Addicted!!

So this whole house building, setting up, decorating process is a tough one I tell you. It takes a lot out of you, mentally more than physically. Choose this, choose that, find this, track that. 
What helps with it? A relaxing day at the spa! Seriously! It does.

Pic courtesy http://bergenlinen.com/

The kid's school hasn't started and I couldn't leave him anywhere to go out to a spa. Then I heard about The Bangalore Mobile Spa. 

They come to your place and offer the same services as you would get in a regular salon spa. 
I will admit I was a little reluctant initially about the doing-this-at-home thing. I wondered if it would be as relaxing as the real go-to-a-spa experience. Also it was a bit of anxiety associated with trying out a new thing, place or meeting someone new. 
But I went ahead and called them up. For me the customer experience starts from the reception desk itself and I was impressed with the way the person on the phone handled the call. She was courteous, clear and confident. She checked on my location and told me she would get back after checking with her manager if they can service this location. And call back she did! They gladly agreed and booked an appointment for the next day :) 

I was sent an invoice via email with the services and charges listed. The next day they kept me informed via sms about any time related updates, which was good to know. 
The team came on time and started setting up the equipment. They took a few minutes and voila the whole spa atmosphere had been set up! Music, candles and rose petals. Who would've thought all this was possible at home while watching the kid play.
The next hour and a half was absolutely blissful. I got a pedicure done - their summer special, the heel peel and for someone with cracked, dry heels it is a sure shot treatment. Loved the clean, smooth look after the pedicure. Also got a hair spa done, my first ever, after hearing from friends how hair spas had helped improve the quality of their hair. The head, neck and back massage that was done as part of the hair rejuvenation was awesome.
The team was efficient, quiet and experts in what they were doing. Once everything was done they cleaned the place and wrapped everything up. I paid by cash against the invoice amount and added a tip.
Loved the whole experience and I am totally going to do this again and again. The mobile spa offers some great services including facials, pre natal and post partum packages, hair treatments and some yummylicious body polish options.
Rubina, the owner, was very sweet and generous to send a coffee body scrub which was heavenly and left my body feeling soft! Super soft. It was an exfoliating scrub with dark roasted organic ground coffee beans and chocolate enveloped in cocoa butter. Usually scrubs tend to leave skin dry but this one was different. 

I am totally addicted to the service and the products and am going to be booking another appointment soon :) Do check them out on their website or their Facebook page and schedule that appointment in the comfortable surroundings of your home!

This post is a part of the Blog-a-Prompt week at Marathon Blogging. Today's prompt is Addiction!

Colours!

Making a new house or re-doing an existing one for that matter, comes with its own set of challenges, learning and mental blocks that you need to get over sometimes.
In the process of choosing colours for the house (the process is not complete yet!), I realized that I have a colour commitment phobia.

So for instance I love the colour on this wall and the resulting look of this room. Isn't it BEAUTIFUL?

Pic courtesy An Indian Summer, Thiru S, Elle Decor  India

BUT will I go ahead and paint a wall at my place in that colour??? Umm, errr, ahem.... no.
Why not, you ask?
I am too scared to commit to it. How will it tie in with the look and style of the rest of the house? What if it doesn't look good after it is done?
Paint over it. Simple!
Not that easy. What about the cost, budget overshoot and extra time to change it? What if the next colour I choose doesn't look good either?
Ughh! Frustrating thought process.

So what do I do to steer clear of this phobia? I decide to stick to neutrals and bring in the colour with the soft furnishings and accessories. All you brave colour lovers must be going "Scaredy-cat", "Chicken". I know!

But the neutral camp ain't bad at all. It's got its advantages, charm and lovely options. Must add flexibility as a trait.
Take the room below for instance, Neutral, minimalistic, colour added via art work, the carpet, the cushions, accessories.
What's not to love I say!

Pic courtesy Bluekrit

That said, my heart still tugs me towards the colour loving party! Maybe an accent wall, a niche that stands out with a favourite colour, a ceiling done in a bold hue. I can always change it right?

