Positivity in your space

Hey everyone… how is your week going? Since we are all spending a lot of time indoors, at home… do you feel positive enough in your space?

If not, here are some tips for you to create that positive energy in your space and I hope it will work for you…

Natural lighting:

Place your seating close to your window where you can work and read easily. Keep rotating your seating arrangements from one room to another.


Surround yourself with things that make you happy:

If you are sitting at your desk, have pictures of your loved ones close by or a favorite book or something that has sentimental value and brings a smile to your face every time you look at it.


Indoor plants:

Have at least one indoor plant in your space. That pop of green always brings life in your home.


De-clutter:

De-clutter your space as it directly affects your mind and productivity. Throw away papers, bills and things that you don’t need. Donate toys, old books and clothes.


Music:

I always play music in the background when I paint, meditate or read and even when I create recipes… it just sets the tempo for my task.


Aromatic Oils:

To set the mood in your home, burn your favorite aromatic oil or incense. It will uplift your mood as you do your task.


Move things around:

Since we are all home bound, it’s natural for all of us to crave for a change of scenery,  so the best way to tackle this is, move around your wall hangings, pictures and paintings…. Move your furniture around a bit or your décor accents. you can also add a few accents here and there that have a pop of colour.


Favorite Couch:

Always have your favorite couch ready for taking a snooze in between or read or to watch your favorite television show. And keep a throw ready to snuggle in.


Take breaks:

Please don’t forget to stretch and workout in between. If you have a small balcony, you can stretch there and get a bit of sunlight as well. And if you have space outside, try workout or do a spot jogging or skip.

Let me know if these tips are helpful and is working for you… I only wish you all lots of peace and calmness as the lockdown continues. Please stay safe, stay healthy, eat healthy and stay home!

Above pictures are copyrighted by Tickled by Inspirations

A Glimpse of Lyla John’s Gorgeous Apartment

This is my first official blog post for 2020 and the best way to start the year is with my favorite segment, home tours and today’s is more of snippets of a cozy home. Lyla John, an interior designer by profession based in Kochi, has created a tidy, serene oasis for herself. It is a beautiful apartment that has a view… There is a striking mix of simplicity and beauty, topped with a perfect balance of functionality and aesthetics.  I just love the serene, uncluttered vibes of minimalism, ethnicity and eclectic. To save space she has converted the alcove into a smart storage unit which serves as a bar as well. Her collection of gorgeous classic wooden furniture speaks volume when it comes to style. And what struck my attention is her collection of beautiful illustrations and décor accents.


Here is a snippet of her beautiful home and let’s hear more from Lyla herself.

Tell us a bit yourself.

I am Lyla John and I have been an interior designer for 30 years. I predominantly work on interiors for homes and small hotels. I find that my passion revolves around working on small projects where I have a close relationship with the people who will end up inhabiting the space I create. Talking with them, understanding their quirks, likes and dislikes and designing a space with them is deeply satisfying. 

 What is your décor Inspiration for your home?

I have inherited a lot of the big pieces of furniture in my home from my husband’s family as well as mine. So while they are big, traditional and wooden, I try to offset those by using classic colours combinations for my upholstery and curtains, accents are a mix traditional knick knacks and quirky of off pieces.

Tell us a bit about your Décor style

I would say my decor style would be eclectic at its best. 

What is your Favorite Space or part of your home?

The favourite space of my home is my balcony. After spending many decades living in an individual house with a large garden around it, it was an adjustment for me to fit all my favourite plants into a tiny balcony. But having my green oasis when I sit for my morning coffee or evening tea is one of the best ways to unwind and gather my thoughts. 

Any décor tips for my readers?

I would suggest - invest in your home- all the time. Don’t think to do up your home in one shot and assume you are done. Be slow, be deliberate in the furniture and accessories you pick for your home. It should reflect you and not just the latest trends. When you sit in your home, it should make you feel warm and comfy.

"Thank you so much Lyla John for opening up your doors to me and my readers and sharing your décor inspirations with us all!! You home is just beautiful"

If you would like to share your home space or favorite space with me and my readers, please write to me at tbinspirations@gmail.com . Meanwhile stay tuned for more!!!




Above pictures are via Lyla John

A Christmas DIY centre piece

I say it’s about time we start gearing up for Christmas… and it’s never too early…


One of the most important element of Christmas other than food, baking and family, is the décor… the tree needs to go up, along with all the lights… you need to decide on what crockery to use and on the colour theme…  It can get busier as Christmas is approaching so you would rather stick to some simple DIY which you can handle. Christmas table centre pieces are an integral part of décor in your home … for your coffee table and for your dining.

