it was a broken piece and of no use). After showing some love by framing and affection by cleaning, it seems ready to be added on my next gallery wall :). 

Nothing is quite like revisiting travel memories. And our recent trip to Kerala has made us own a treasure box of memories. Beside abundant scenic beauty, Kerala is a place to get spoilt for the choices with exuberant art pieces. And if you are wondering how much damage this caused our wallets, not much really.... due to our weight restrictions we could only carry back a few quaint items and not nearly as many as I really wanted to! Here is the last piece of my loot. The smallest but the prettiest wood panel I could lug away in my suitcase.

Finally, I could layer these treasures and share with you all.  Specially for those readers who were keenly looking out for my India loot. Signing off the post hoping my shopping rant will eventually wend its way to some possibly useful tips for your next trip to India. You all have a great week ahead and stay connected on my Instagram and Facebook pages until we meet again here at the blog world, toodles!

My Valentine.....

Okay, folks, so here is a post after looooong. Trust me, I have been struggling to get back in the blogging groove after our recent trip to India. Every morning (even after three weeks) I pinch myself, rub my eyes and shout out am I really back ;(. Moreover, the frigid cold weather blanketed more than 15 cm of snow in Toronto this weekend to bruise my already wounded spirit. For now I have funneled all the pain and here with you all to talk about love ??. 

Though I have shared inspiring enough posts on V-day here and here in past years, this year I am sharing something personal that I thought is cute enough to broach the topic lovingly. 

Valentine�s Day is never anything extravagant except a day for us to celebrate our love for one another, a day to celebrate the time, past and present after spending two decades together. Yes, we 'the oldy-goldy' celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary in December and today's small post is about our small celebration we did to celebrate our togetherness. Though now after twenty years, we need something different to feel intoxicated and that's a complete different story ;). 

The party took place without breaking any bank in our newly finished basement and with the company of all loving close friends. (The whole celebration was a surprise and I had to churn it out in the small span of 2 hours.) Simplest, playful and practical pieces were given unusual touches apt for the celebrations. Tissue paper flowers and candles were perfectly paired in sync with the theme. For some personalized touches; Treasured memories of our life captured in photographs were displayed in giant frames. To throw in some laughter funny "Somee cards" were replaced in old frames. Personalized water bottles for all guests are �Pinkz� specialty for any big or small events at our home. Shadow box displayed some serious calculations of our overall math of 20 years.

And here I am with my ol� pal, a fellow mischief maker and a husband�.sending cheers for all those couples who always find ways to rekindle their love after soothing rhythm of many years of friendship.

 

And lastly I am thankful that we have Instagram and Facebook where we could stay connected (when you don�t find me here) for our social media soaked regular days. I will be back soon as I have lot to share and show. Until we meet again enjoy your V-Day. Stay connected, toodles!

 

December and Good byes!

I have every right to be elated�.why? Well, Pinkz is going away on a vacation and needless to say I am super excited. Yes, I will be unplugging from the blog sphere and Facebook along with locking the doors on my everyday chores for couple of weeks hence here is the last post of the year from me and my sparkly brass setting.

As much as it can be pleasure packing away those bags, sometimes let's be honest it's a bit of a grind and I feel like a gerbil on a wheel as I am muscling my way through this month. But as I believe these petty hardships will yield to some of the fondest memories of our lifetime. By breaking away all the humdrum, I am looking forward to spend some time away in a world away from all this frantic scurrying. The best part of the trip is a family wedding where fun and giggles will overflow abundantly and not to forget all the mingling with cousins and friends in between. As and when we have gone back to India, we have been welcomed with open arms and treated like royalty and so have my children�.so thankful for the family and friends for their hospitality. 

On a colder note, winter scenes are back here but a steady snow fall outside hasn�t dampen the exuberance inside me. Yes, with the first appearance of snow, it's officially winter here. With temperatures dipping in negatives and snow covered streets, Toronto already looks festive ready. Trust me, kissing goodbye to this brutally cold winter is the best perk of going away in December for us Torontonians.

At the blog front, it was another great year in blogging. It is so very heartening to be connected with you all. Life wouldn�t be the same without you all. Thank you all from the depth of my heart for having me and my passion stories in your life. You all are a rock of support for my passion. Looking ahead, as we mark a beginning of a new year, hoping to create and share the spectacle and wonder of many more �design moments� with you all.  

Well, that's it folks, signing out today for this year with the thoughts of my heavy shopping list ;) and packing on pounds with yummy food. You all lovely friends stay connected with me on my Instagramto #travelwithpinkz stories until my return and miss me on the blog sphere until my return. A big hug to you all and a very Happy New Year! Toodles!

Moods of my entrance!

Nothing beats the deep sigh of release and the delight of arriving home at the end of a tiring work day. It is a feeling one has to feel and cannot be described. As we step into our sanctuary, our personalized entry way that sets a serene vibe absorbs the lassitude from a long day instantly, offering a comfortable transition to a restful atmosphere. What�s more? A lot! Welcome to our Foyer and allow me to narrate my love story with this humble place :).  

