SHARE YOUR HOME SELFIES AND GRAB TWO FAB CUSHIONS FROM FGL!

No matter whether you are a professional photographer or a camera novice, you love selfies! Everybody does! 

But have you ever realized that these SELFIES can make you A CONTEST WINNER? THE PRIZE IS WAITING......

ZingyHomes is bringing in a "SELFIE-CONTEST" for all the "HOUSE-PROUD" homeowners in India who after having gone overboard in home decorating wanna show their creative side to the world. 

These FAB cushions from FGL are worth Rs. 3000. 

Simply SHARE 10 SELF CLICKED PHOTOS OF YOUR HOME on editor@zingyhomes.com and win these fab cushions. Also you can describe in one or two line. Word limit- Up to 250 words. 

READ SIMILAR SELFIES HERE http://www.zingyhomes.com/latest-trends/category/home-selfies/

Has a CONTEST been this EASY before? 

Wait.. Is WHITE the new BLACK?

It's unbelievable. But most of architects and interior designers think so. In interior design and architecture, 'WHITE' is an alias for SPACE. And SPACE is the integral part of design. So why not incorporate some 'SPACE' into your interiors? 

The Dresser 

The living room

The Bedroom

The Bedroom 

The Dresser

The Master Bathroom

Let's experiment. Suppose you live in a small 1 BHK apartment with fuchsia walls and cyan doors. You have built in wardrobes- but that was not enough... You required additional storage racks... And hence, you have got them fixed on the wall.The space looks dark despite the ample natural light from an enormous awning window in your living room.However, the walls seem closing on you even after you stash away all the clutter.

Now, let's turn the tables.

A friend next door suggest you to use white color for the walls.You bring in white paint, a paint roller and all the necessary equipment and begin rolling.. covering the dark walls in bright white color. It takes two complete days for paint to dry. Meanwhile, you declutter the rubbish.And  when you are in the middle of cleaning, you bump into the curtains- blue curtains that has been filtering all the light. Now, you have an idea. You visit an online furnishing store and order few white curtains and beige blinds. 

The space looks somewhat less cluttered. From this very moment, you starts believing in the magic of white.Then, you get your sofa upholstered in white and replace the old brown leather couches with the white ones. You starts feeling and better. 

Over a month, you have become a fan of white color. It's time for doors, windows and cabinet. You paint them white. Now after removing the extraneous, you can feel more space and more light. The aura becomes pristine and relaxing.

Congratulations! You have succeeded in creating a 'void space'. 

VIEW MORE PHOTOS HERE 

Mystery behind 'Prost'- Bangalore based Beer Brewery

If you happen to stay in Bangalore or even in the vicinity, do check out this cryptic beer brewery! Well, if I say cryptic, I am not referring to unusual ghostly powers hiding in there.It's the entire architecture and layout of the space that evokes enigma.

Dark, Dingy and Rustic Decor was intentional.

The distortion that's apparent in the picture was purposefully done to create a mood- which the Architect Aamir Sharma has been dreaming of since a while- He delved down into the history of Europe and researched on how people brewed beers about 2000 yrs ago. He wanted his brewery to reflect the history of beer brewing- including all the dedication put in by the brewers in those factories and thus, a similar ambiance was required- and yes, of course it had to be 'out-of-the-box', i.e., never done or thought before. And his conceptualization materialized the way he wanted.

The factory-like walls 

They pulled down a large ship and worked out the interiors- The ship was dismantled and the layout was chalked out accordingly. Aamir wanted the brewery tanks and pipes to show up as they were exposed in an old beer factory. When the basic layout was ready, they brought in the seating stools and installed the lighting fixtures- Brewery tanks were also lit up eventually.

The reception near the Entrance 

Now, talking about the ambiance, the place gives a very authentic feel! All you can do is sit and relax and keep on gulping down as many beers as you wish!

Feel the magic 

Also, the ruined surroundings give a feeling of the history- as if you are tossed back to 1st century AD and are drinking with the good old German winos!

Prost! Enjoy your beer! SEE MORE PICTURES HERE 

Furniture, Accessories and Home Furnishings- What we saw was exactly what we heard!

The Design India Exhibition 2014 saw a number of furnishing and lifestyle stores from across the country. I am not a big fan of exhibitions like this if they have nothing extraordinary. Even if there is something out-of-the-box, getting easily carried away or rather convinced is a far-fetched thing for me, unless it preoccupies my mind fully. But here, I was rather amazed by what I saw! 

