One of my favorite e-friends, with one of my favorite homes, moved homes recently. As she set up her new home, we begin to chat about how I haven't done a kids room specific post yet (!), and I rued the fact that it has been very very hard for me to find kid's rooms inspired by India, that I also like. She jumped like a ninja saviour (in my imagination), and hinted that I just might like her daughter - Keya's room. Boy, that was an understatement of the month! I adored Keya's room so much that not only did I pester her to write a post for 'An Indian Summer' on how she did up the room, I also decided to ditch the guest bedroom when I visit Richa, and sleep in this room! That rug would also do, Keya. Thank you! :)
Handing over to Richa now:
The ‘look’ for Keya’s room came quite easily after I found the vintage blue armoire at a ‘Going-out-of-business’ sale. Not so much distressed as falling apart, it had me at the color. “It’s my will that is holding it up!” I often joke when guests look nervous around it. In my defence, I’d like to say that its slim shelves are just the right size for storing paperbacks. Plus, it had in it the added attraction for me to use blue for a girl’s room :)
It was deliberate design to surround Keya with happy colors and with things that would enrich her imagination. Take the sumptuously-designed scroll book by artist Pulak Biswas, for instance, from Tara Books (next to the window). It unfurls to a six-foot wall hanging and in its design aesthetic reflects just the sort of unconventional thinking that I hope will inspire Keya when she creates with her own hands. The other piece of art (behind the bed) is a batik by artist Heidi Lange that was gifted to me by my brother. Keya’s growing quantities of books are a source of both color and decorative inspiration as is her handmade art and other personal treasures.
When it came to furniture, I didn’t want invest in any piece that would begin to look ‘kiddish’ in a few years. The bed was bought keeping that in mind. A few other pieces of furniture that were lying around were simply re-purposed and brought into Keya’s room. Like the small wooden stool from West Africa that works as her side table. The chakki stool (it used to be our coffee table) is the perfect height to play board games on while sitting on the rug. The ladder is one of those fun extras, making the space just that bit more inspired and interesting. The green chair (from the garden section of a furniture store) delivers a punch of color. Those who have seen my home here on An Indian Summer, will know that I am not tonally restrained ;-).
Luckily, when it came to designing her sleeping space, Keya’s own aesthetic is more shabby chic than Disney! The vintage, recycled saree throws that are showing up, with their folksy hues are, I think, just the perfect thing for a girls’ bed. They mix and match so well with just about any ditsy print pillows you can find! Given that the room itself is pretty plain with no fun architectural elements, I am happy with this very individual look. There is a little bit of old mixed with some new, and the space is relaxed enough for Keya and her friends to have good times but not so over-designed that there won’t be room to accommodate her changing interests.
R, thanks and hugs once again for inviting us over to your beautiful abode! :)
Just in case you missed it, here is a tour of Richa's home.
[All images: Richa Kapoor and An Indian Summer]
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