Home Tour: Suncatchers and all things vintage

October 13, 2011

Home Tour: Suncatchers and all things vintage

Kodai - a quiet little town on a green hill. It maintains the old British aura, rows of old bungalows and catholic schools surrounding the serene Kodai lake and the scenic hill sides.

The town is simple and not as commercial and touristy as other hill stations. Most of the old villas owned and managed by the church are preserved in their original architecture. Kodai has everything - green hills, cool breeze, a calm lake and delicious home made chocolates... You can just walk around the city exploring it because at each step lies a wonderful treasure of Vintage villas.

While wandering the streets of Kodai, I was attracted to this window. It looked so out of a fairy tale book with its perfect glass rectangle shape, black border, peeping curtain and hazy images. Never had I felt a house so inviting.

I have never ever walked to a stranger and asked them if I can see their lovely house. Especially in a country like India where it is considered very suspicious. But I just could not stop myself when I saw the lady of the house working on her plants in front of her house. I walked up to her with my request and she graciously invited me and my husband inside.

And guys what I am going to show are the glimpses of that gorgeous house standing next to a breathtaking hill. We were amazed to find that this was third oldest house in Kodai - probably built over 100+ years.

a lovely view of the garden next to the laundry and kitchen.. the lady living here is planning to convert this area into a breakfast area with a small wooden table and two chairs in place of the washing machine. I can't even imagine how tastier the eggs & bread would become if I had them here!!

But her current dining area is no less - old wooden table and the mix of chairs, a bench in the corner with back to a window, faded white cotton table cover and cushions. I can't imagine how much hard work it would take me to create this which the lady living here has created so effortlessly...

I can totally imagine myself sitting on this bench with a view of the hills... reading a book and sipping a hot mug of tea to warm me in the chilly evenings of Kodai..

Gorgeous Table coasters - made by the grandfather of the lady who lives here... This is a true family heirloom...

And this simple fireplace just completes the look... So if its too cold to enjoy an outside view you can glow in the warmth of this fireplace...

This is the living room.. its messy but there is beauty in this mess too. She was away on a holiday and had returned the same day and was in the process of settling the house... when we came along uninvited barging into her house and space... The stairs going up are so classy reminding me of the attics in the old English houses... But these stairs led to her bedroom which was so classy but I did not take a picture of it because it was a sacred place where she did her worship and meditation. It had sparkling-starched white sheets and windows on the walls were painted blue. The window on the roof let in the sun during the day and moon and stars peeked inside at night. The combination of white and blue brought such serenity and peace to the room..

Her wardrobe.. Can you imagine full room devoted to dressing! I think all girls would love this! A specific corner for everything - from shoes to clothes to bags... So a gorgeous house with a full wardrobe.. life is just perfect...

I love the way things are spilling over.. it looks so lived in.. like a gang of girls just got dressed and rushed for the party.. leaving this room with signs of their presence and echoes of all the fun they had while getting dressed...

The dressing table especially is an art piece in itself.. Simple mirror and lots of junk jewellery.. placed and hung all over... They are more of decor pieces than something to wear...

Now this wall is a treasure - where she has framed the old posters or pictures collected over time or inherited.. the small one on the left is actually a chocolate wrapper over 60 years old...

She totally is an artist, a collector and a treasurer...

Now how can you have a home and that too a heritage one without the classy B&W pictures to adore the walls and add to the class... This is a beautiful Fab India frame which fits perfectly in the decor as if it was always there...

Finally I have found the secret of hazy images inviting me from the window.. These are the SUNCATCHERS.. Not many people are aware of them and even I wasn't - till I saw them here.. They are lovely pieces to adore the windows reflecting beautiful colors of sunlight.. making your home bright and colorful...

She had a lovely collection inheriting it from her mother and her own buys over the years.. They were all over the windows of the kitchen and the laundry... shapes of Holy Cross, fruits, lighthouse, angels..

I think the concept is similar to the Glass paintings decorating the Churches all over the world enlightening and mesmerising one as the light of GOD.