These pictures below make it tougher for me to decide. Colour or Neutral?

Pic courtesy Houzz.com

Pic courtesy Houzz.com

What path did you take? How did you decide? Any advice, learning or sharing of experience is welcome.

This post is a part of the Blog-a-Prompt week at Marathon Bloggers. Today's prompt is Colours.

My philosophy of a home...

... has been stated perfectly by Nicole Paulus here! She says "I think your home should be constantly evolving with you. Decorating should never be over."
I want my home to reflect me, my likes, my loves, my comfort. I want it to become my haven and feel more comfortable and warm every time I add something to it. 

You could use a designer, carpenter or DIY, what matters, at the end, is - when you step in, stay, settle down, does it make you happy? If it does, then everything is worth it!!

Since the last few months I have been drooling over home websites, furniture, decor, soft furnishings, fixtures, whatever-else-home-related-you-can-think-of. Came across some lovely inspirations, incorporated a few into my design. Today I will share some of my favourites with you :) 
Here we go - 

Love this swing. Pic and design courtesy Bluekrit

Yes! I am getting a swing in my living room. I have wanted one for ages and this was my chance to get it. More on that when the swing is ready :)

Picture courtesy Houzz.com

I love how calming and serene this master bedroom is! I like this picture for the overall look and effect than any individual element. The white trim and the pastel wall and ceiling colour is beautiful. Designing our master bedroom on similar lines with the space for the two chairs. Will keep you posted.

Traditional Paisley Settee by Horchow

I love love love this settee! Traditional yet packs a punch. I have a weakness for paisleys and the yellow is bright, uplifting yet doesn't overwhelm. This could be put in a room with neutral furniture and wall colours. *Note to self - Look out for fabric like this or the one below. 

Another favourite is this Ikat slipper chair!

Indigo Ikat Slipper chair sold by Urban Outfitters

Leaving you with this one - which appeals to the organized (OCD as some call it, but it is not) part of my brain. How cute is this. Need to source this and make a place for something like this. Enthucutlets are you listening?? 

By Pottery Barn Kids. Pic courtesy Houzz.com

Next post, next week - Electrical and Plumbing and what I learnt about them. Sounds boring? Let's make it fun shall we :) 
Feel free to send in queries, bounce off ideas, share thoughts, inspirations and ideas!! 

Architects/Interior Designers/Contractors/Carpenters - Figuring out which one works for you

After my previous post, I got suggestions, links and help in multiple ways! Love the online world at times like this - help at your finger tips and super quick at that :) 

A friend suggested this blog, which he found during his make-a-home project - Home Design Ideas by Nandita Manwani. Nandita has put together some very important and practical info in a very easy to understand manner. She realized the work involved and the learning curve in making a house when she made her own in Bangalore and started collating the info on her blog! Good for people like us :) 

Do check out her posts on 

Sliding doors - Bet you did not know some of the practical tips she has mentioned.

Types of Wood for Home Interiors - The ABCs of different kinds of wood used in home construction.

What is the right material for woodwork? - Which wood should you use for the carcass/boxes, the shutters and wardrobes? It is all explained in this post. 

Moving back to the topic for this post. The 2nd step in the make a house your home project is deciding whether you want help with doing up the house and what kind of help. 

I would like to refer to one of Nandita's post again (why reinvent the wheel) - Do you really need an Interior Designer?

S and I decided to check out all the options we had at hand. That meant checking out the architects, interior designers and contractors that we knew about. We collected references from our friends, friends of friends, acquaintances, ex-neighbours, people who had done their houses recently. I re-visited homes that I remembered for that special touch, or the soothing wall colour, the TV unit, furniture, furnishing, lights, general layout. Jotted down notes, names of shops they visited, any practical tips, dos and don'ts they had. Yes, I have a diary with hand written notes. A scribble here, a note there.

Getting all the gyaan from real people has helped! I know more than I did a month back. I can talk the language of MDF board, crown moulding, trim, laminate, acrylic, LEDs and a whole lot more. I still am no expert but at least it is a start and a HUGE learning. 

