Some greens for the bathroom too

Plants are therapeutic. Surround yourself with greenery and see their magical effect on you. Plants should not be limited to the balcony, open spaces or to the lone indoor one. Find out which plants will do well in your home depending on the sunlight you get and head to the local nursery. Also, think of plants as long term flowers & don't stop adding greens to your home just because some of them die after a few months.

Ferns are very low maintenance and thrive in bathrooms due to the humidity. They make the bathroom look lush green giving a rainforest effect. You can place them on the window sill or hang some from the ceiling. Water them every couple of days & see them flourish!

If space permits, you can place plants in all nooks and corners of the bathroom

                                     (Image Courtesy: decoist)

Hanging from the showerhead is a splendid idea.

                                                  (Image Courtesy: gardenista)


Bathroom shelf, window sill, countertops are great to place plants too

(Image Courtesy: lushhome)

DIY Flower Vases

Flowers, candles, books & photos are our all time favorites when it comes to adding personal touch to your home decor. While there is a huge variety of vases available in the market, DIY vases can be both cost effective (we love a bargain) & unique. 

Here are some simple ideas for making your own unique vases.

Convert used kitchen jars into vases by removing the sticker & lid. You can paint on them as below or just stick vintage lace on it to get the look.

 (Image Courtesy: DIYforlife)

Sequinned vases: Either use transparent glue on the sequins and put them on desired places. Alternately, apply some glue inside the jar, and throw in some sequins. Shake the vase and let them stick randomly inside the jar.

 (Image Courtesy: inspiringpretty.com)

Yarn wrapped vases: Wash and dry used beer bottles. Apply glue on the outside. Wrap the yarn around it tightly. Let it dry. A cluster of bottles in different colours looks best.

 (Image Courtesy: inspiringpretty.com)

Bulb vases: Fused bulbs can get a fresh lease of life as flower vases as in the picture below. Delicate flowers like daisies or baby's breath look the prettiest.

  (Image Courtesy: pinterest)

Spray painted beer bottles: Used beer & wine bottles can be washed, sticker removed and spray painted in desired colours to get this cheerful look.

 (Image Courtesy: shelterness)

Bring in the greens

Living in small spaces should not be the reason to not grow any plants in your home. Those of us who do not have a garden or balcony can still grow plants in the space we have. Some of the options are:

Vertical stands for pots of different shapes & sizes can occupy any corner of the house which gets sunlight. 

 (Image courtesy: alibaba)

Good old fashioned milk measures can be placed on any grill or railing. Add some water and fill it with flowers or greens.

 (Image courtesy: aliexpress)

If you have a long railing or a window you can get these boxed extensions made and place your pots in them.

                                              (Image courtesy: aliexpress)

Nature Forever society recommends planting of native plants & trees in your homes and gardens instead of the exotic ones. Some of the native plants for your garden are:

                                                  (Image courtesy: Nature Forever Society)

Lights & Lamps for Diwali

It's that time of the year again when we start preparing for Diwali. Lights & lamps play a big role in the festive decor. We recommend metal & glass lamps that can be used round the year. Hang them by the ceiling or in the balcony. All you need is some bulbs & wire and voila, you are good to go!

(Image Courtesy: Pinterest)

(Image Courtesy: Pinterest)

(Image Courtesy: delikka.com)

Buntings with a twist

We love buntings! They add a lovely touch on special occasions & festivals. They may not be for everyone, but the bohemian at heart will love them for sure. We are familiar with the triangular buntings (our all time favourite) in paper or fabric that we have been seeing since our childhood. Buntings in shapes like hearts, stars etc are also very popular these days. You can drape them around furniture, hang them from windows & doors or even put it against the wall as a backdrop.

(Image Courtesy: 4.bp.blogspot)

(Image Courtesy: designfiles.com)

With Diwali & Christmas approaching soon, we get lovely cards with personal messages and wishes for the festive season. We don't feel like throwing them away, but then what to do with them? Tadaaaa! Use them as buntings. Get a string & some wooden pegs and hang it like this:

(Image Courtesy: candokiddo.com)

Or make a bunting of your favourite photographs like this. It would be a great idea to do this for special birthdays like 18th, 21st, 40th etc.

(Image Courtesy:brit.co)

Decorating with Maps

Maps can be an interesting and inexpensive way of decorating a wall in your home. It can give an instant facelift to your home decor at a small cost. And if you are a travel freak, you couldn't ask for more. Here are some ways of incorporating maps in your homes.

1. Wallpapers : There is a wide variety of map prints wallpapers. You can put them on a wall in your living room or children's bedroom. They make for an interesting backdrop and conversation point. A vintage map is good for the living area and a bright/colorful one for the kids room. We take orders for customized wallpapers for you at Sanctum.

(Image courtesy : aliexpress)

(Image courtesy : condenast uk)

2. Frame it : Maps of local interest can go in the guest room, maps picked up during your travels can go in the family room & the rare finds are apt for the living room. There are also food maps available in the market & they are great for the kitchen or dining area. City maps of your favourite cities are a great idea for framing too.

(Image courtesy : foodiggity)

(Image courtesy : vfs)

3. Accessories : Coasters, trays, dustbins, soft boards, magnets, ceramic plates etc with map prints can be customised or bought off the shelves. 

(Image courtesy : canvaspopblog)

(Image courtesy :etsy)

(Image courtesy : houzz)

4. Globes: Use globes as accessories. Look out for globes when you visit flea markets. Put your entire collection on display in your living room or study. They are globe shaped paper weights, bookends & even stationery in the market.

(Image courtesy : popsugar)

(Image courtesy : houzz)

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)