I have a simple centre piece for Christmas that is simple, elegant and that too it just takes ten minutes!


Here is a list of things that you need :

• a single tier or double tier cake stand 
• your favorite Christmas sparkly ornaments
• a few pine cones 
• a few Christmas tree branches (if you want but I didn’t use any) 

Arrange all the above elements on the cake stand.. you can even use a string of lights and voila! your centrepiece is ready!

Let me know what you think of this DIY décor...and if you have any DIY decor to share, please get in touch with me at tbinspirations@gmail.com .

Above pictures are copyright Tickled by Inspirations

Style your bookshelf

There is a lot more to a beautifully styled bookshelf than decorating it with just books. It is always good to add something to your bookshelf to express your creativity and make your bookshelf a focal point. It has to be functional and look cohesive as well. And to get that perfect look you will end up rearranging because it is like trying out a new recipe and you are testing it with your ingredients that suit your taste. The whole process is a trial and error but eventually you will end up with a perfectly styled bookshelf. In modern décor a book shelf is considered as the window to your stories and memories.

Picture via Décor fix

Here are some pointers that will help you to achieve that perfectly styled look

1.       What can you put on the bookshelves?

Different sizes of books that can be displayed vertically or horizontally to create a visual interest.

Small artwork or paintings can be used as a layer while styling the shelf.

Photo frames can be placed at eye level for a personal touch but avoid cluttering with too many frames.

Baskets are good to fill up spaces and useful for storage. And it is always good to place them at the bottom of the shelving unit for easier access.

Indoor plants are a great way to add for that pop of green.

Décor Accessories are another way to style up your bookshelf. It could be a treasured family heirloom and something that you collected on your travel.

2.       Size and Balance: When you start styling your bookshelf, start to fill with large items and balance it out with smaller things. This will help you get the basic layout and will help you avoid cluttering. 

3.       Pattern: If you want to add more colour and pattern, try wallpapering the back panel of your shelf. You can stick to a theme is you wish, for example tropical leaves or maybe neutrals.

4.       Lighting: you can use a small lighting fixture if you want to keep a painting or artwork.

5.       Step back and Edit: like any interior designer it is always good to step back and study your bookshelf. Check if you need to add more colour and if it’s too cluttered you can take away a few objects or books. You can also check for empty spaces to fill or balance out the display.

Image via Marika Meyer Interiors , notice the wallpaper at the back panel of the shelf. Isn't it beautiful?

Image via Pottery Barn

Image via Allium, a colour coordinated bookshelf

I hope the above pointers were useful and if ever try to style your bookself, please write to me at tbinspirations@gmail.com and share your work. I will be happy to share it with my readers!

Monday Series on Beautiful Rooms

Monday Inspirations is all about beautiful rooms… a beautiful room speaks volumes about the homeowners… it is not just the décor style but it is also about the homeowners lives and loves…  but we all know how hard it is to get it right and balanced, especially when you have to get all the elements right like layout, planning, colours, lighting, fixtures, textures and the interior design.  Thanks to Pinterest and décor and interior magazines, we get to see gorgeous rooms from all around the world. So get ready to feast your eyes, grab a cup of coffee, listen to some soothing music and inspire the decorator within you…

Photography by KRISTA KELTANEN FOR LIVING INSIDE VIA INSIDE OUT

Starting with monochrome style, simple and elegant

Photography by JAMES MERRELL

Love the pop of blue and lemon green

Photography by MELANIE ACEVEDO

The warm colours in this room making the room more inviting!

Photography by Julie Shaver

the bed and side table styled so beautifully, just enough to get you cozy on that bed!

Photography by SEAN LITCHFIELD FOR HOMEPOLISH

The lighting and the furniture are going so well together keeping neurtals as base

Photography by SEAN LITCHFIELD FOR HOMEPOLISH

Love this wallpaper in the powder room, keeping neutrals as the base

Photography by JEREMY LIEBMAN

Black and white kitchen is always timeless and easy to achieve

Click here for the source, Look at that gorgeous decayed brickwork as the backdrop,

the pops of colours, high ceilings and the arched window...  

I hope you enjoyed browsing through these gorgeous rooms! Which one was your favorite?
More beautiful rooms coming up in the Monday Series.... Meanwhile stay tuned for other inspirations from the décor world!




Above pictures are via Domino

Tips to make a Green Bouquet

It’s cloudy outside and the weather is just fabulous… and I can’t get enough of the moody lighting outside which is just perfect for me to take pictures. And as I was busy clicking away and learning more about photography, I realized my tulsi plants or basil were looking fabulous and so green!! As you know I keep dabbling with different plants and flowers that is readily available in my garden and make a bouquet out of it, I decided to make a tiny bouquet out of my tulsi plants and bring it indoors.

