Home Tour: Rashmi Chandra

Hello Decor Enthusiasts!! 

Sometimes my decor thirsty soul craves so much to get a peek inside beautifully done up homes all around the world that I just Google and spend a considerable amount of time admiring all the efforts that home owners put in transforming a house into a home. Yes, I admit that I love to peek inside homes just to get a glimpse of "whats new here". I have been sharing Home Tours on my blog since past four years and I know you all love seeing the images of well-decorated homes. But what if I give you too the opportunity to peek inside beautiful homes!!!! Yes, I am talking about Video Home Tours. Today I am posting the first video home tour and now you can walk with the home owners as they take you through their homes. 

Click here-------------->  Video Home Tour  <--------------Click here

Links to buy home decor accessories that you see in this beautiful home have been embedded in their names in this blog and if you watch the video on YouTube then links can be found in the description box. 

Today I am taking y'all to Gurugram(Gurgaon) to take a video tour of an elegant and pretty home of Rashmi and Manoj Chandra. I acquainted with Rashmi on Instagram as she used to tag me on stunningly beautiful images of her home that she shares everyday (thanks to her) and I knew that Rashmi has those creative skills that one needs to transform any dull space into a zippy and eye-pleasing one.
Below is the entrance to her beautiful apartment where Rashmi and her husband create memories with their two children, a daughter who's recently got a job in Bangalore and a teenage boy who studies in 11th grade. A glimpse of the entrance and you already know what to expect next.

Below is the foyer where guests take a pause after entering the home and feel enveloped in the warmth of this space decorated by Rashmi. Hanging glass lanterns and a little glass lamp emanate warmth. Angels from Thailand are there to welcome guests. Jharokha and Brass Ganesha lamp on the other wall add an ethnic element to the decor. 

Below is the closer shot for you to see the beautiful vignette. Rashmi shares some lovely memories with us, "When I was a kid I used to help my mom in decorating home and rearranging the furniture to make the place look more appealing. When I got married and we bought our own home, I realised the passion for home decor. My friends and relatives always say something nice whenever they visit us and those words of appreciation encourage me a lot." 

Below is the image of her living room that speaks a lot about the home owner, charming, elegant, warm and serene. Walls and furniture in subtle colors set the perfect background for the beautiful home accessories that Rashmi uses to add a pop of color. Glass candle holders and crystal flower vase on the coffee table add the touch of elegance and table runner adds the pop of red. Buddha cushions are beautifully complementing the Buddha figurine placed on the side table accompanied by a beautiful elephant lamp.  

The gurgling sound of the water from the Lord Buddha water fountain kept in one of the corners in the living room makes the ambience so calming that one can sit and listen to the sound for a long time. Next to which are aesthetically hung these beautiful brass lotus hanging diyas. These brass lamps are show stoppers and create such a serene atmosphere. You can experience the sense of calm in the video if you watch this on YouTube. 

Below is the dining room where the furniture in dark wood creates a statement. Rashmi loves to decorate and she admits that "Everyone loves their home but for me, my home is my lifeline. I'm so involved in it that often I forget to have food when I am cleaning and decorating my home."

At one end of the crockery cabinet is placed this marble temple to create a small pooja space. Her collection of brass knick-knacks is displayed on the beautiful wooden and wrought iron floating wall shelf. 

Next to this is Rashmi's neat and clean kitchen. She loves clean edges. The functionality plays a major role in this space. Tinted glass bottles add a splash of color to make the space more interesting. 

Rashmi loves to keep her space spick and span all the time and that's how she loves to spend her time. Her hard work is evident here. 

She keeps rotating the decor. Paintings, decor accessories and furnishings in one room find a place in another room after every few weeks or months. This practice makes her home look new and fresh without even spending a penny. 

Now let's head to the master bedroom. This is where Rashmi spends a lot of time. here is what she says about this room "I opted for subtle colors so that I feel calm and flowers are my weakness. I often buy them, they make me happy. Rajnigandha and white lilies are my favourites. Their intoxicating aroma fills the space to make the ambience more magical and serene." 

Before you enter the room this beautiful vignette on the cabinet warms the heart. 

Here is Rashmi's neat, tidy and beautiful bedroom.

With some paintings in dark tone that complements the furniture, she creates a cohesive look. 

You can see these curtains swaying in the video and can sense the gentle touch of breeze. This room is airy and well-lit, that's how it should be. 

Here is the family room where all the family members sit and chat together for long. 

Here is the seating space where she loves to play with colors and textures. She keeps changing the cushion covers and linen to change the entire look. In below picture, it looks so vibrant and lively with all those reds and teal.

