Goodmorning, happy Tuesday and a nice, hot summer to all of you from India. We’ve now dived head strong into molten lava {read: summer} and I am using it to melt, cast and beat a DIY copper flower pot #not. Welcome to reading my dorky self and henceforth you are about to enter a phase where this wannabe beach house {which is actually a tiny apartment} will be donning an Indian Summer! Yup, yup yup, very unlike me, and to baffle you further- I am swooning on all things India lately. Call it the effects of Summer or a DIY decorator’s fluctuating taste: bits and bobs of India will march into this beach house lover’s home, starting from a DIY copper planter and a tabletop summer vignette using Bajaj Fans! What fun!
I won’t shy away from telling that all my life I have despised Indian decor and its elements. I am not a bright, eclectic, exotic decor fan and I thought Indian elements were a little too over the top for my taste. I was so very wrong! If done carefully, Indian elements can not only fit into any type of decor but also highlight it. In addition, there are a lot of cool things in india {and its been there for ages in homes} that I never thought of incorporating in my decor. What a fool I have been! I think this is where experience and a bit of exposure come handy. Knowledge opens you up.
Trying and testing a lot of elements last week, I have come to this conclusion that Indian decorative elements, collectively, is a lot like the colour marsala. It’s a beauty if done carefully, but very easy to overdo with. As long as there is just a hint of it at the right place, you are winning.
Copper and brass utensils and decorative items have been an integral part of Indian home decor. Whether its a “lota” {a small carafe} or a jug or a figurine- Copper and brass is abundant here, and you’ll find them in every household and temples. At granny’s, there was a trunk full of brass and copper utensils which she used for her “puja” or worship and some of it she took out as decoration on occasions. As a child i used to hate them because of course for a child it was very bland. But now I get her vignettes. She would put out a copper plate, add some water, pinch out a couple of marigolds and let them float in it. Aaaah! I can almost see the table and how beautiful it used to all look. My faux copper planter is a tribute to her copper and brass trunk, and of course to the trend that India has been following for centuries. This is my version of decorating with copper {or faux copper} and methinks the wannabe beach house is taking it very well! {Btw: Copper is in this season globally too. Look for copper pipe racks, lighting options, stool and more! I have done a bit of trend check, not just a blind tribute 😉 }
So, here’s how to make a faux copper flower pot
You’ll need:
Copper paint : fabric or acrylic
Gold Paint: Fabric or acrylic
Water
A large brush
A flower pot
Directions
Clean your flower pot and make sure there is no water on it. Give it two coats of copper paint with 30 minutes drying time in between. Finish off with a coat of gold {Mix more water in this case. You’d want itto highlight the copper and not hide it}
Dry.
And this dear friends would be a tabletop vignette with a retro fan from a company that has been practically shaping India’s electronic appliance destiny. Bajaj, BPL, Kelvinator and Philips is to India what KitchenAid is to you folks in US, perhaps. We now get Morphy Richards, Samsung blah blah but bajaj, philips and kelvinator i tell you are the real deal. I wouldn’t know anyone who did not grow up in a house with a kelvinator/bajaj/ bpl refrigerator and a typically bajaj fans. And then of course, there was the “Chetak”- the shiny scooter from bajaj that took India by its collar back then. I can sit and think of so many things in my home that were of bajaj and now replaced by some fancy shmancy company. Man, these need name and saving. How come no one is glorifying them as vintage brands? These are the bees knees. I think our generation is way too crazy for imports. Not like I am not one of them but henceforth I will try and bring things into this decor which are classy and quintessentially Indian. It’ll be good to relive the 90’s.
That’s me then from this funny place, I shall see you soon with more summer decorations and Indian additions. Stay with me, it should be fun.