Durga Puja or Durgotsav marks the onset of India's festive quarter and is celebrated with much pomp and excitement.
In essence, the festival venerates the victory of good over evil. While Pujo revelries are replete with good food, pandal hopping, dressing up and going out, a big part of the festival entails inviting friends and family to partake in the festivities.
One of the best ways to ring in Pujo is by adding beautiful decor pieces that add positivity and joy to your living space. If you're looking for inspiration to make a statement in the first post-pandemic festive season, then look no further. Saloni Khosla, Head of Centre of Design Excellence (CODE), Pepperfry shares with IANSlife a few of her favourite home decor ideas that are sure to elevate your living space and make it the perfect Puja hot spot for your family and friends.
Hang lanterns and torans
Lanterns are an absolute must-have during Durga Puja. They add a touch of festivity to any home and can be hung both inside and outside the house. Garlands made of marigold flowers and mango leaves are a traditional decoration during Durga Puja. You can use them to decorate your doorways, windows, or even walls. These are symbolic of warding off evil and add a touch of tradition and Indian festive spirit to any home.
Let the bells chime and lights shine
Adding more light points in your home, especially during occasions is a great idea as this not only gives the house a certain sparkle but also makes it more inviting and spreads a feeling of happiness. One can decorate the arches in their home with bright lights as well as wind chimes or bells to give the feeling of calmness and positivity. And for those who have ample space, light up your living room with fairy lights and place small diyas across the sides of the staircase.
Add dimension to your home
This Durga Puja one can opt to go all out with decoration or choose to keep it minimal with an off-beat contemporary twist. Think along the lines of a white or cream canvas with pops of colour in the form of artwork or furnishings. Adding crocheted wall hangings is an excellent addition on plain accent walls as they make the wall stand out and add a creative touch.
Make a grand entrance
Striking a balance between keeping it classy and making a bold statement with a piece of furniture or decor item is something one should not shy away from. Adding the goddess' statue in the temple and designing your temple area by incorporating a rug or if space permits, an alpona (rangoli), adds a touch of divinity and tradition.
A thorough cleanse for a fresh look
A key component of getting festive-ready is deep cleansing your home. This is traditionally done to make the home deity-ready and also to give the expected guests a more pleasurable experience. You could take this a notch higher by strategically placing aroma diffusers and incense sticks. Sandalwood incense sticks are a national favourite and are appreciated by audiences across age groups.
For many people with backyard ponds, fountains and other water-garden fixtures, the arrival of cold weather means draining the pipes and pulling the plug.
Clark Griswold would be proud. Thanks to advances in lighting technology, suburban dads (and moms) across the country have a lot to choose from when it comes to creative ways to deck their halls for the holidays this year.
Designers often surprise their clients by sharing a secret: You can dramatically change the look of a room simply by changing or rearranging the items on your bookshelves and tabletops.
Tulips are the floral harbingers of spring, providing brilliant bursts of colour in otherwise drab surroundings. But a few varieties offer another kind of bouquet, too: They're fragrant.