I am a hopeless romantic when cozying up my home… and my love for plants and flowers is never ending. And as I brought my tulsi bouquet indoors, the tulsi aroma and the green colour was just enough to change the mood of my space. And have a look at the pictures to see the end result. 

Here are some tips to make a green bouquet:

·         Do not be afraid to mix and match with different leaves and different shades of green.

·         Infuse herbal plants for aroma like rosemary, lavender, basil or sage.

·         Make sure everything you have collected are in different height or length. And if not, just trim them accordingly.

·         Include flowers if you want and that pop of colour is always welcome. Or add some rice flowers to add warmth and texture. And don’t be afraid to use long leaves. They add drama to your bouquet. Ferns are my favorite.

·         Wrap them together with a tape or don’t tie, just put it in a vase with water.

Image via https://www.brides.com/ 

I hope the above tips were useful… Let me know what you think and do share the pictures of your bouquet if you end up making one!!! Have a great day everyone!

Above Images are copyright Tickled by Inspirations

Home Tour: Residence of Keerat Kaur

After a long break I am back with a beautiful home tour of one of my favorite gypsy soul, Keerat. A beautiful home filled with fascinating and tiny vignettes.. She has put together her curios that she has picked up with love during her travels and created charming vignettes in her space. With an aptitude for sourcing the right pieces and an eye for arranging them, infused with her personality, she is able to put everything together with grace. The walls in her home are artfully arranged. Keerat is no stranger to many travel lovers in the insta world. She blogs about her travel adventures, art and culture. I adore her pictures of each city she has visited and  the way she has documented her travel.

Let’s hear more from Keerat and learn more about her source of inspiration for decorating her home and browse through her pretty home.

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I am an Army brat married to a Shippy! I’m a writer with a love for travel, literature, art and culture. I’ve lived all over the country, having ping-ponged all over India thanks to my father’s postings every two years. We actually shifted from Ladakh to Chennai, with boxes full of woolens. Marrying a sailor allowed my gypsy soul to truly come out. I’ve been with my husband several time on voyages and have explored everything from Australia to the Far east to Europe to South America. And my house is an amalgamation of all these experiences. Everything in my house has a story or sentiment attached to it – a lot of things have been picked up in woebegone parts of the world, haggled for in flea markets, bought from kindly strangers on the road side, scored from auction houses and even antiques that have come with their own share of sacrifices.

Where do you get inspiration to do up your home?

My biggest inspiration, as clichéd as it may sound, is my Mother. She had this innate ability to turn ramshackle Army houses into beautiful and cosy homes. It is her passion for home décor and keeping a beautiful house that inspired me. And having travelled all over the world, I do realize there’s nothing like home. Which is why I like doing up my home – it needs to be my sanctuary, my refuge, my comfort and something I’m proud of!

What's your favorite décor style?

I would define my style as eclectic, with a steady mix of English countryside with Bohemian touches. I love originality and don’t restrict myself to a particular style. My house is a constant work in progress, with me changing things up pretty often. I am a self-confessed hoarder and I have several collections in my house – Blue and white chinoiserie, Touristy wall plates, Masks, Art collected from my travels, Shot glasses, Nautical items as a homage to my husband’s profession and my time on the ship,etc.

What's your favorite décor element or accent in your home?

This one is tough to answer because there are too many things I love. A lot of things in my house may appear ordinary but have such extraordinary stories attached to them. The blue and white ginger jar is one of my favourites – picked it up as a steal in China, then it travelled all over the world onboard the ship and still managed to make it intact back home; the colourful carved door in my gallery wall in my living room – it was one of the first things I picked up for my home, many years before my marriage, in Kathmandu; the two intricate Russian plates in my foyer, bought from an auction house in Australia and so many more.

Do you have a favorite corner or space in your home? And why is it your favorite?

I think my blue and white corner is my favourite. It combines two of my passions – books and blue and white ceramics. This particular corner took years to come together and has treasures collected from Netherlands, Uruguary, Hungary, Czech Republic, Australia, Argentina, Italy, Brazil, Spain and even India. My guest bedroom comes a close second because of its Bali vibe.

Any tips or advice for décor lovers out there?

Don’t follow trends – have a style of your own.

Colour and type groupings is a thing I tend to follow and it works for me.

Don’t be afraid of white – it can really elevate a space.

Don’t be afraid of colour – it too can really elevate a space.

Decorate your home so that it reflects your personal taste and tells your story, don’t try to make it look like an impersonal hotel.

Living Room: The Gallery wall is the focal point with art collected from the world over

Living Room

Dining Room with a wall filled with plates from different counrties

Dining Room: Shot glass collection display

Bookshelf filled with blue and white ceramics... aren't they gorgeous?

