Naomi Stein of Design Manifesto

Have you taken a look at the latest House of Fifty? It is filled with decor inspiration and ideas but my most favorite article is the home tour of Naomi Stein of Design Manifest. I had seen it before on Design Sponge and loved it! Her gorgeous loft is contemporary and chic and incorporates beautiful ikats and suzanis. You can view more pictures of the house here and here.


Image credits/copyright: Via Design Sponge; Photography by Courtney Apple.

Friendship Birds

I am on a Valentine's Day posts streak! Here is a lovely and simple gift idea for someone you love from Cox and Cox (UK)..Friendship Birds made of metal (I could have sworn they were made of stone). I think these would make great gifts...
 a.) For a friend or for your sweetheart - Cox and Cox suggest that you keep one and give the other  as a gift. What a totally adorable idea!
b.) For someone who loves nature
c.) For someone who is very hard to shop for
d.) All the above (*my husband)


Is it just me or has spring already arrived? In my corner of Northern California, there is sunshine, birdsong and the occasional tree with flowers. As I type this, I am looking at at least 10 robins sitting in my neighbor's tree which might explain why I have birds on my mind! 
Image credit: Cox and Cox (UK)

Valentine's Day Tea Party

February is almost here and if you are looking for Valentine's Day celebration ideas, this delicately beautiful tea party is a great way to show your love...

It is designed by Julie Murphy and photographed by Burcu Avsar (click to view a most luscious portfolio) and featured on Country Living- click here to view all the pictures. 

Image credits/copyrights: Via Country Living magazine; Photography by Burcu Avsar. 

Happy Friday

This is how my weekend is going to look like- well, just replace the swing with my couch and the artwork on the floor with research papers! What are your plans for the weekend? Have a great one and see you soon!


Image credit: Anthropologie

A couch, some chai, and many conversations...

Forgive me for the title but I couldn't think of anything else! For someone who loves upholstered furniture so much, I have a lot of leather in my house. The leather couches have stood the test of time and two soccer-crazy boys. But I have promised myself that one of these days, I am going to create a den in the house where I can get together with best friends and family for long sessions of chai and conversation. And for that I will first need to get a bright upholstered couch that begs you to sit down.....

Of course it would be awesome if I could have stairs that led down to my den. Or if the house itself was this charming duplex in Madrid, Spain with its courtyard painted in blue. A girl can dream!

See the entire house on MiCasa here.


Image credits/copyright: MiCasa

LexLuxe Jewelry

Ladies, this Valentine's Day you may want to point your significant other in the direction of the LexLuxe store. Handcrafted jewelry by Alexis Russell- it has a very earthy and organic feel to it! This is jewelry I would love to wear (ahem!).

Images credit/copyright: LexLuxe, Jewelry by Alexis Rusell. 

Lewis and Wood (and Peacocks)

Have you noticed how the peacock motif is enjoying a comeback this season? I have spotted it on fabrics everywhere and to me it lends this Eastern exoticism to every design. Are you spotting peacocks too? This peacock fabric is from UK based Lewis and Wood who are my latest fabric-crush- visit their website to see some beautiful fabrics and wallpaper. I am so in love with this velvet number!

Image credits/copyright: Lewis and Wood.

A Subtle Bohemian in Paris

There is something so alluring and feminine about a space that is tinted with colors that remind you of a luscious gelato shop- a pale pink, whites, browns and a delicate light purple. Add wooden beams on the ceiling, casually placed art, tell me it's in Paris and I am ready to move in. 

It is the home of fashion designer Vanessa Bruno and you read about it and see all the pictures here. The photography is by the amazing Birgitta Wolfgang Drejer.


Link/Image credits and copyright: Link via Interior Magasinet, Norway; Photography by Birgitta Wolgang Drejer/Sisters Agency. 

For Sale in Fez, Morocco

This 2-story home in Fez, Morocco is for sale. I saw the listing in the New York Times. The husband and I were sorely tempted :). Does the idea of moving across continents and oceans to a place that is steeped in mysticism and romance and starting life as a grand new adventure tempt you? If yes, this house might be perfect for you!

*Are you familiar with the Palace Walk trilogy by Naguib Mahfouz? The story is based in Cairo, Egypt but I imagine the house to be something like this though on a less grander scale.


Image credits/copyright: Link via the New York Times. Photography by Ingrid Pullar. 

