Baby steps to a dream, my own home decor label is here !

A big warm hello to my blog family. I am hoping life has been beautiful for you the past few days and that you have been nurturing your decor dreams, because I have certainly been doing so. I have some news to share with you, something that is very close to my heart. I decided it is time for me to take my love for home decor and all things beautiful to the next level and take a plunge into the world of 'decor e-tailing'...Yes, you guessed it right, I have just launched my own home decor label and am thrilled and oh-so-excited to be able to share this piece of news with you.

My dream to share beautiful things, a 'treasure trove' as I have always called it, will now have another medium to connect with you at www.kedgree.com. I am elated to be able to share Kedgree's mission and vision with you on the blog. I know am surrounded by like minded souls here who have gorgeous homes, an eye for beautiful things and for whom decor goes beyond being a passion, and I truly could not think of a more befitting or encouraging audience to share this happiness with. The loot shall be unveiled soon at Kedgree and the products will be up for grabs...I simply cannot wait to see you there. My little dream and I are looking forward to getting some more love from you, and I know I can count on you to be a part of this journey and make it beautiful and fulfilling.

Kedgeree, the British name for Indian 'Khichdi', a delicate blend of grains and colourful spices that come together to deliver the perfect flavour, one that satisfies the palette and satiates the soul....

We at Kedgree believe that the best in home decor comes out when you blend curios and collectibles from across the world and infuse vibrance and colour into your home from different cultures to deliver the perfect fusion, a beautiful mix.

We are individuals who eat, sleep, think, dream, breathe and 'live' decor. Our mission is to bring to your doorstep, decor treasures from across the globe, a unique combination of hand-picked gems that will make your home even more exquisite than it already is.

So if your passion is to keep a beautiful home and to adorn it with gorgeous art, antiques and handcrafted products that speak of the country of their origin, the skill and talent of their craftswomen, the culture, the folklore and the history behind them, we strongly recommend that you watch this space. See your decor fantasies come alive with us. Beautiful things for beautiful homes...only at 'Kedgree'.

Looking forward to your feedback on the blog as always.
You can now also connect with me at hello@kedgree.com :-) See you next time, take care.

The Glory of the Indian Monsoon

Hello everyone, I am lucky to be in India during the beautiful monsoon season when the rain bearing clouds change not just the landscape of the country, but the moods and emotions of everyone staying here. There is a special connect between the monsoon season and the camera, they just 'click' ! And so while some of us run for cover when it starts to rain or prefer to watch it from a comfortable distance, my camera and I love to become one with the downpour and immortalise as many raindrops as we can through its lens...
You know that feeling when you have been observing the skies oscillate between shades of pale blue and deep indigo, very nearly turning charcoal and then holding back, unwilling to part with those precious pearls from heaven ? And just when you've given up hope and and also stopped gambling on those evasive showers, you hear the deep rumble from up above, lightening flashes across the dark clouds and it starts to rain ! Wait, let me rephrase that one, it doesn't just 'rain', it 'pelts' !! Large, fat drops kiss the ground at your feet and you and the world around you start to rejoice, for the great Indian monsoon is here, finally ! :-)

The neighbourhood reverberates with the shrieks of children splashing and playing around in the puddles, bikers throw caution to the winds and enjoy the feeling of the rain against their face, their clothes clinging to the skin, laughing, singing aloud, enjoying the ride and the relief from the harsh summer that they now see themselves finally bidding adieu to !

You lose count of the number of shades of green your garden is now sporting...all the new variants humbling your knowledge of the colour palette, and you are happy to try and distinguish between 'light', 'dark', darker'...so on and so forth :-)

Human beings, flowers, fruits, birds...all chime their favourite monsoon melodies...you wake up to a morning after a night of rainfall and feel as though someone spent the last eight hours scrubbing the world clean....everything looks pure, crisp and fresh...

The rooftop has served as the dance floor for the rain to conduct its pitter-patter tap-dance on it all night long, and I just love the early morning gleam on the terracotta tiles here...

The flowers are content to let the water droplets rest on their velvety surface...

The leaves too...love how the raindrops manage to pull off the perfect balancing act, not gliding off from the slick surface :-)

The birds decide it is a morning that is too beautiful to waste huddled up inside their bird house, and they flit from one branch to the other, twittering...chirping...hallelujah, the monsoon is here !

When the Indian Robin above is at play, why should the 'Bulbul' be left behind, it perches itself on the mango tree and looks at the lush green view...bird's eye view :-)

The cloudburst from the night before has scattered mangoes from the branches on the grass beneath the tree...

...but the 'Bulbul' choses a ripe one from those that still occupy their place on the tree and tucks into it for breakfast. Proof of the fact that the love for mangoes runs across the family :-)

When the flowers and the birds are celebrating the rains, why should the rest of the flora and fauna be any different...love how beautifully the rain bejewels the grapefruit and the guavas...all washed and cleansed by the drops from heaven above...

...And the delicate love affair between the butterfly and the rain-drenched plants...:-)

...everyone has a song to hum, the world around you smiles...