Their words were true. I could actually feel resemblance between what I heard and what I saw. I caught a glimpse of home decor products which stand out among the crowd of others of their kind. 

Now let me take you to the stalls one by one. The first one was SERENO- first stall in the third hall- that's where I started. I was thrilled by flickering lights apparent from the doorway, that had kept the space alive all that while. 

Illuminated Planters-Sereno

And there was the guy- Yuvraj Singh Ahuja, the enthusiastic director of the company! His brand SERENO has a proportionally good USP in India. Illuminated Planters and Seatings are not very common here.Made up of high grade polymer, the quality is unquestionable. Yuvraj was always keen on designing home decor products that is close to the environment and appealing to one's eye and hence was born SERENO.READ THE FULL INTERVIEW HERE.

Then there was Geetanjali Kasliwal's Anantaya- full of timeless decor pieces that promise to fit every setting- be it a traditional, vintage, contemporary or modern. When it comes to the USP , the lady entrepreneur mentioned artisans- who are working behind the scenes day and night to shape up products this extraordinary. Looking at the paper lamps, I could tell that their craftsmanship is incomparable. Also, Geetanjali was glad that her dream of employing Indian artisans has come true. READ THE FULL INTERVIEW HERE 

                                               

Paper Lamps- Anantaya

On the third stall, we were greeted by Aarti Agarwal and her team who were glad enough to put up the best show that day. The theme was Mardi Grass Dining Concept which was based on the Spring Dining Festival Mardi Grass when they dine sumptuously on the FAT TUESDAY. Her furniture pieces were not only beautiful but also versatile. The new dining concept is of course new to India and with such a multipurpose dining cabinet and exotic pendant lights that accentuated the dining table, who would resist this Dining Table? READ THE FULL INTERVIEW HERE 

The Dining Cabinet- House of Design

The last one was the Address Home. The stall was right in front of the food stalls, situated in one of the corners of the first hall. Rajat Singhi leads the chain store that have 16 outlets in India till date. His products comprised luxury home/lifestyle accessories. What I loved about them was that they offered a mixed bag- a complete package of home accessories and furnishings! Moreover, every piece can be customized as per customer's requirements. READ THE FULL INTERVIEW HERE

Rajat Singhi's complete home package- Address Home

With stores like these, Indian customers need not rely on foreign products anymore. Innovation has hit India and it is conspicuous in every other industry. Under these circumstances, Architecture, Interior Design and Home Decor could not afford taking the backseat! 

Traditional Jhulas are back!

Be it for your comfort, passion or exhibition, Jhulas are a must have if your heart says you should have it! This post is not about hammock swing or a light weight Jhula. Here we are talking about those gigantic Jhulas with two colossal feet mostly seen in Darbars of emperors in Mughal era. These Jhulas were usually placed in courtyard, patio or in the living room itself if the space allowed. 

Now, if you are following ethnic theme decorating, one of these enormous Jhulas would add up to your decor. Designed in intricate wood or metal carving, these Jhulas sing praises of the old heritage which you have been trying hard to reclaim- via your decor.

When it comes to deciding the type, there are choices- Wooden ones and Metallic ones are popular. You can get them customized or take home the original, depending on how you like them. 

Well, spatial constraints might refrain you from unfolding your fantasies, but there is a solution for everything! All you need to know is how to buy, and where to place them at home. When it comes to buying, get the customized ones- which are the replica of the originals, yet somewhat smaller in size- as per your desired dimensions. 

Secondly, every small space apartment can't accommodate a gigantic Jhula as such. You need to carve out a space- 

Most of them prefer balcony, if it's the only space to equip such an enormous furniture . However, if display/exhibition is your premier aim, you should place the Jhula straightaway in the Living Room. Clear away the unnecessary clutter- I mean useless furniture pieces like ottomans, couches, chairs and side tables. According to Vastu, it's advised to place the Jhula in East-West direction. 

A walnut wood Jhula in living room 

A traditional Metallic Wood Jhula 

 Design Courtesy: Chitra Tibrewal

To read more about How and Where to Place Jhula at home, read the story here A HOME WITH ETHNIC JHULA. 

You can also visit this architect's profile here CHITRA TIBREWAL 

Tanjore Painting- DIY

Tanjores are one of the glorious art pieces that date back to 16th century, yet are admired by various art connoisseurs in India. The art originated in South India and was named Thanjavaur Oviyam. Do you know what's the most striking aspect about these paintings? Of course, their grandeur! Most of the times they portray Hindu Deities like Ganesha, Krishna, Balaji and Lakshmi.