 

I have immense love for my Foyer and am absolutely obsessed with playing around with the decor here, changing up the look constantly. This humble setting at the entry way with its immense potential for myriad creative settings, gives our visitors a first glimpse of our personal style and introduction to our whole house.

In ourhome, the entryway is a �landing stage�, which apart from providing a comfortable place for donning or shedding shoes or Jackets, also extends a warm personal welcome to our guests along with us. Come on in, as I guide you along to showcase the portraits of some personalized (or should I say Pinkified;)) vignettes and kaleidoscope of art work that greets our guests with more than just hello!

 

Whatever may be the physical feature or size of your entryway, the first impressions always matter, and few thoughtful touches here can go a long way in treating one�s eyes as soon as they set the foot into a home. In my own foyer, a pop of color is the top layer on my vignette that can be easily changed. Red always works for me. Purposefully placed minimal brass setting here echoes the overall traditional setting of our home.

I do not really align myself with any particular style and select pieces solely by their jazz that intrigues me. However, I have always been passionate about styling with timeless and classic decor items and hence, my strikingly stylish brass usually accentuates the simplicity of my d�cor that I put together with a minimal effort.

A table is foyer essential and a best surface to accessorize, apart from making an exceptional first impression on the guests. With a narrow entrance, a shelf or a small cabinet can definitely solve the same purpose of a foyer table with some much needed storage. In our foyer, this practical table provides us a much needed �catch-all� spot in its drawer, where all the mail, keys, glasses and every knick knack that we tend to carry in our pockets gets stashed easily.
When it comes to home styling, I am in a constant restless state of re-decorating with a continuous moving, adding and eliminating pieces in a study of the unexpected discoveries. This process goes on until I identify a correct placement of each element with a perfect styling, with a bonus of some exhilarating thrills of new discoveries.

Decorating walls is the quickest way to add a sense of depth to a space, apart from interjecting style and personality to your entrance. Some cleverly placed artwork can always add an instant focus on your entryway. Our artist daughter�s paintings have a pride of place in our foyer, which gives out a clear glimpse of our collective taste, personalities and fondness for Ganesha. These whimsical and lovely art pieces sitting pretty above console table not only lend an added sparkle in our entry way, but also engage our guests with a visible awe apart from being a great conversation starter.

In my quest to bring some calmness at my doorstep, at times a few Zen settings shape up over the foyer table. The serene visuals are sure to ease down our fatigue at the end of a long day. For a bit of whimsy, I experiment with designs and pair some beloved ethnic pieces with modern elements. This kind of old and new pairing often refreshes the look of older items, give a more collected look for the space and often makes both elements stand out.

A place we decorate with artwork and candles would also welcome flowers. Nothing looks more visually stimulating than a vase of fresh flowers, as you walk through the front door. Flowers are always a safe bet and a fabulous plus to any styling in my d�cor. Quite often, I prefer to pick an unconventional vase to attire my flowers as against a standard vase and my dear brass items always offer me a great choice.

 

In few of those �design moments� and creative cravings, the settings at the foyer do not stay the same for very long. While periodically combing through my collections, I tend to discover something more visually pleasing than the existing displays. After few �trial and error� stages of experimenting with their settings, the existing decor promptly gets modified to include the new objects of my interest!

 

Personalization adds a special touch to anything you own.
 

For an instant glamour and to enliven a space, area rugs are great to brighten any floors. Textured and bright coloured rugs every so often offer an added radical change in our foyer.

If you are like me, looking to constantly play around with the art work or vignette over a console, displaying a frame on an easel or placing it informally on the table makes it easy to change the scene. Adding a layer of flickering candle at the evenings always adds the extra oomph illuminating the area, whether or not it is well lit.

Many of us tend to accumulate plentiful souvenirs through our travel or as gifts from friends and family. A thoughtfully put together collection of such story telling pieces on the console also adds an undeniable grace and warmth to the foyer.

In our foyer too, many of our accessories unfold the stories of our many valuable friendships and the places we have travelled. In a refreshing change of pace, I also sometimes keep my omnipresent brass at bay and embrace novelty with a few fanciful pieces, to create a fresh look for the same place.

 

All decor lovers go through a periodical itch of creating a new look time to time. And the normal mistake we all do at such times is to start shopping for newer items. But the trick to minimizing an overload of accumulated stuff is to begin the hunt right at home. You don�t need to look far and out for a design changer but first dig down the existing treasures (or even what you may consider trash) you own.

 

Running a leisure eye on what you already own will sometimes reveal surprising discoveries and offer innovative ideas without breaking any bank. Edit and style your existing collection, including clutter in a way that will empower each item in a greater decorative value.

I am usually good at keeping my promises and even though the post was swaying away for more time than I intended, it has finally been out from my draft box. Hope the saga of different moods of our entry way, in the full glory of its pinkification (can't stop myself from using it ;)) will inspire you enough to spruce up your own. Until we meet again, stay connected! Toodles!