IKEA Inspired

Hi

We know many of are well aware of world's largest furniture retail IKEA. Its well known fact that IKEA has zillions of fans across the world. The simple and smart engineering is the key to IKEA's success. No item I have seen in this brand is complicated, heavy or silly. And assembling pieces using their manuals can be great fun. Shopping experience in IKEA itself is wonderful. We loved the store and often made visits just to bring back more and more stuff. While we moved back to India from London, we brought in some of our favourite IKEA collection with us. We always missed IKEA but on hearing the news that it will  soon be launched in India, we are so excited.

Today we wanted to introduce some beautiful homes which have been totally furnished with IKEA stuff. We are sure you will be amazed to the aesthetics that these range of furniture and furnishings bring in.

The Bedroom and cabinet shelf and the lamps(floor mount & hanging) and the chairs etc., are from IKEA. The hanging lamps from IKEA are our personal favourite and we own one too. 

This space is one room which has all, living, dining, bedding, cooking and working areas in one. IKEA's range of white colour cabinetry and furniture brought in brightness and so much space to this one room home.

Kids room are no exception. The baskets, wall frames, wall prints, window drapes are all in their range including the cute little stuffed toys. We kinda always loved that cute stuffed toys they offers for just 1-2£. 

The red stool, long mirror, the wall paper, and the orange throw shall all come for minimal price yet look very designer type.

The picture speaks it all as you see the modular kitchen including the utensils and accessories and the dining table altogether are part of their range. The red and white combo of modular kitchens is a hit in UK market. 

The whole setup you see here is one type of classy modern kitchen stuff. The utensils, we should say are one of its kind, with very fine quality and unique look.

This kitchen is another example of white modular kitchens famous in European countries. In India with the humid and tropical climate, its quite a task to maintain the whiteness but there are good choice of colours too.

The sofa and frames go very well with each other including the bolster cushions. 

Another outdoor dining table with unique design and very simple in look.

The play of colours here briefs you what kinda colour range and prints can they offer.

This post might seem like an IKEA commercial blog ad, we just wanted to share our lovely obsession. In fact, the ads are also very unique too. If you want to taste some Swedish food, do visit the store. Hope you all have got a feel for this wonderful brand. Concluding, we want to add one more vital point why this brand is such a big hit, that its price range is very affordable and quite tempting. 

Keep Visiting

J & R

Tuesday Tour: Surya Samudra Resorts, Kerala

Hi

This Tuesday we have chosen a beautiful place in God's own country, Kerala. We have chosen Surya Samudra Resorts in Kovalam, Kerala which was designed by Swiss architect Karl Damschen. 

The ethnicity of this place will definitely surprise us as the architecture seems very traditional and rooted but not done by a localite. A foreigner who adopted and appreciated our architectural styles had put his efforts to turn this into a magical land. 

Karl Damschen is a famous restoration architect based in Kochi. He had worked on several hotels and resorts, one of such is Surya Samudra beach resort. Karl in words said that he was dismayed to see Kerala's traditional architecture using wood as prime element being replaced with concrete. Hence he started taking up restoration architecture retaining the traditional tharavadus. 

This is the inside courtyard with water ponds and dim lighting ( reducing the light pollution that many hotels generally attempt) The huts give the very natural country side look to the place while the terracota tiles for the roof brings the ethnicity out.

This place doesn't seem like a resort, it gives a very warm home feel that lot of resorts lack. Kerala famous for this kind of homes with the coconut trees around is a refreshing vacation land for sure.

We personally love this overview of the beach from the bedroom. We think the lighting chosen makes a huge difference for this kinda place.

The inside courtyard attached to open bath with the banyan tree, a deity's statue which we often find underneath in many countryside places. The pillars of the courtyard are made of stone just as we get to see in our old temples. The small elements are the key reason why we think this place is one of its kind.

One of the major reasons lot of us visit Kerala is to get a best spa treatment, ayurvedic massages. This place with the stone clad walls and beautifully lit candles around is a place that one waits to get soaked into. The window grill chosen for this place is worth mentioning as these type of windows are almost extinct in modern architecture. 

Canopy beds for the bedrooms with wooden heard boards takes us back to the historic eras. The wooden flooring is an added asset for the beauty of this bedroom.

  The pool overlooks the beach, seems like an infiniti pool...doesn't it???

 The evening view of the place, isn't it very serene?

The central courtyard stages the bronze nandi statue in the wooden truss frame supporting the roof, one of famous ancient architecture styles adopted here. And with the sunken base in the central area called as Manduva, could be an inspiration for this courtyard. 

We hope this tour had inspired to pack your bags n rush to Kerala to enjoy the stay. We were definitely inspired by the eco-friendliness and blend of traditional elements with modern technicalities of this resort. And salutes to the ace architect Karl Damschen for doing this marvel!!!

Cheers

J & R

TUESDAY TOUR

Hi

Everyday Tuesday, we would like to feature a design that inspired us or introduce an architect/designer through our page. We will pen down our opinion/analysis on the design. 

This Tuesday, we are beginning with Architect Arvind Dsouza's Design for a Goa Residence. 

The pool view of the residence. To us its gives a glimpse of Malabar appeal rather than a Goan look

 

The Verandah which is very typical ethnic India style with lot of space and ventilation.

The Living space with the eco-friendly furniture and the blend of colours of the materials and art works seems to be perfectly in sync.

The favourite space - we think this is one of the best designed simple yet beautiful spaces in the entire residence. 

While we appreciate the entire design, we find the flaw here, as we don't the staircase space was well utilized. Especially the wood partition looks out of place.

The Bedrooms were worked out very well with the choice of simple elements.

The minimalistic approach for the bedrooms make them look more ventilating.

Overlooking the garden & pool from the bedroom is very relaxing and refreshing for a tired soul.

This is one of the kind residence which is very close to that of a perfect India ethnic home where there is ample of ventilation, relaxing space and eco-friendliness. 

Mr.Dsouza definitely did a great job.

Hope you enjoyed this Tuesday's Tour.

Cheers

J & R