The Tanjore

I was really carried away by their beauty, which was greatly enhanced in the presence of the spotlight. The golden yellow color that highlighted the sketches became more pronounced.

The process- How do the Experts do it?

The wooden planks are cut in desired dimensions and a thick cloth is glued over it. This base is sketched with an elementary sketch. A strong adhesive( containing Zinc Oxide is applied before completing the final drawing. Once the framework is laid down, it's time for the embellishment- The outlines are adorned with gold metal foils and gemstones. And of course, the inner fill is done with metallic colour dyes!

Seems a little overwhelming! Yet, you can do this at home. Even I doubted the possibility unless I stumbled upon this great post Design Decor & Disha: Indian Art: Tanjore Art Of Tamil Nadu.on the blog Design Decor & Disha.Check it out! You will love it!

Villa by KNS Architects

The triplex villa is spread on 7500 sq ft space and is exclusively designed for a large family. Located at a considerable height from the ground, the top-most floor on the tower almost touches the sky. And the panoramic views from the window panes gives an illusion of traveling in space. 

The villa is backed by both design and functionality. If you look at the facade, you would notice various sizes of doors and windows  at different places. This has been done in order to maximize light and create volume in the space. 

Now what? Let's escalate up to the 21st floor. Are you ready? 

Check out the ceiling designed in Translucent Barrisol

The Staircase

The Dining Space

           Wanna take a sneak peek into the villa? Check out the profile page of the architect- KNS Architects  

What's that beaming up there?

They are hidden.They are subdued- right under the concrete. They are dim, blurry and vague. But yes,they put up a play that an ordinary incandescent can not, despite it's brightness. The source resides undercover, yet you can feel all the magic. The magical beams furtively perpetuates the aura, almost transforming the monotonous space into a divine one. Also, they are reasonable- relatively.

Subdued lighting trend is emerging out to be a big hit soon- and if you think it's only hotels, pubs and restaurants, you are wrong. Check out the photos of various homes where these lights have been used to accentuate the space.These fixtures can be installed anywhere under the wall. 

Design Courtesy: Amit Walavalkar 

Design Courtesy: Ajanesh Goyal 

And if you love to play hide and seek with the darkness, you can bring in the LED bulbs that keep on blinking every second. Let's feel the magic! 

Incredible North-East!

The Seven sister states have remained amputated from India since long owing to its own diverse culture, tribes and traditions. There is a completely different world out there with some 160 tribes and about 400 sub-tribes who adore their culture and religion.

If you are a North Indian like me, you could neither make out their dialects, nor differentiate the one from the other- There are about 220 languages spoken in different parts of the Seven Sister states by 400 different tribes; Every area has it's own culture which has been maintained in legacy since years.Their lifestyle is indigenous- colorful and cultured- preserved since ages- and this enunciates how splendid their decor would be! 

There are some home decor stuff created by craftsmen which are "one-of-a-kind" to a particular region in the North East and are tastefully appreciated and bought by travelers all over Indian and the world.

The bamboo work is popular in Assam. Everything can be made out of bamboo- furniture, baskets, hats.Check out more here ART AND HOME DECOR FROM NORTH-EAST 

source: walkthroughindia.com

source: hindu.com

Sculptures and Antiques- I am gonna bring them back now!

Image Source:  ZingyHomes

I couldn't remember when and where I had seen them last. All I know is that I am gonna bring them back for sure! 

There is no point in hiding away the stuff down under if you are in "love" with them- apparently. Well, the next door neighbor might complain of your old living ways, but you can't bury away something just because your friends don't approve. 

You know you love them and it's time to take them out! As for me, my space is "my own" and I would love to paint it in my own colors- colors those speak my personality and reveal my taste! Now, when I am taking the things to a new level-(am almost in the middle of home revamp), I could feel the emptiness in the decor- that monotonic feel with the same old stuff. Guess what is missing?

Yesterday, while doing the dusting, I stumbled upon antiques hidden in my old cabinet. Well, it seems odd and little wayward to have antiques and sculptures all over, but I think I can make a difference. 

All you must know is how to place them and where to place them. If you are also in the same dilemma, I guess this article would help you out the same way as it helped me. SCULPTURES FOR YOUR HOME. 

Well, you can also DIY some antiques to shape it into something better and quite trendy! Here, check out this house with Onyx Accents- 

                          Onyx Vase  

The lady is in love with opals and onyx.VIEW PHOTOS here.