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Diwali Décor
Here are some ideas to decorate your home this Diwali
Hosts and hostesses can get super stressed out during Diwali. After all, there are parties galore. And you want your house to look the best! That’s but natural. But well, how do you do up your house? You could go traditional, you could do colors, you could concentrate on lighting…there are so many ways you can make your house look drop-dead gorgeous during the festival of lights. Read on for some ideas:
Traditional
This is the easiest. And for many, the best. And why not? Diwali is a festival that celebrates a tradition, so traditional is the way to go. Let’s look at what you can do to add that ethnic touch to your home
Rangolis: This colorful welcoming sign is a must. You could jazz up your rangoli with glitter, diyas, tea-lights, flowers, and make it really stand out. And why restrict the rangoli to only the entrance? You could have colorful rangolis in corners of the room, on your veranda, in your porch. Just ensure that it’s in a place where people will not walk all over it.
Diyas and lamps: This is the festival of lights and you need plenty of illumination. Lamps can be lit on either side of your rangoli. Or light one big brass lamp. Wrap a chain of bright marigold flowers or fragrant jasmine around the lamp. Diyas can be placed anywhere – at the entrance, on window sills, on tables, shelves… Be careful though. The oil from the diyas can stain your furniture.
Glitter and glam: We need to jazz up the house for the festival. Buy gauzy curtains with gold thread or silver thread and hang them in the living room. Let your living room shimmer with silk cushion covers with zari work or mirrorwork. Do up your dining table with a rich tablecloth and a silk runner. Have an arrangement of flowers in the center or even small tea-light holders. Wrap the bottom of the lamps or holders with pretty marigolds or jasmine or even roses.
Urlis: From massive brass urlis to quaint terracotta ones, you can get these to add another element to your traditional Diwali décor. Fill the urlis with water, throw in rose petals or marigold and light floating candles. It looks magical. A large urli in an empty corner can add so much character and beauty to a room.
Torans: These buntings are oh-so-Indian. And you get such an amazing variety, whether at handicraft shops or online. So go ahead and hang colorful torans at the entrance. You could even decorate mirrors, your rangoli and your windows with torans.
Go gold and white
If you want to be different, why not try a color scheme of gold and white. Most homes are dressed in rich colors – orange, red, green purple etc. So an understated gold and white theme will certainly stand out.
Brass urlis: Buy brass urlis in different sizes and arrange them around your house with marigolds and jasmines floating in water. Floating candles shimmering amidst the flowers will add a beautiful touch
Rangoli: Get gold colored powder and white powder and make a stunning rangoli. Light white and gold painted diyas. Add some jasmines and yellow roses and voila! your rangoli will be jaw-droppingly beautiful!
Fabric: Buy gold and white net or gauze fabric. Drape these on your curtains and your sofas. Buy enough fabric to decorate your dining table too. Cover the table in white and have a gold runner. You get beautiful gold tablemats in stores these days. Arrange them elegantly on the table too. Line up gold or white tea-candle holders.
Cushions: Today, you have such an amazing array of cushion covers. Buy gold and white silk or satin covers with mirrorwork, embroidery, zari, etc, to highlight your gold and white theme.
Flowers: Buy loads of yellow roses, marigold, jasmine etc. Arrange them in vases, drape mirrors and paintings with garlands of jasmine.
Lights: Get yellow and white string lights and drape them anywhere you can. The twinkling lights will add a charming touch to the décor.
Tea-lights: Tea-lights add so much magic to a room. In keeping with your gold and white theme, you could even use jam jars. Place tea-lights on shelves, tables, windowsills. Wrap the bottom with strings of jasmine. Why not make your own tea-light holders with gold and white glass bangles? All you need to do is buy loads og gold and white glass bangles. Glue them together, alternating white and gold bangles and you’ll have tea-light holders that are unique!
Diyas: Go for elegant gold and white diyas. If you can’t find diyas in those colors, just buy gold and white paint and brush on the colors. Paste some gold glitter or gold sequins, pearly beads, etc.
Contemporary
Okay, you don’t like all that overload of tradition. You don’t want messy diyas and lamps. You don’t like jasmine and marigold. That’s fine. Just go contemporary,
Tea-lights: Have two rows of tea-lights at the entrance to the house. They will look oh-so-lovely glowing in the night. Instead of diyas, place tea-lights all over the house in strategic locations. The glimmer and glow of the candles will certainly create a festive ambience. You could use jam jars, transparent vases, bowls, etc, to hold your tea-lights.
Pillar candles: If your house is air-conditioned, buy lots of pillar candles and group them in corners. Ideally, buy scented candles. The fragrance will usher in the festive mood.
Flowers: You don’t need to go for the traditional jasmine and marigold. Visit your florist and get bouquets of your favorite flowers. Arrange them in vases and place them around the house. You could even buy some bonsai plants or pretty indoor plants to add more elegance to the décor.
String lights: Buy them in colors to suit your interiors and drape them on windows, doors, even tables. If you have indoor plants, you can light them up with these twinkling lights for a truly enchanting sight.
Fabric and cushions: Go with what suits your décor. But think silk, satin, velvet to add richness and luster to the room. Dot your living room with cushions in jeweled tones to add color and festivity.
Budget:
Don’t have the money to go in for elaborate decorations? That’s fine. You could always do up your house on a budget. Stuff like rangolis and diyas barely cost any money. So you can light up diyas in all corners of the house and outside too. And make a stunning rangoli at the entrance.
Torans: You can always create torans with marigolds or make your own torans with any pretty leftover fabric you have. Hang these torans on doorways and windows to add a festive touch.
Fabric: Want to revamp the room for Diwali but don’t want to spend a bomb in the bargain? Well, just hang up some pretty dupattas on the windows. They will transform the room instantly. Have any old silk saris and dupattas that you don’t use? You can make cushion covers, table runners, coasters, etc, with them. Your décor will be unique and stunning.
Tea-lights: You don’t need to buy fancy tea-lights. Find empty jars and bottles in your house. Some pretty bowls. Small transparent vases. Or even glasses. Buy votive candles and go crazy! The non-scented votive candles are very reasonably priced. Make your own tea-light holders with glass bangles. You can buy different colored bangles in dozens and glue them in an array of designs for a one-of-a-kind look.
Fragrance: So you don’t have expensive scented candles. No problem. Incense sticks work just as well. Go for a pleasant and not over-powering fragrance. Light a couple of sticks in every room and let the scent waft through your home.