Now in this below picture, the same space transforms into a serene place with the use of whites and a dash of warm color. 

Here is another view of the same space. 

Kids' room is a simple and uncluttered space. Her kids didn't want to place anything on the bed headboard so it has been kept clear. All the achievements of the kids are proudly displayed on the ladder shelf. 

Though Rashmi did add her touch here by hanging some beautiful string lights and a dream catcher above the headboard. 

So we have seen all the nooks and corners of Rashmi's beautifully done up home. I hope you all enjoyed this home tour as much as you enjoyed all the previous ones. Do let her know your views in the comments and follow her on Instagram for a daily dose of eye candies. 

Stick around to know what's coming up next. Till then connect with me here:

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Home Tour: Chitra Seetharaman

A home tour after a long time and I am sure y'all will love it as much as you have loved all the previous Home Tours on 3D. Just like the tagline of 3D, the owner of this home is also on a mission to "Transforming A House Into A Home". 

Dear folks, welcome Chitra Seetharaman, who is joining us from Illinois, USA where she lives with her husband and almost two-year-old cute lil' daughter. Chitra is an Accredited Staging Professional and loves doing up homes and believe me, she has got a wonderful taste and can effortlessly transform a house into a home. She has been on my blog earlier too when she had shared her Pooja room wall for "Wall Decorating Series" on 3D. If by any chance you have missed that post then you can read it by clicking here. 
One more thing is that a lot of time my readers ask me that where they can buy the products that they see on my blog, so I have embedded the links where I have mentioned the name of the products. Just click the link, explore, compare and if it suits your taste then buy it. 
I wouldn't keep you waiting now. Let's take a tour of Chitra's beautiful abode as she takes us through it and explains how everything came about.

"As an Accredited Staging Professional ASP® (I am a full time IT professional, a Business and Quality Analyst to be precise but as the first step in chasing my dreams I got my accreditation in home staging beginning of this year) there is no surprise that home staging is my passion. I’ve “staged” and decorated my room/ home since I remember. Back then I’d love to dress my room up and wow my friends and family. That has since evolved and though I still play “ home dress up” I do it on a professional level. My home is an outlet to all my pent up energy. I decorate, organize and clean my home like therapy. I move furniture around and change my decor on an almost weekly basis. My family (husband and my 21-month-old daughter) has been so accommodating to all this madness ;) but  I’m sure bae thinks I’m a crazy person at times but hey I wouldn’t blame him J  

As you walk through my home you can see my love of colors and life (live plants). Each room has its own “vibe” and this theme is every changing. I follow no rules when it comes to staging my own home. I go with the flow of my heart and I love my home to a story."

The entryway to home sets the mood and gives the hint what's in store inside. Chitra knows this fact very well and has decorated her entryway in a way that everyone who visits wants to know what's to come next. 

Aptly placed Ganesha murti (idol) exudes positivity and creates a welcoming environment. The mirror behind the idol not only gives an illusion of God's aura but also reflects the light and makes the place look even brighter and bigger. To break the monotony of neutral color scheme there stands a bright, bold and beautiful blue door to greet the guests. 

"You will see Lord Ganesha greeting you as you enter our humble abode. The Ganesha was a house warming present from my maternal grandmother so he is very close to my heart."

Lush and healthy plants are there to brighten things up and to add that kick your decor needs. 

Chitra's pooja room reminds me of my grandparents' home. She has created such a divine place that just by looking at the picture one can attain inner peace. The place emits a special sense of calm. Here is what Chitra says with a great pleasure, 

"I grew up in a religious family. Having a Pooja room and praying together as a family was part of our everyday norm. I have been lucky enough to continue that tradition in my own home. I come here to reflect and rejuvenate".

We are now stepping into Chitra's formal living room where she enjoys her free time. In this room, she has added a good dose of colors using colorful cushions and fresh flowers. Teal and fuchsia are used as an accent color whereas brown is used to tie together the whole setup. 

"Formal living room is the “calm” space in my house. I love playing classical solo piano or Celtic music when I sit down to relax and it's mostly (probably) right here."

"I sometimes turn on the fountain to create an ambience. This is a perfect spot to enjoy my cup of chai or read a book."

Now let's take a look inside her family room which is my favourite for many reasons one being the ikat print curtains. If you wish to buy similar ones in India then here is a link for you. I just couldn't take my eyes off these gorgeous curtains and asked Chitra to send one more image that focuses more on curtains and being the sweetest friend she clicked the image and sent to me. 