Foyer: a beautiful console table with  Moroccan lamps

Foyer: 

Kashmiri settees handed down by my mother adorned with Kilim cushions from Turkey. I have also displayed masks from Brazil, Africa, Indonesia and Sri Lanka.

Bedroom: a beautiful four poster bed with a gorgeous dream catcher hanging.

Kicthen Vignettes: gorgeous colourful elements put together

Nautical corner: Beautiful artefacts collected from different ports

Thank you Keerat for sharing your inspiration with us! Keep traveling around the world and continue to share your travel adventures!!

Click here to follow her on instagram and click here to read her blog. 

Stay tuned for more décor and interiors inspirations!! Enjoy your week!

Above pictures Via Keerat Kaur

Vibes and Cheer

It’s been a quick and tiring week that I could use some tea with love or a glass of wine, lots of music, a scented candle burning and snuggle with a book or watch TV. And at the same time I also wanted to bring in some autumn vibes in my home space even though we never experience it here in the Middle East. Cheers to the power of home décor and pretend the season is setting in!! So stay tuned for some autumn vignettes and vibes. Meanwhile I am leaving you with a little warmth through my pictures. Have a fabulous day everyone!

Do you have any simple autumn décor? Or have you made any changes in your décor lately? Please share if you have any, I would love to share it with my readers. Please email your pictures to tbinspirations@gmail.com .

All above pictures are copyrighted Tickled by Inspirations

Home Tour of Kapila Banerjee’s home from India

Home Tours are my happy segment. They tell us so much of the owners taste and their personality. Kapila Banerjee’s home in India screams ethnicity, earthy and bright tones.  I got distracted as I was browsing through the pictures, right from the wall colour to the ethnic and vintage furniture and beautiful lamps. My eyes were also glued to her beautiful vignettes displayed on her coffee table and other corners. Kapila’s love for aesthetic décor and her love for travel can be seen in the curios that she has collected over the years. And her love for plants is blended well in her space. Her home is a true reflection of her taste… So let’s hear more from Kapila herself and view her home. Enjoy the home tour!

beautiful tablescape

“I was born and bought up in Indore -MP Heart of India. Right from my childhood art was part of me. Back then in college days I developed interest in interior designing. This led me to learning basics through the formal diploma in interior designing. While I could not purse it as a profession but the interest continued right from the time when I did the decor of my parental home to my own house after marriage. Being happily married to Sonal for 14 years and counting, we are proud parents to twin daughters. We have been moving places due to work demands. Sonal currently is on a overseas assignment based out of Yangon, Myanmar. I returned back with my girls to Indore from Nairobi, Kenya.

My apartment (2500 square feet space) is a mirror reflection of my passion around art, home décor and paintings. Both I and Sonal are passionate and appreciative about beautiful art pieces and unique furniture. My daughters aged 9 have also developed a taste for decor of their own in specific style which reflects in their room. The artifacts in the home have been collected over the years. Each place we stayed or went on a vacation we did add on to our collectibles. Decor in my home has rich influences of lifestyles and cultures from few Indian states, certain African countries and the Far East influences which we gathered due to Sonal’s current stay at Myanmar.

lots of wood and metal elements that go hand in hand

There is a very dominant presence of metal and wood in every room which shows a nice blend of ethnic with contemporary lifestyle in the house. My love for hand painted artifacts is also prominent with some of my own works. Every nook and corner of the house has a little space to spare with different moods. I love fresh plants and flowers all around. I have a small cozy sit out in the balcony surrounded by well-groomed plants. I prefer natural light hence I like using light curtains and some of them are my old sarees reused. I like using vibrant and warm colors, one key highlight is the camouflaged décor in the living room wall paint and the furniture’s around the room which has blended elegantly. You shall also find glimpses of African decor in the house which is a nostalgic remembrance during my stay at Kenya for few years.

a warm corner to chill

her beautiful balcony

Favorite spot in my home is the family room along the balcony space. This is one room where I spend most of my time with kids and extended family. Day bed corner is the most comforting zone with natural light and fresh air along with greens from the adjoining balcony.

beautiful wall colour that goes well with her ethnic décor 

My advice to all decor lovers out there is to try new things from the old and antique decor pieces .Be updated on new products , specially the once which help you to keep the house organized. Use fresh plants they just add so much life and vibrancy to any corner. Play with lights to get different visual impacts. It’s finally not about the size but the space utility.”

her cozy living room

Another beautiful vignette

her girls bedroom

Thank you Kapila for giving us a fabulous home tour and giving us many inspirations to take away. 

All above images are copyright Kapila