Now is also the time to pull out that umbrella that has been sitting quietly all these months, lying unnoticed in its umbrella stand...

...Open it, twirl it around and dance with it in the rain...nothing quite like these lovely accessories to brighten a rainy day...the more colourful the better ! :-)

By now am sure you are all familiar with my love for 'chai' :-) But there is something extra special about having a cup of tea when it rains, one that has been brewed with 'tulsi' (holy basil), plucked from the garden...

 And if this cuppa is accompanied by 'mom-made' samosas that are stuffed with spinach and mozzarella cheese and you can view the rain from your chair in the verandah as you gorge on them, you know you are in 'monsoon bliss' ! :-)

Speaking of tea, I wanted to share with you that I chanced upon a 'chai-stall' on my way to the market yesterday and got into a casual conversation with the owner about her livelihood... 

She said she feels blessed not just because she is able to provide tea to passers by, but also because her tiny little tea stall's asbestos sheets provide them shelter when they are stranded during a heavy downpour...her contentment shows on her face, does it not ? 

You don't always need big chances in life to feel happy and experience self-fulfilment...do you ? It is a good idea to grab those small opportunities that come your way to serve someone else, to make their day ! :-)

And with this beautiful encounter at the back of my mind, I moved onto the market place and saw how it was full of 'thelas' selling monsoon fruit. My Nana always advocated the countless benefits of eating seasonal fruit and I picked up fresh jamuns to carry home...my nutrient and anti-oxidant dose for the day :-)

The roads nowadays are flanked by 'bhutta-walas' and there is nothing like the taste of a hot 'bhutta' off the 'angeethi' on a rainy day...

I love mine with lots of 'nimbu-namak' masala and I grabbed one on my drive back home and savoured every delicious chomp, every juicy bite...lip smacking stuff !

There are many other dimensions to the monsoons in India...such as the 'moongphalli-wala' as he roasts fresh groundnut on his 'thela' and serves them to you in tiny scraps of newspaper...

..and the rain-shy cows that seek shelter under the nearest grove of trees as they see dark clouds gathering in the sky...

...or how the goats are tethered to safety at a spot that protects them from torrential rain...

..or the way onions, garlic pods and potatoes are put away in a 'wind-proof' corner to keep them from growing moulds...

..and ingenious solutions such as this one to harvest water from leaking roofs... :-)

All of them contribute to the magic of the season, to the mesmerising aura of the monsoon, wouldn't you agree?

And then there is the flip side to the rain...rain that 'fulfils' and 'uplifts' has the power to 'uproot' and 'afflict' too ! Life in so many parts of the country gets washed away by fury of floods...

...homes of the not-so-fortunate get destroyed and scattered like leaves from a tree during a storm...

And so it is also a time for you and me to be grateful, that we are in a part of the country where the rain is relatively moderate or just adequate, and that we can choose to watch the raindrops rolling off the banana leaf from the safe comfort of our verandahs and balconies...thankful that we have a roof above our heads during such weather...

Rain in India...you cannot help but fall in love with the drama, the romance, the theatrics and histrionics, the son-et-lumière...what I love about it is that there is nothing 'tutored or engineered' about it..it is raw emotion, rustic and wild...and I would strongly urge you to go ahead and be more than just a 'passive observer' (if that is who you have been thus far) and make the rain 'yours'. Fall in love with the rumble, embrace those rain drops, quench your thirst and flood your senses...let your soul soak it all in !

And as I sign off here, I want to make a special mention of my readers abroad and fellow expats who are not in India to experience this joyous weather first-hand...I am sending some rain-laden winds your way. Remember me the next time you feel a gentle breeze caress your face and if you breathe in deeply am sure you will get a whiff of the rain soaked soil from our home country... :-)

Until next time, I am off to appreciate, relish, reflect upon and soak in the beauty of this season...the unparalleled glory of the great Indian Monsoon...I hope you enjoyed the small glimpse I shared here.. :-)

A Home Tour...an Experience to Remember

Today I have the pleasure of introducing to you through my blog, the home of a lovely, warm couple, Aparna and Kunal. Allow me to escort you through their casa in India, every corner of which exudes elegance, grace, class and magnificent taste, all of which are synonymous with the personalities of its owners...

The minute you step inside the door, you feel as if you have been transported to a world which is a beautiful blend of 'the old and the new', 'the vintage and the modern'. You will be greeted by a wall that hosts a set of gorgeous prints framed in dark wood that enhance the beauty of the subject matter, which in this case is 'Calcutta, as it was, during the British Raj'...

Aparna and Kunal are patrons of antique furniture and their home boasts of some really rare pieces such as this lovely French rosewood writing desk that awaits you in the verandah from the entrance...this is nearly a hundred years old...

An imposing Burma teak sideboard with a marble-top makes a great companion for the writing desk...isn't the carving exquisite ?

The couple believes in beauty and comfort both, and have a gorgeous vintage Chesterfield sofa in their living room, the luscious curves of which flaunt beautiful floral upholstery. You can just sink into it and forget the world around you. Classy lithographs and red candle holders serve as the background for this beautiful seating arrangement, I also love how Aparna has used a mix of red and dull green for cushions that do a terrific job in complementing the fabric underneath...