"Family room is where the action happens. We meet, greet and be merry right here. I have a little one at home so this space isn’t always organised but I love my perfectly imperfect home "

All the warm colors create a cheerful and warm ambience in the family room. Right next to the window and seating arrangement is this wall of masks that you must have seen in my "Wall Decorating Series". Chitra calls it a wanderlust wall. 

"This is my wanderlust wall. This wall is filled with our travel memories and artefacts. Each item here was handpicked to be displayed right here on this wall"

Bookshelves flanking the TV unit shows her love for reading. Wooden word that spells "Home" hangs above the TV. reminds that you are in the comfort of your nice and peaceful home now forget about the rest of the world and just sit back and relax. Buddha figurines, the tree of life and other elements are there to add to the peaceful vibe. Chitra makes sure that plants and fresh flowers are always given place in every room to add life to the decor. 

At the far end of this room is a gallery wall that comprises of family pictures and happy quotes. I always believe that family portraits are like time capsule they not only bring back lots of happy memories but also fill you with joy and warm your heart.  

Right opposite to the window and seating arrangement is this whole setup that you see in below picture that looks so contemporary yet goes well with the rest of the decor in the room. This corner of Chitra's family room reminds me of my favourite interior designer Rebecca Robeson. The use of accent chair, ladder shelves and a huge painting that is binding the accent pieces together is what I love here, so contemporary, stylish and eye-pleasing. Did you notice how Chitra loves to play with patterns and textures. The pattern on the accent chair is so aesthetically balanced on the other side of the ladder shelves by hanging the metal wall decor in a similar pattern. 

Adjacent to the above wall is this area which opens up into the breakfast nook and the kitchen. Chitra's love for patterns and colors is evident and she mixes them skilfully.  

Now stand here in the breakfast nook and have a look at her family room from a different angle. Tell me what do you think! Doesn't it look so cosy yet spacious, well decorated yet functional, modern yet warm and welcoming. 

Chitra has a knack for balancing the decor. You saw her family room filled with colors and patterns and now see her dining room. Plain white and some neutral shades are ruling the place but nothing seems to be looking out of place or inappropriate. To add a dash of color here fresh tiger lilies are doing their part. Now let's see what's in the kitchen. 

"Kitchen is the heart of our home. When it comes to the kitchen, I like to keep it simple and clutter free."

I also believe that no matter you decorate it or not but the kitchen should be functional, simple and most importantly neat and sparkling clean. A basket full of fresh fruits is a perfect decor addition to the kitchen so that family members can snack on them and this will develop healthy eating habits in them.  

Below is Chitra's gorgeous dining room. Espresso furniture, window treatment and a huge artwork that ties together the look and Chitra's has given her special touch here too with the clever use of patterns. It's your work now to find out how she has matched the patterns here. Though the dining room look completes to me but here is what Chitra says, 

"Dining room is the room that inspires me to do better. This is still work in progress."

Nursery is a clam place with muted shades and a little pop of pink. 

"I loved working on the nursery for my daughter and can’t wait to redecorate it when she outgrows it. A mixed feeling."

Now head to the guest room, don't you just love those baskets on the wall. So unusual yet so elegant. Fluffy pillows, clean and beautiful bedspread and a warm, cosy ambience what else guests need in their room. Chitra sure knows how to win hearts. 

"I am a people person and love being the hostess. This room was the first room I decorated when we moved in 3 years ago. I add some pleasing touches to this room like fresh flowers or use a lovely linen spray (Tip – Jo Malone has some amazing room/linen sprays and they last forever) to make my guests feel special and welcomed."

Peek into her bedroom and we now already know what to expect. Furniture in a dark tone and beautiful soft furnishing that complements the accent pieces in peacock blue is a beautiful amalgamation that only a person with great taste can think of. Four poster bed is, of course, a statement piece in this room and is a show stopper for sure. 

Chitra proudly says, "this is my peacock inspired room. This room is also a work in progress but I’m enjoying the process." 

Aptly placed peacock feathers on either side of the bed is such an unusual touch and I am eyeing that bird cage and carved mirror frame too. 

I have told you Chitra mixes pattern and colors masterfully and here is one more example. As the room exhibits peacock inspired decor, Chitra has chosen the drapes that not only have the shine and color like a peacock but have peacock feathers too. 

I am sure by now you must have noticed the play of geometrical patterns here. Tell me what they are :)

With this, we come to an end of this tour let's sit back and relax in Chitra's backyard for a while and then we'll go somewhere else to get inspired. 

