Wood floors with a difference!

Selecting the right flooring for a space is one of the most vital decisions a designer has to make, as it spreads it's way through the entire space, it affects everything around it. Not only does it have to be practical and functional but also beautiful. Wood has always been a popular choice, whether a classical or contemporary space, the right color and texture could change everything. There is something about wood that immediately brings in a lot of warmth to a space. But with the options of wooden flooring available today I always found a gap between nature and technology, that has now been filled by Bolefloor.

The naturally occurring patterns formed by the grains in wood have been kept intact and hence their planks are shaped organically. This gives a lot of character to these floors.

 

These wooden floors bring us a little closer to nature, don’t you think?

Till next time “Stay Funky”

IKAT & Suzani

Ikat and Suzani’s have gained a lot of popularity in recent times,  with designers finding different ways to showcase these fabrics. Ikats are a traditional method of dying fabrics whereas Suzani is a embroidered fabric with traditional tribal designs. Their origin is mainly around Central Asia. The Ikats and Suzani’s I was introduced to have been produced in the villages of Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan is a beautiful country , it’s history and culture reflects in these textiles, arts and crafts. The ateliers are in family homes where there are 2 to 3 looms.

Here are some women from the villages of Uzbekistan weaving the Ikat and Suzani's.

Suzani Wall hanging and day bed cover.
Ikat prints as artwork and rug.

Ikat cushions and beddings.
Suzani and Ikat on furniture.

There are numerous ways to use these beautiful fabrics such as curtains, bags, clothes and more... please contact Kathy Paraskevopoulos on kathy.paros@gmail.com to order.....and till then find some Funky uses for these traditional textiles....see u next time!

Practice what you Preach!

Following last week’s post about my New Year resolution, I would like to invite you into my home, to show you I practice what I preach! I hope your not expecting anything swanky or perfectly color coordinated, because it is not. It is a simple home that is growing and building its own character, just as I am. It is simple yet precious, because we are building memories in here, these walls have become my friend, sharing my life with me. However simple, I love an organized home.

To keep it organized, I clean out my cupboards every few months and follow the 3D’s

• Donate
• Distribute
• Discard

As and when required we give it a fresh coat of paint. Once a year it gets a thorough wash and pest control by a professional cleaning company. During that time I also get my air condition units serviced. With these steps taken, I am at peace the rest of the year. I have assigned a place for almost everything in my home, and my daily chores include placing them there, to maintain order.

I have limited storage in my home; hence we buy only what we need. My daughter has this unit for her toys, the minute things do not fit in there I know it is time to give something away. Awful you may think, but I rather she has a few toys she values than a whole lot of junk, and at 3, I presume she doesn’t care!

Here is a picture of my daughter’s room; this is an artwork I created for her. You can see the video or read the steps to create it.

This is my shrine, with a lot of Deity’s I have collected over the years. Books to me are sacred, hence however tattered they will always find a place in my home.

My home has an open kitchen plan, I created this partition with columns and shelves to divide the space and create storage for my books. The cool part is that the columns have concealed storage.

Even the handle has been carved into the shutter. These columns help me demarcate the kitchen and living area without blocking it off completely and provides a place to stack my books.

My home is my sanctuary and I love to take care of it. I hope you have enjoyed this post and will make the most of the space and things you already have…...... till then “STAY FUNKY”

                                "All images courtesy my husband Keigan Soans"

A New Year A New Resolution!

It is that time of the year when we say goodbye to the old and welcome the NEW! It is a time to reflect on our aspirations, a time for change and yes “Resolutions”!

My New Year resolution is to LIVE LIFE IN COLOR!! Simply because color makes me happy and that is what I intend to be all year round. If you did not already know, color has a direct relation to your mood, hence through this article I am going to try and infuse some color into your lives too. Use color to uplift and freshen up your space. In any room there is always scope for one wall to receive a pattern or a strong color, which will then become the focal point of that room.

This year my favorite color combo was grey as the base and neon yellow, green, pinks and blues as the accent colors, a very playful palette.  I also drew a lot of inspiration from the colors of the peacock, such as the blues, greens, yellows & purple. Here are some pictures representing the palettes mentioned above.

                                                Images via "Pinterest"

My next resolution is to follow “The 3 D’s”.

• Donate
• Distribute
• Discard

We all are guilty of buying more than we need, not only does this leave us with a big hole in our pockets but also with overflowing closets.  The more storage space you have the more stuff you will accumulate. However small or big your home, a well-organized space, a few striking pieces of art is all you need to make a great impression. So go ahead empty those closets, discard the junk, open up your windows, let light and air breathe in new energy into your space. This is my mantra for a happy home and happy me!

And of course I intend to Stay Funky all year round, hope you do too! HAPPY 2013!!!

Sick & Twisted.......

.......Are the only two words I can think of for this collection, of course I mean it in a brilliant genius sort of way!

From the website to the music to the products, coax you into a design trance, a design high I would love to be on 24-7! I would leap at a chance to meet the mastermind behind the mobilier de compagnie collection because according to me this is the highpoint of great design. This is not just another regular furniture piece, but a work of art!

Mainly bookshelves and consoles, the framework of which is so brilliant because it replicates the silhouette of certain animals and their distinctive characteristic. This console for example resembles the shape of a graceful ostrich.

 

I hope I can use one of these pieces for my projects or at least in the future order it for myself…. It is something I gotta have… truly Funky!!