Rustic Indian and Masai Pillow Collection

Here's a heads up for you-- Anandamaya Design will soon be exclusively selling the most stunning pillows from Black Pepper Dessin- presenting the Rustic Indian and Masai collection. Go ahead, DROOL! Such exquisite pieces of art!

Contact Anandamaya Design to find out how to get one (or many) for yourself!


Update: They are debuting this collection this week in NY and you can visit the Anandamaya Design Facebook page to preview the entire collection.

Guest post on Gnaana

Hello Monday! I was asked to write a guest post for Home Decor week on Gnaana, a great online resource and store for connecting kids to South Asian culture. I chose to write on gorgeous interior courtyards because to me they are the most romantic of all spaces (hello, Valentine's Day!). You can read my post here. 

Image/logo copyright: Gnaana. Thanks, Leela!

Hand and Cloth Ltd.

As you know, I am a huge fan of beautiful fabrics and especially kantha work. So I am starting the week off on the perfect note with these handmade kantha quilts from
Hand and Cloth Ltd., a social organization based in Bangladesh that helps local women who are victims or at risk of trafficking. The women sew these quilts using a running stitch or embroidery called kantha work, each of them appropriately called Give Thanks...

After seeing these beauties, as far as I am concerned, winter is welcome to stay! Visit Hand and Cloth Ltd. here.

Image credits/copyright: All images copyrighted to Hand and Cloth Ltd.

Bohemian/Maharani Style Jewelry

I am so LOVING the Bohemian girl meets the Maharani vibe I am getting from these gorgeous jewelry from Bambibaby Handmade Jewelry!!

Visit the store here. 


Image credits: All images copyright Bambibaby Handmade Jewelry. 

Over A Cup Of Tea: A Weekend Affair

It's a lovely weekend here in my neck of the woods- cold with occasional drizzles but beautiful nevertheless because the rains have a way of making the most ordinary objects shine and look bright and new. And this is the first much-anticipated rainfall of this season. 

I had a crazy work week and it was hard for me to find time to be here. I have noticed that I blog best (and most) when I am relaxed. Is that true for you too? For me, it's something along the lines that the more relaxed I am, the more my creative side craves an outlet.  

As the weeks get busier, I am hardly home. But on Friday evenings, I greet the house with an immense feeling of warmth and I can almost feel the house putting its arms around me. So begins a weekend affair. Of enjoying the pleasures of being home.

Today in the middle of sundry weekend errands, soccer games and visits to friends and family, we found time to savor the pleasures of being home amidst all our favorite things.  To marvel at the ever-changing sunlight. Drink hot ginger chai in pretty new cups and accompanied by fresh shortbread.  Old Bollywood music ( this is soul music to me!). And lots of laughter.

How have you been? I would love to hear from you.

Image credits: All pictures are taken by me. 

Rooms that tell stories

This Annie Selke-designed room is on the cover of Canadian House and Home. It is the bedroom of my dreams. I have only one request- someone lock me in here and throw away the key!

Royal Design Studio Stencils

Have you ever tried stenciling on your walls (or the floor or the ceiling)? I am so impressed by these stenciled patterns from the Royal Design Studio and how they so beautifully conjure up the mysticism and glamour of Morocco. These designs/patterns were originally created and painted by Melanie Royals of the Royal Design Studio and her team for the boutique hotel Peacock Pavillions in Marrakech, Morocco. 

Visit the Royal Design Studio here. 

Image credit/copyright: Royal Design Studio

Home tour: Nivedita in Mumbai

I am starting the week with a beautiful home tour all the way from Mumbai, India. With views of the Arabian Sea from every room and a collection of treasures from every corner of the world: a gorgeous brass Ganesha, masks from Indonesia, Thailand and Africa, artwork from India Nairobi, Sri Lanka, Vietnam. There are many precious stories and memories in this global style home. What I liked most was the happy mix of colors, prints, patterns and so many different textures!

This is what Nivedita has to say.."Narayan & I are collectors in a way: we collect craft, art, nifty pieces and traditional items wherever we find & during travel within & outside the country.  Seeing all that we’ve acquired over the last 7-8 yrs. of homemaking, I’d say my style is traditional, traditional beyond just Indian. My home reflects our love for beautiful things, warm, earth and gold colors, books & curios, soft lights, green corners, beautiful niches - disparate items, all coming together either just in their beauty, uniqueness, symmetry, or sometime in color tones."

Visit Nivedita at her blog here. 

Image credit: All pictures courtesy of Nivedita Das Narayan.