"The backyard is my own little oasis. I am an ardent gardener. My love to nurture and grow plants has contaminated my husband too. When we got the house, the yard needed a lot of love. This is still a work in progress but we look forward to spend our time together right here every year. Plants are like babies, you give it some love and they love you right back. Instant gratification."

Thank you so much Chitra for letting us all soak in the beauty of your amazingly done up home. What do you all think about Chitra's home. Do let her know in the comments below. Thank you all for stopping by.

I am receiving lots of requests to make videos on various topics and I have noted down and started working on a few of them. If you too have any suggestions let me know. Till then connect with me here:

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Home Tour: Kshama Shenoy

Today's guest on 3D is special. 

After reading my previous blog on "Indian Art Gallery Wall Reveal" Kshama Shenoy from Mysore enquired if she could share images of her home. I shared my mail id and

she instantly sent me the images of her very pretty abode. Then we had a long cellphone conversation and I experienced my fan moment when she excitedly disclosed that she couldn't believe she is talking to me and that she never misses a post from 3D and reads all the posts word by word. She added, "I love your style and the ideas you share are so simple and doable that we all can connect to it." I felt encouraged and blessed, All I can say is a BIG THANK YOU!! Well, Kshama I am not a celebrity, I am doing what I love the most and I try to give my 100% in whatever I do!!

Now I'll take y'all to Mysore, a city in Karnataka known for its opulent Mysore palace. Situated in the foothills of the Chamundi Hills this bustling city is also known as the cultural capital of Karnataka and is rich in traditions. Taking the cue from the city itself Kshama has decorated her home with arts and handicrafts of India. Come on in and soak in the beauty of her home as she takes us through her collected and well-curated home.
Hi, I am Kshama Shenoy from Mysore and I have been living here since past 25 years with my husband Arun Shenoy and two sons Arjun and Arinjay Shenoy. 
This is the entrance to my home. Once you step in this is what you see on the wall. I am a great devotee of Krishna and on my visit to Guruvayur temple in Kerala I picked up these Kathakali masks and then I hung them in a group on the wall to create a pleasing and inviting environment. 

Let's take a step further and we are in a long corridor that leads us to the living room. This corridor was an empty space until Kshama spotted these beautiful wall planters in a store called HomeStop in Bangalore. Store owner explained that these planters can be hung on a wall or can be placed on a surface as well. So Kshama decided to hang these planters on the corridor wall and the color combination and orientation of these planters on the wall are done by her husband. When I posted this picture on my Instagram account many people were curious to know how to hang them on a wall. So I asked Kshama to explain the process,

"These planters have a hole at the back so I just drilled the holes in this wall and hung them on the nail. Plants are actually placed in a cup and then I inserted that cup in the wall planter. I pull out the cups often to water the plants and then place it back. Every single person who visits us is sure to ask about these planters. The Tara statue on the console table was on a sale and is a great find from one of the stores in Bangalore. The console table I picked up from the furniture exhibition. I instantly fell in love with the intricate carving and lighting that it has so I bought it. The corridor was quite monotonous so to break the monotony I placed the console here and knick-knacks on it are the pieces I picked from various places. There is a place close to Mysore called Sri Narsipura that I visit quite often to pick up the brass items from one of the stores that exclusively sales all brass items".

This huge Kathakali mask hung in the same corridor in below picture also has a beautiful memory associated with it. Kshama told me that on her visit to Guruvayur temple when she came out of the temple she suddenly felt like she should own a huge Kathakali mask too and she reached out to the fellow who was selling the masks and this is what happened next,

"The guy was talking to me in Malayalam and couldn't understand a word then too I managed to explain to him that I want a huge Kathakali mask delivered to my place and convinced him to share his bank account details and then once the money was transferred he sent me the mask and thankfully it arrived in a single piece."

Here is one more view of the same corridor from a different angle. One side of this corridor is a home theatre and the other side is the living room. 

Seen below is the image of Kshama's living room and her passion for Indian arts and crafts shows through every corner of her home. I asked about her collection of curious and this is what she said,
My style of decorating depicts various traditions of different countries. Special thanks to my boys also in selecting unique items that have made my house a beautiful home. The veena that is lying under the coffee table is a find from a small exhibition called Deepotsava/Deepsaundarya. On the right side of the table top are Ram and Seeta figurine and on the left is Goddess Saraswati in wood that Raj picked for me from Bali. Raj has an Indian handicraft store called Kalash in Bangalore. He always makes it a point to call me and ask whether I want something whenever he visits places like Bali and Indonesia. There is one more nice fellow called Raghavendra in Bangalore, I send him the pictures I find nice on your blog and ask him if he could get something like that for me and he makes sure that he finds the exact same piece. 

