The Jew Street,Fort kochi

Visiting Kerala every year during the summer vacations and Cochin being my maternal house, we keep travelling to many places in and out of Cochin. Rekindling childhood memories of Fort Kochi, we started out on a tour to the streets of Fort Kochi.

The spice markets on one side, antique stores on the other and the synagogue in its pride and glory, brightly painted walls and houses are all things which fetches Fort Kochi its name. It is one of the oldest Jewish settlements, when the jewish traders came to Cochin in 700 BC. Now there is only a single Jewish family here in this street.

Overflowing spice boxes,when we reached there,they were just starting to spread out their wares.

Antique shops lining the streets,their display is a sightClock tower and the synagogue at the end of the lanes.Star of the David can be seen on the gate opp the synagogue door, as in Israel's Flag along with candelabras.

what a name for a book shop.,"Incy Bella"

Embroidery units

Sarah embroidery is by "Sarah auntie", a jew whose family has been in kochi for years. The sign in Hebrew says "Shalom"

The lane going to the synagogue were painted in stark colors,green,blue,brown,yellow

Even we had our quiet time in Jew street, going through the various shops and their antiiques and I did find some things for our house too..

Pick 'em up.... Pickle Jars

Pickle jars

I love Pickle jars,the traditional ceramic one,which is brown and cream in color,the typical South indian Pickle jars.

At home down south there are different types of ceramic pickle jars,small and big where my Mom stores pickles,curd,salt and so many items.It is truly versatile, meant for multipurpose use...Even I have some pickle jars which i brought here from my home town and some bought here in Delhi,which is used also for storing pickles and curd and at the same time used as an decor item in various corners at my home.

Why not be a little creative by using them as decorative pieces?The jars makes a lovely vase for some fresh gerberas,a single Hibiscus to float, for a bunch of roses ,grow your favourite money plants or use them as planters..

Hibiscus floating

Gerberas on the window parapet

Gerberas near the window

Bunch of roses overlooking the garden path

On the kitchen window sill

In the kitchen,near the sink

To store the knick knacks,on the book shelf

On the table with the water jug

On the reading table

As a planter

Images and Ideas conceived by Lakshmi Arvind

All Images by Lakshmi Arvind

Pl.dont copy any images ,All images are copyrighted.If required do drop a mail..

Daybeds and Cushions in Living rooms

A daybed is the ultimate indulgence, but it also remains a versatile piece for resolving design dilemmas..

In fact, daybeds can be traced back to ancient Greece, Rome, and China and have endured in numerous forms throughout the ages. Whether iron, wooden, upholstered, wicker, foam, canopied, or backless, this hybrid functions in many ways -- even as a spot for serious slumbering when the moon's aglow.As seating, the daybserves as a settee or little sofa. 

In a small room, it can replace a sofa entirely, freeing up additional floor space. If the room is large, a daybed can anchor a secondary seating group that complements th

e main pieces. "With a couple of chairs, it can create an auxiliary space in the living area, tying the space down but providing another visual accent,"Although expansive living spaces might lend themselves nicely to a freestanding daybed, backless pieces are best resting against a wall and adorned with cushy pillows

Given below are some images from magazines and some from our home..

Daybed and cushions at our home,changing its colors during seasons.Season transitions do affect them too,according to our moods..how lovely isnt it?

During summers,bright colors add to the summer cheer at home
During monsoons,the mood changes into pastel greens and blue

A dash of pink and white in the winter

Hope the day bed post relaxes all of you and brings you all into the world of decor inspirations...

Image courtesy:Elle decor,Better interiors,Flickr,apartment therapy,Lakshmi Arvind