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Sumana Purkayastha - Designer & Stylist

@idreamofemptyspaces

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Design | Decor | Styling Solutions for Residential Properties. Creating Easy, Stylish, Personal spaces.
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Life is stranger than fiction.

So, it goes like this. In the spring of 2014 I had finally made up my mind to switch careers from being an Advertising Creative to an Interior Designer. I was pursuing a Diploma in Interior Design from an architectural firm based out of South Bombay. It was a part time correspondence course, which gave me the time and space to also recover from a rather poor health condition that had turned chronic at that time. I was half way through the course, when one day I received a call from a long lost friend who had just moved to the city from his hometown. Over the course of the week, we met and caught up with our respective lives. It turned out that he had just purchased a new Apartment and was looking for an Interior Designer and wanted to know if I could recommend anyone. My eyes lit up, and I told him yes, you’re looking at one😁

He was a bit amused at first but when I explained that I was serious and happened to be right in the middle of my course, he agreed to work with me! Both he and his wife were entrepreneurs with busy schedules, so it made sense to work with someone they knew and could trust. But I have to say, it was very brave of them to make that choice.

They were discerning clients. While my friend was sober and understated, his wife was bold and fond of vibrant colours. Their teenage son had a very definitive say too. He was very particular that the space should not be “too cluttered”. His grandmother who was the fourth member of this family wanted a “homely space” They are a Punjabi family from Kochi.

It was a 3BHK of 3000 Sq.Ft. I started with the L-shaped living/dining area of about 1000 Sq. Ft. I had an open budget but obviously within reason. I took this as a challenge to create a premium looking space with minimum expenditure. I shall take you through what that journey was like in the subsequent post.

Oh, btw a very strict part of the brief was “absolutely no plants”. People were busy and therefore no one had the time to tend to other life forms 🫣. I can see so many of you wincing….Yeah, sometimes life can be harsh like that 😊

#homeinterior #interiorstyling #interiorinspo #interiordesigninspo #explore by @idreamofemptyspaces

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3 years ago

Co-creating a Contemporary Eclectic Space

The project began with conflict! My friend had some very unsavoury views on wall papers from past experience and preferred to settle on a safe whiteish wall paint. It took us almost two whole weeks of back and forth on the subject, with me on mission mode to bring him on the side of wall papering 😁 I could write a thesis on the subject but suffices here to say that in the end I was able to convince him to go with this combination of plain Sage and brocade pattern. However, when it came to seating, he won that round : No upholstered sofa sets/ couches. Wooden furniture was the choice with fitted cushions. I ensured pops of soft colours and patterns appeared here against the more subdued wall colours. His sober palette had to be balanced out by the more ambitious colour preferences of the other family members.

This prominent industrial style chest of drawers you see in the first two frames. Made of various tinted coloured wood and black metal was also an attempt at adding some cheer to the space. It also happens to have a great storage facility and is a conversation starter to boot, don’t you think? Next to it you’ll see another smaller unit of the same style in black metal and lighter wood finish. Both also worked in adding some Yang to the Yin of the pastel Wall paper pattern, upholstery and furnishings.

In the next post I shall take you through the artwork and wall decor stories. And all about the Bar unit which is not a Bar unit… go figure that one! Because that was the brief!!
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#homeinteriors #beautifulhomesindia #apartmenttherapy #goodhomesmagazine #eclectichome #stylishhomes #interiorinspo #homeinspo #interiorstyling #explorepage #exploretocreate #realhomes #mumbaihomes #interiordesigners #interiorinspiration #homedecor #designerhomes #pinteresthome #pinterestindia by @idreamofemptyspaces

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3 years ago

The little things…

Home is where the heart is. Or at least that’s the hope… perhaps even the dream? So, no matter how your day goes when you finally step into your space you’d like to experience relief, relaxation and most of all that feeling of “being at home”. The question is how does one create such an environment? It is this particular question that I was attempting to answer when I was working on this space.

It’s always the little things. That particular shade of wallpaper, the size of the pattern on it, the choice and the exact placement of the furniture. The warmth and texture of the soft furnishings. Adequate empty space in the room for the free flow of Prana etc.etc. After balancing pleasing aesthetics with thoughtful functionality we can have a beautiful, warm home but we still need to bump into parts of ourselves at the various nooks and crannies to experience familiarity and belonging🤗

And that means for me as a Designer, spending time with my clients, chatting with them, discovering their interests, likes and dislikes, and especially reading between the lines😊Yeah, a peak at who they really are. After all, that home should bear their DNA, right?

So, that is how this framed Wildebeest above the sideboard was born from accidentally discovering my friend’s avid interest in Wildlife Safaris. The two Mario Mirandas above the sofa were picked up by him from an exhibition that I persuaded him to visit in South Mumbai😁Long forgotten family photos from ancient looking albums were recovered, scanned and touched up digitally. They adorn the walls of the dining area and the top of the chest of drawers. My suggestion of retro style light fixtures was another idea that appealed to my friend a lot. It added a vintage touch to the overall contemporary aesthetic.

Btw, that wooden sideboard in the first frame is designed by yours truly and built by a furniture store in Juhu. It’s meant to double up for display purposes on the outside and store all the Bar accessories including the glasses and the magic potions inside. Yeah, that bar unit that isn’t a bar unit 🤔

#homeinterior #interiorstyling #explorepage #beautifulhomesindia #apartmenttherapy #pinterest by @idreamofemptyspaces

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3 years ago

An ode to the purple orchid

A chaotic bunch of purple prettiness arrived at my doorstep the other day. And brought with it a hit of inspiration for a new colour palette for the season.

