Thursday, October 22, 2009

Lively-wood travels to Bliss in Andheri, Mumbai

Store called Bliss in Andheri, Mumbai

I am very excited about the new venture. A brand new fashion & decor store called Bliss is now open in Versova, Andheri, Mumbai where Lively-wood displays a variety of Mirrors, Bars, Yoga & Comfort products, Coffee Tables, etc.


Siddhi - a low comfort chair

Through some connections Mallika Desai Thakker, one of the owners of Bliss, and I got in touch. It just clicked very well and there, I have chance to open my avenues in Mumbai while she enhances her store with more variety. Bliss is very creatively inspiring store with various designers potraying their art and designs. For all of you in Mumbai, or planning to visit Mumbai the address is 180, Aram Nagar1, Fisheries University Rd, 7 Bunglows, Andheri. Contact them at 022 26332111. For more info of the store, visit http://www.artnlight.blogspot.com


The Persian Trunk - a wine cellar, beautifully displayed at Bliss

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Can Diwali be Economical & Eco-friendly?

Above photo is taken by Tanmay

Diwali, or the festival of lights is a beautiful mélange of pooja ceremonies, lamps or diyas, floral decorations, fireworks, etc. but also a reason to clean and decorate your home and to break the monotony of our mundane lives. The festival is such a beautiful blend of all the above elements. While we walk through the few days of it, we cannot forget and avoid the environmental and health hazards it causes, but in our small ways, we can definitely celebrate this auspicious festival keeping in mind to help and save our environment.

Cleaning & disposing......is it a waste of time?



Don't even think of cleaning and decorating your home in one day! Assign your work to all your family members. Most of all, try to reduce clutter from your home by removing all the unwanted things like glass and plastic bottles, newspaper, old clothes, shoes, etc. Make a list of things you need to dispose and and give them away. Start by giving the used glass bottles/ newpapers to the recycle vendors, make a neat heap of your clothes and shoes and donate them to orphanages or needy people. Start your Diwali by helping, organising and disposing unwanted stuff by not just throwing it in the trash but by making sure it its re-used and recycled.

Splurge on embellishements from home!





Just because it is Diwali, it does not mean buy, buy and buy a lot of unnecessary things. Lets talk more about splurging on things that you have at home. Decorating the house can include making a beautiful rangoli with flowers. Now-a-days we find non-toxic rangoli which mixed with soil does not contaminate it, or drapping old sarees as curtains instead of plastic streamers, or using floor rugs. You can also use old scraves or duppattas as table runners or table cloth. Filling up old bronze and brass pots or urns with flowers and displaying them at the corner of your living space also makes it look ethnic and festive.


Above photo is taken by Tanmay

Welcome Nature this Diwali



Bring in some indoor plants and pots. Make the house look cosy. If you already have plants, re-arrange your furniture and plants to make it look different.

Diwali is about lights...





Yes, I totally agree with it but how can we bring radiance in our home while still help our surounding? Use paper lanterns with CFL bulbs instead of the traditional yellow bulbs which are less energy efficient. Light earthen lanterns or diyas instead of lights in the house. Though earthen lamps need oil the quantity is less and will make your home sparkle and save energy bills.

How can we forget Diwali Feasts???



Impress your guest with being traditional. Use banana leaves to serve sweets and meals. In place of glass or plastic glasses, use those made out of mud. This will not only give your party that uber-ethnic edge, but it will also keep it natural.

Fire-crackers....is it a must?



The photos above and below are taken by a budding artist Tanmay



Being Diwali, its hard to not indulge in firecrackers. They cause serious hazards not only to the environment but they also affect animals. Instead of buying traditional chemical cracker, go for eco-friendly crackers. Eco-friendly crackers are made up of recycled paper and the sound produced by these crackers is under the decibel limit defined by the Pollution Board. These crackers produce paper fluffers and different color lights instead of sound on bursting.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

6 Tips To Get Your Home Dressed Up To Impress Your Guests

Get your house dressed up and ready to impress. Have you got some friends who love to visit on a Saturday night? Somehow the house is always welcoming, the living space looks lovely and the dinner table is inviting.

Part of getting it right is in the planning. Allow yourself to prepare the food, tidy the house and get yourself ready. Your cooking might not be perfect but its the ambience that you create when you ask people around to dinner. Here are some ideas for you -

Table Styles



Have your table set to the theme of the dishes prepared for dinner. For example, if you have traditional Indian food, have some flower petal decoration around the plates or if you have a drinks and cocktails, then arrange a nice bottle of wine with a few wine glasses on your dinning table. Or float a single flower head in a bowl at the centre of the table.

Switch Moods



You can change your seating areas to bring about some change. If it a casual dinner, go for a low seating instead of your dinning table. Bring in floor cushions and use them around your coffee table instead of dinning chairs.

Candle or Tea lights, is that essential?



Well yes, it creates intimacy that overhead lights can't match. Did you know if you stored your candles in in the fridge for a while before lighting them, they will burn longer? If you happen to have diffused low lighting in your home, put them on because that will support the intimate ambiance.

Flower Arrangements don't have to be "perfect"



Have small flower arrangements in your home. May be you can put them on your coffee table or at the wash basin or bathrooms where guests will certainly visit. Smaller arrangements can have just as much, if not more, appeal, charm, and beauty. As long as you like the arrangement, and as long as it makes you happy, it is indeed a "perfect" arrangement. To have your flowers last longer, add a little bit of salt and sugar or maybe a tablet of disprin to the water to make it last for a few days.

Scent has a powerful effect

When your guests walk into a room and there is a wonderful scent, it immediately says "welcome". Sometimes Indian food tends to have a strong aroma and if you want your home and linens to smell more inviting, then spray a fragrant room freshner, light some scented candles or simply arrange naturally perfumed flowers.

Your Entrance, Porche and Hallway should not be ignored!






Always remember not to neglect your entrance, porches and hallways. Your guest will pass through these areas leaving the first impression of your place. If you decorate your interiors fantastically and overlook whats on the outside, it will throw a jumbled impression on your guest. A simple tip would be potting a plant at your door step or making a rangoli and placing a small diya at the entrance or simply placing some pebbles or cactus which makes the entrance look warm and welcoming.

Entertaining at home should be relaxing for your guests and pleasing to both of you. The best way to do this is to plan the occasion to avoid stress and mess.