Below is one more corner of Kshama's living room that reflects how she likes to weave a story in all the corners and how she loves to mix and match the different elements. Upon asking about the figurines flanking the vintage looking brass lamp she said,

"One is called the wisdom god and the other is called the victory god. These are from Kushalnagar, a town few KMs away from Mysore where one of my friends live. And having these two figurines is like Victory god is always there to make us victorious and wisdom god is there to give us all the wisdom. The vintage looking brass lamp is from FabIndia. Hand painted terracotta pieces are from Kolhapur. On the way to Kolhapur with my family, I spotted a small shop and just shouted stop and jumped off the car. There was a beautiful huge Purandara/Vitthala statue was sitting in the front of the shop and my boys were like "Maa please don't pick that up because if you do we'll be out of the car and only Purandara will be there in the car." 

I think that's how we transform a house into a home with so many stories associated with each piece. 

Kshama read something about blue pottery on my blog and then she contacted someone in Jaipur and got herself these beautiful ceramic plates. Puppet is from Bali 

Her sons are as equally talented. Below are the sketches done by her elder son Arjun who is self taught artist. These sketches are framed now and found a place on one of the walls in her home. I must say he is a blessed artist. 

Below is the shelf filled with Tara figurines. The small brass head is from FabIndia and all the Taras are picked up from a place close to Kushalnagar called Bylakuppe where Tibetan society is there. Kshama has made lots of friends there and those ladies keep calling her to let her know what new has arrived and that's how this huge collection built up. 

Some more brass knick-knacks that are adorning the corners in her home. 

Now let's take a peek inside her bedroom to be surprised by the idea of hanging beautiful brass throne/simhasana of deity hanging from the ceiling and beautifully complementing the picture of Krishna. Now, who would have thought of this excellent idea? But then Kshama has a different story to share here,

"When I spotted this brass throne everything in my mind was clear as to how I'll decorate it and I asked the shopkeeper if he has a long brass chain so that I can hang it from the ceiling and fortunately he had the chain. When I came back home I got all the scolding from my husband upon seeing the nails in my hand he told me not again, you are spoiling my home with all these holes and nails. But once it was done my husband was very happy. Brass musical figurines placed on the bedside table are again from a small brass shop in Sri Narsipura." 

Now we are in the kitchen and this place has also got the same attention as the other rooms in her home when it comes to displaying the collection of curios. Did you notice those plump chubby chefs placed on the countertop? Let's know what's the story associated with them. 

"So when I visited my sister-in-law in Goa I got to know about a store where they customise the things for you. I saw this ceramic chef in his store and got a few of them customised for myself. I love collecting miniature kitchen sets and you can see them inside the glass cabinet. Wall decor pieces in the kitchen are from various places like U.S. Dubai, London and Sri Lanka. So it's a kind of memory wall in my kitchen. I love my home and my home is my best friend. It takes a lot of my energy to keep everything clean and just love doing up my home."

Now we are stepping out in Kshama's very beautiful garden. The first thing you see here is this beautiful yellow niche in the wall and Kshama's collection of masks that are making quite a statement here.  

Please hold your breath as you are going to see the garden that you must have imagined while reading stories like Cinderella and Snow White in your childhood. A tiny pond filled with water lilies and surrounded by cute tiny animal and dotted with white pebbles is nothing short of a fairy garden. The little girl is supposed to be a garden fairy. All these lovely garden accessories are from a garden store in Bangalore called Hybiscus. 

Even her garden has all the things from different parts of India. The boat in below pictures is picked up from Kerala, all the other tiny creatures are from Bangalore. 

These beautiful wall planters in her garden have a story too. She saw a post on my blog and did some research and she managed to find out the contact details of a garden store in Delhi called Sondha. She then sent the pictures to Vinita Nath, who owns the store and that's how she got her sea horse and owl planters all the way from Delhi to Mysore. 

Don't you find the chubby elephants, pig and cow just too adorable in below image. Don't miss the cute snails. 

In the last Kshama adds that everyday before going to bed it is her ritual to go through all the home decor blogs and then only she could sleep peacefully. Here is what she said,
I am an avid reader of home decor blogs which helps me in enhancing my decor skills. 

Kshama we totally enjoyed this virtual tour of your collected and curated home. Wish you all the very best in all your future endeavours. Dear readers, I hope you too enjoyed this home tour. You can leave us a line in the comment box. In case you are craving for more such home tours click right here.

I'll see you with my new YouTube video very soon!!
Happy Decorating!!