A symphony of happy yellows, muted greys and the usual dose of ebony and ivory came together rather nicely with shades of sage and mint, berry pink and indigo, rust and teal, not to forget the final finishing touches of mercury and gold !!

Do swipe to see what I mean, especially in the last frame 🙌

It made me realise that if we’re really present and available to the moments in our lives, big or small, magic can happen. Just like that. That maybe happiness is not a mirage, after all. There’s really nothing to chase. It’s just you and your absolute submission to the Here and Now.

You must be rolling your eyes and thinking, oh boy those Orchids sure did a number on her😂

They Did. And it was beautiful 🤗🤗

Hope you enjoy the frames as much as I did creating them😊

Happy Weekend 🫶

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#momentslikethese❤️ #slowliving #homestyling #interiordecor #monsoondiaries #goodhousekeeping #exploretocreate #myhomevibe #interiordesign #homesweethome #pinterest #apartmenttherapy #orchidlovers #decorideas #homeinterior #dailydecordose #decorwithoutborders #decorinspo
#teatimevibes #cozyhomestyle #hyggehome #hyggeliving taken in Bangalore, India by @idreamofemptyspaces

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2 years ago

The July Blooms in B&W and colour. Much like my mood these days😊

Do you have a preference? Would love to know!
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#hellojuly #julyblooms #flowerstagram #cornersofmyhome #flowers #flowerpower #stilllife #raw_homestyle #homedecor #goodhousekeeping #homeinterior #interiorstyling #myhomevibe #explorpage #stilllifewithflowers #flowermagic #decorideas taken in Bangalore, India by @idreamofemptyspaces

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2 years ago

The many moods of June through the various curated cuppa sessions, amidst the on again and off again Showers and the winking Sunlight.

Hmm.., Ok, onto July next folks!!!

#coffeegram #tealove #cuppatime #moodygrams #chaicoffee #hygeelife #slowliving #explorepage #cupsofinstagram #creative_cups #vignette #goodhomes #pinterest #creative_homestyles #raw_homestyle #monsoondiaries taken in Bangalore, India by @idreamofemptyspaces

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2 years ago

A lazy Sunday afternoon in June..
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#reels #sundayvibes #reelsinstagram #momentslikethese #lazysunday #slowliving #hyggemoment #explorereels #interiores #pintetest #apartmenttherapy #decoraciondeinteriores #sundayafternoons #goodhomes #decorwithoutborders #pinterest #apartmenttherapy taken in Bangalore, India by @idreamofemptyspaces

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2 years ago

A case of moody blues? Come, let’s style ‘em away 🤷‍♀️
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#moodyblues #reelit #interiorismo #decorhome #decorwithoutborders #indigo #reelsvideo #interiordecor #myhometrend #decorinspo #ａｅｓｔｈｅｔｉｃ #reelsviral #pinterest #homedecor #decorideas #dailydecordose #reelitfeelit #explortocreate #interiordesigner #mondaymotivation taken in Bangalore, India by @idreamofemptyspaces

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2 years ago

You can never go wrong with flowers and candles, right?

In fact, it can be the perfect antidote to the gloomy, grey weather outside.

Hope this cheers you up midweek.
Happy Wednesday folks🪻🪻
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#monsoonmagic #momentslikethese #interiordesign #homedecor #interiorstyling #goodhomes #pinterest #apartmenttherapy #explorepage #flowersandcandles #myhomevibe #happyhumpdayyall #homeinterior #decortherapy #dopaminedecor #interiordesigners taken in Bangalore, India by @idreamofemptyspaces

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2 years ago

Winding down …
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#goodhomes #myhometoinspire #interiordesign #homeinterior4you #interiorstyling #beautifulhomesindia #mycurrenthomeview #goodhousekeepingmagazine #apartmenttherapy #pinterest by @idreamofemptyspaces

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2 years ago

Hello June!

After some insanely high temperatures this summer, lo and behold , the rain gods have now decided to take pity on us poor sods. Hence, the thunderously heavy rainfall over the weekend😳

Well, now you can forget about the thandais and butter milk and promptly switch over to piping hot cups of masala chai and filter coffee😂

Kindly adjust asap folks. 2024 is clearly here to keep us on our toes. And while you’re at it, just try and make sure you embrace these unpredictable transitions with as much grace and a sense of humour as you’re able to muster 😬 I’m certainly trying my best here🙄

On that note, let’s gently slip into the monsoon evenings now. Well, after the busyness of the day, a hot cup of your favourite brew can indeed be the perfect way to unwind, na?

So, here’s to endless cuppa sessions this June☕️
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#hellojune #monsoonvibes #rainymood #myhomethismonth #chailovers #monsoondiaries #teaandflowers #cosyhome #goodhomes #flatlaystyle #flatlayphotography #rainyevening #explore #moodygrams #moodyvibes #candlesandflowers by @idreamofemptyspaces

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2 years ago

Warm summer evenings at home. Easy and undemanding. In a way, that kind of sums up this month for me. And with these two frames from my last reel it looks like a wrap for the month of May 2024.

Have a great weekend everyone 🤗🤗
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#intetiorstyling #homedecor #myhomevibe #apartmenttherapy #pinterest #goodhomes #weekendmood #eveningslikethese #consolestyling #interiordecor #explorepages #interiordesign #homesweethome #goodhousekeepingmagazine #exploretocreate #decorinspo #moodoftheday #mycurrenthomeview taken in Bangalore, India by @idreamofemptyspaces

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2 years ago