To me this is a great spot to curl up with a book, play your favourite music in the background and get into your 'comfort zone' :-)

This sofa has some truly regal and elegant rosewood treasures as companions...these are breathtakingly beautiful vintage finds collected over the years, a clear indication of their passion for all that is antique, all that is exquisite !
This charmer for instance is something that Kunal stumbled upon in an old garage about fifteen years ago, it was in tatters and in about fifty pieces, lying wasted in a dark corner. Kunal saw its potential and pulled it out of the cobwebs and restored it to its present form. I think its beauty lies in its simplicity, clean lines and understated curves. The neutral drapes make a great vignette for it, don't you think ?

And this arresting beauty is something you simply cannot ignore, for its lovely rosewood texture, for its carved silhouettes, for its chiselled good looks and magnificent presence. This piece of art again dates back over a hundred years !

Isn't she a beauty? If ever there was a chair with a personality, this must be it ! Take a closer look...

If you thought their canvas is only 'antique', then think again...Aparna has an eye for ethnic decor, and she has added some lovely bell-metal treasures from the interiors of Bastar...I love how beautifully rustic these knick knacks are and amazed at how harmoniously they gel with the vintage furniture around them !

Here, a beautiful brass candle stand graces a lovely carved walnut wood side table...

Their home has beautiful wall art...Tanjore paintings make this corner completely exquisite...it is an understatement to say that the couple have an eye for aesthetics, clearly, their love for beautiful things extends beyond genres and geographies, across timelines...a 'distressed' wooden lamp with an orange shade in this corner (a flea market find) adds warmth to this nook, an ideal spot to spend the evening (I would strongly recommend tuning in to Jagjit Singh, live-in-concert, as you proceed to do so to complete the picture!)

The love for aesthetics runs in the family and the couple have some gorgeous heirlooms such as this silver tea-set. The distressed look here is deliberate for they love the character it adds to it...this finds pride of place on an antique chest, which belongs to Kunal's great grandfather...nothing like family treasures to accentuate the personality of a home !

Aparna has a love for deities in all forms, here you see them in brass, framed on the wall. I don't know what I love more, the statues themselves or the contrasting brocade borders around them, have a look and take your pick ! :-)

Their 'galicha' is Persian, ninety years old and hand woven (why am I not surprised, smiles)and died in subtle blues and maroons with vegetable colours...something you would fall in love with the moment you set your eyes on it and feel it beneath your feet...

Kunal is a voracious reader, and it is no wonder at all that books are woven into the aesthetic framework of their home. Infact I would not be exaggerating if I were to say that his books are 'the framework'... everything else is woven into it :-) You'll find them everywhere, as side table embellishments, stacked against book shelves, piled up on sideboards...

His love for books ranges from history to literature to sports to fiction to biographies...

And he has a very enviable set of coffee table books (that are my weakness), and these are spread all over their home...

Aparna has ensured their home has plenty of cozy corners, where she can flip through her magazines and enjoy her chai at leisure...here is one such nook by the window side with a rocking chair and some favourite books of hers that I simply loved....

Bright, cheerful and positive is what I felt when I came upon this lovely spot in their home...

Sit by the window, or rock away on this lovely rocking chair and dream all afternoon... :-)

...and if at all something has to break into your thoughts and daydreams, let it only be this lovely walnut wood fruit tray that hangs on the wall across the rocking chair...an heirloom passed down to the couple from Kunal's great grandmother...treasure trove of a home, isn't it ? :-)

Kunal loves to spend his evenings in their den on the comfortable leather loungers and unwind with a game of soccer or cricket on TV...

They are great hosts and love to have family and friends over. Couldn't resist photographing this beautiful decanter that adorns their bar...

Mealtimes are precious family time and much more than just 'food' is shared at this beautiful round six seater Burma teak dining table...conversation revolves around the day's highlights, the children's chatter and all that is to be looked forward to the next day...

Kunal and Aparna's home goes beyond being a home. It is a beautiful 'experience', a place that has been created with a lot of interest, passion, love and warmth....

It looks wonderful during the day....

 ...when the rooms are flooded with sunlight...

...and the vibes are energetic and brimming with positivity...

...And it looks just as beautiful, warm and inviting by night... :-)

While I try and do justice to their beautiful canvas by calling it an aesthete's paradise, a decor lover's delight, an interior artist's dream come true, an antique lover's ecstasy, an art connoisseur's finest fantasy, I think Kunal sums it up best in his own words...'our home...it is a bit of wood, some glass, metal, paper, music and a lot of heart' ! Beautifully expressed, isn't it ?:-)

Leaving you with a few more images to soak in the beauty of their home...as for me, this visit can only be summarised as being 'truly memorable' :-) It was a total treat for me, trust it was one for you too :-) See you next time !

Images : All images are the property of Aparna Banerji & Kunal Banerji and maybe subject to copyright. Kindly refrain from reproducing them without prior permission.