Scandinavian White Interiors with an Indian Twist

So cool for summer – the whites of Scandinavian interiors plus Indian style …

Via vtwonen, Scandinavian style in a house with an Indian charpoy (daybed):

vtwonen Scandinavian white home decor with India flair

Scandinavian white (though a bit antiqued and mellowed) meets Indian style at Maisons du Monde:

Scandinavian White Meets India via Maisons du monde

And they suggest this “blanc Namaste” cabinet, for sale, to get a bit of the look yourself:

White-Carved-Wood-Chest-via-Maisons-du-Monde

India home décor accessories with the cool feel of Scandinavian interiors, also from Maisons du Monde:

India-Design-with-Scandinavian-White-via-Maisons-du-Monde

Indian Chakki ottoman with whites at Serena and Lily:

Chakki-Ottoman-with-Whites-via-Serena-and-Lily

This is cool white and Indian influence, but in Mykonos! At the San Giorgio Hotel:

San-Giorgio-Hotel-in-Mykonos

So see, you can do this anywhere.

Keep the light touch with lighter block prints, such as Charleroi Paisley Embroidery in Linen from Schumacher Fabrics:

Charleroi-Paisley-Embroidery-in-Linen-from-Schumacher

And choose lighter rugs such as this Michael Smith Fret Work design from Mansour Modern:

Michael Smith for Mansour Modern

Keep it light and white, and you’ll beat the summer heat!

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Just Asking If You Lost a Mini Key?

Does anyone write hand-written letters anymore? Wouldn’t you like to find a hand-written letter in your mailbox so it’s not just junk, catalogs and oh the bills. Here’s what I found in my mailbox, from my mom, after one of our annual Mother’s Day crafting weekends with the three of us: mom and two sisters.

It begins: “Hello, just asking if you lost a mini key?”

Handmade Card

Handmade-Card

Maybe if we all write and send some letters, people will send some back? Maybe they’re out there waiting too for these bygone things. You can find any reason to write a letter, maybe because you found a miniature key in the carpet.

Handmade Scrapbook Paper Card

The Old Amethyst Gardens in Chennai

Yay! Today is the official start of frost-free gardening in Chicago. My gardens look really sparse, things just poking up now. So for now, here are photos of a gorgeous garden that was an oasis amid the great loud hustle and bustle of Chennai. These photos are from Amethyst, which I’ve heard has now moved. This was a walled garden — walls tall and substantial enough to keep all the honking at bay!

This is my style of garden: a bit unusual, bold shapes and color coming more from the leaves than flowers.

Amethyst Garden Chennai

Amethyst-Garden-Leaves-in-Chennai

Amethyst-Garden-A-Rainforest-in-Chennai

With each step you took, the city receded further and further away.

Plants-Look-Like-Diwali-Sparklers

This collection of pots was near the spot where we dined on Amethyst’s covered veranda.

Big-Pots-Big-Impact

Pots-and-Architectural-Remnants

It was an inspiring and refreshing place. The new location also has lush gardens, an escape from the city.

India Design and Color at Leon & Lulu

You can find India colors, patterns and design in Clawson, Michigan where there is a store called Leon & Lulu. It’s full of fun colors and an energetic mix of furniture, art and gifts. I saw really creative inspiration of how to weave Indian pieces in your home …

Indian boxes on a cocktail table, and Indian firework containers balancing on tall colorful ceramic candlesticks – what a fun idea:

Colorful-Indian-Boxes

India-Box-Pattern

Here’s a great idea – get not just one Indian wood tiger toy on wheels. Get a whole bunch. And line them all up under cool wall art (this one is metal with words cut out):

Indian-Tiger-Toys-on-Wheels

Wooden-Tiger-Toys-from-India

We saw colorful kantha animals, wearing threaded jewels:

Kantha-Camel

These Indian figures looked really familiar:

India-Figures

A few years ago, I posted very similar ones I photographed in Kochi, India:

Indian-Figures-Found-at-Crafters-in-Cochin

The red ones above at Leon & Lulu are a good tall size and very reasonably priced.

These seem to be painted paper mache. The scene says to me, “I love India style:”

Painted-India-Figureheads

Pretty jewel-toned jewels displayed on old wood:

Jewelry-Display

There are many things beyond India items at Leon & Lulu. My mom and I spent hours there looking at all the inspiration for decorating.

Something like this temperature conversion chart would be useful when I go to India and think in Fahrenheit:

Temperature-Conversion-Chart

I like this combo of things:

Combo-of-Art-and-Color

Lamp bases made of wallpaper printing spools:

Wallpaper-Printing-Spool-Lamp-Base

Colors-with-Zip-and-Zing

I loved these displays as a way to show collections and art:

Collection-and-Art-Display

Doll-Parts-Collection

Blues-and-Yellows

A few weeks ago, I was in Denver and posted an Instagram of these metal figures climbing up a wall in the hotel lobby:

Well guess what. I saw some very similar ones here that you can hang on your walls:

Wall-Climbers

I also liked these vintage wall stencil rollers. The patterned parts feel like rubber. They have pins on the ends so I could see these suspended vertically between pieces of wood and a bunch displayed in a row:

Vintage-Wall-Stencil-Roller

We left with minds buzzing of new ideas from what we saw at Leon & Lulu, and a few shopping bags in our hands too. And oh yeah, they have a big section of funny gifts. I left with a bit of smeared mascara from laughing so hard. All in all, a fun time! This kind of a shop is a great reminder to not take our homes and décor too seriously.