In our search we came across some firms for interiors. I am listing the names linked to their websites. My intention is not to promote any particular firm, this is just a list of firms we came across during our search. If you would like to know specific feedback about any of these, or what information I have about these, whom we chose and why, please feel free to send me and email at simrand@gmail.com 

Savio and Rupa

Duke Richards Interiors

Design Cafe

Deep and Hana Architecture

The Karighars

Morph Design Co.

Mathew & Ghosh Architects Pvt. Ltd

Nilay Patalia Architects
Bluekrit

What did we discover during this process?

We realized that if you have the money there is no end to what you can do. 
There are designers in the market who provide end-to-end services to suit different budgets. 
There are contractors who provide the same set of services but for your designs. 
It is a pick and choose, mix and match.  You need to pick what works for you, your sense of style, your  need for freedom, flexibility and the biggest factor - your BUDGET. 

And the grass always seems greener on the other side. So if you go with a designer, you might feel "What if I had gone with the other one?" Or "How I wish I had the freedom to just get this table made the way I want to from the carpenter." 
It is okay to feel that way. Very normal!! :) 

If you go with your own designs and get them done via a contractor/carpenter then the thoughts might be "What would a designer have done with this place?" "What if there is better material out there for this space? A designer would have known about all those options!" 
That is okay too!

So I would suggest explore, research (in your own way), prepare a budget, then choose based on gut feel. There will be issues as in any project, there will second, third and many more thoughts while you are doing it and even after ;) But in the end you will come out wiser and experienced and am sure still have a lovely home. 

Ah and one more thing, I would suggest leaving a few things to be done later or in a phase 2, 3 or N. Especially soft furnishings, some of the furniture, knick knacks. Once you move into the house it gives you a better perspective of what you really need, what colour throw will go well with that neutral sofa and beige walls. Also provides opportunities to keep you busy with mini projects if you love doing interiors like me :) 

New beginnings - From House to Home

I haven't met a single person who says that building a house or making a home is easy! And from what I have discovered so far, it certainly is not.
It is a very slow, tiring, hazy and frustrating project. Of course it does have its moments of fun, excitement and joy!! But by the end of it most home owners remember what this picture below suggests  :)

Pic courtesy Coffee With an Architect

The first thing I realized, when we started thinking about getting our recently bought apartment done is that there is no single place/organization/website that offers you details of what and how to do this. The ABCs are all for you to figure out. There are a million ways to start and multiple paths to take based on what your neighbours, friends, family or colleagues did. Hence the process is not clear and nothing makes sense initially. It can be very confusing and overwhelming at times. If you are going through such feelings, you are on the right path. But slowly the image shall begin to emerge and you will know what to do. How slow is subjective :)

I am not saying this is rocket science but if there was a website that gave a little intro to the world of how-to-create-your-own-place, that would be nice. I wonder if something like that already exists for Bangalore and I am not aware of it. If you know about something like that please do let me know.

For my own clarity, sanity and to help future new home owners in Bangalore, I plan to document what I discover, see and learn. It might not be an exhaustive list but will be based on places I find out about, people I get to know about and any resources which might be of help.

The 1st stage in this process would be buying a place or thinking about buying a place or maybe you are just remodeling.
The first advice suggestion advice (after checking the dictionary difference between the two, advice makes more sense here) - Start planning early!!
Even before you get the possession of your flat/independent house/villa or whatever else it is that you have. If it is yet to be constructed even better. You can start thinking of designs or designers you would like to use way in advance. If it is ready to move in property, like ours then also no harm done. Once you finalise which property you are buying start the thought process in parallel. Don't wait to start that till after you get possession. Especially if you are in a time crunch for whatever reasons or are in the paying-rent-and-EMI-too situation.

As part of the planning early stage, the first thing would be figuring out whether you want to use an architect, interior designer, a contractor or a carpenter. Don't know the difference between them? Here you go!

Classification of the Design Species

      

More on this in the next post. Follow this space closely as I go on this journey of transforming a house to a home. Wish me luck too.
Have an awesome weekend!! :)