Sanctum loves the "hot mess" lifestyle!

The Life! supplement to the Times of India wrote about the new cool...the idea that you're not 'all sorted out' and that life is not perfect and things don't alwasy go according to plan. 'A counterculture to correctness and perfection, 'hot mess' is the zeitgeist of our times.'

The idea is not entirely new. Marc Jacobs said "I always find beauty in things that are old and imperfect - they are much more interesting."

The Japanese idea of wabi-sabi - of finding beauty in imperfection is centuries old. 

You reach a point in your life's joureny where the illusion of perfection, of control, fades and leaves you in a space that's relaxed, in the moment, a place where you can breathe easy.

In such a place, your perception of beauty changes...you find joy in the moment, grandeur in nature, and yes, beauty in a thistle! 

We, at Sanctum, embrace  that lifestyle, celebrate a life less than perfect, and seek beauty in simple things, the quiet, the warm, the personal and unpretentious.

Van Gogh 'Thistles'

The Beauty in a Thistle

A summer living free,
Hearing not a plea,
Of any trouble,
Passing the rubble,
Of yesterday,
I live today,
Tomorrow,
My sorrow,
Will stay in place,
Away from my face,
So utter joy may reign,
To keep away the pain,
That creeps,
Delight seeps,
Into my mind,
And I can find,
The beauty in a thistle.

Melissa Ross (courtesy Poetry Soup)

Decorating with vintage finds

While vintage decor is the in thing these days, not all of us are confident or wanting to go the whole nine yards in incorporating it in our homes. You can maintain your decor as it is, and just add small vintage elements like the ones below:

1. Telephone: Go back to the 70s & 80s and get an old telephone with a dial. There are some designs available in the market that have the vintage look while being push button phones. They are a statement piece in itself.

                                                           Pinterest

2. Table Fans : Scour the local flea market for the table fans. They are available in various sizes including 6 inch models that can be plugged to your laptops.

                                                thisoldhouse.com

3. Home linen: Cushion covers in florals, birds, butterflies & postage stamp prints, bicycle & newspaper prints are easy to incorporate in homes. No bright colours, think soft pastels or pale colours. We have a wide range of vintage print cushion covers at Sanctum.

                                                        Cushion covers from Sanctum

4. Vintage Suitcases / Trunks : Stack up old suitcases in a corner and use it as a side table. Paint an old iron trunk and use it as a centre table.

                                   Trunks from Sanctum

5. Fairy Lights : Always a cheerful addition to your home decor & very vintage too. Get the plain ones from the market or go in for fancier handmade ones. We have a wide range of the latter in a variety of colours ( gold, crimson, fuschia, violet etc) at Sanctum.

                                                     Handmade lights from Sanctum

Style Tip : Window Benches

Window benches are a great idea for apartments for many reasons. It leads to effective utilization of space. There's an extra seat in the room that can comfortably seat 4-5 adults ( at least). It can be used for storage too. Toys, books, newspapers can all go in. What's more, you can make one in each room. It serves as a nice reading nook too.

A bunch of cushions will add some colour & cheer. Sanctum can make a customised one to suit your requirements.

Image courtesy: houzz

                                            Image courtesy: pinterest

Transparent Decor Pieces

If you want to keep your home styling simple & fuss free, invest in transparent decor pieces like vases, chairs, jars, bottles & the like.

                                       Evokemodern.com

                                fashion.qkiz

Home Tour : Farmhouse in Karjat

This was one of the first projects undertaken by us where we sourced all furniture, decor pieces & lighting in consultation with the interior designers (Ahsan Ansari, PFA Architects)

If you would like us to do something similar with your entire home or just one room, write to us at projects@sanctumstore.com

Tuesday Style Tips : Resurrecting old & abandoned objects

Resurrect old & abandoned objects into something useful. A bath tub can become a flower bed. An old guitar that is unused can be painted & made into wall art. An abandoned fish tank can be used to install a terrarium.

(Image courtesy: furnishburnish.com)

Tuesday Style Tips : Mint Green Home Decor

Add a touch of cool by introducing mint accents to your home decor. A refreshing colour, it can be combined well with whites & metallic tones. Ideal for summer months!

(Image Courtesy: popsugar.com)