Need last-minute Diwali decor ideas? We have quick hacks just for you
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Diwali is all about coming together as a family at your home, and just like you, the house needs decking up too. But if you didn’t get time to go shopping or are in the mood to do it yourself, here are some hacks to dress your home up, with the help of professionals who will lead the way.
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Flowers with a fruity twist
Archana Raniwala
If you want more from your floral decoration, go to Bloom Barn. Their floral arrangements come with an edible element—a hyperlocal seasonal produce. Conceived by 54-year-old Archana Raniwala last year, the boutique florist offers a unique combination of flowers and fruits, including berries, exotic grapes paired with lilies, sunflowers, etc. If you want to go beyond the usual, they also have interesting torans. Expect same-day delivery for Bandra, Borivli and Malad.
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PRICE: Rs 1,100 onwards
CALL: 8080218000
For your endless drinks
Khyati Ajay Hakani
In order to make your Diwali table spreads look more celebratory, mixed media and mandala artist Khyati Ajay Hakani suggests decorative coasters. She recently experimented on MDF coasters, which are available at almost all craft stores and stationery shops. “Paint the coasters with chalk paint in your preferred base colour,” says Hakani. After 10 minutes, place a transfer sheet with motifs of your choice on the coaster. “The only time-consuming bit about this process is the fussy cutting to create the pattern,” says Hakani. Seal with a coat of varnish, following which you could stick on diamond studs. “For a good finishing, give a resin coat. This makes it waterproof as well.”
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WHERE: @kkraft_world, Instagram
A floral tray for the festivities
Do you think you could make a revolving mithai tray for Diwali at home all by yourself? Well, if you follow Shweta Mahadik on Instagram, who calls herself a crazy DIY lady, you could make one, and that too, in a jiffy using household items. In one of her reels, Mahadik takes a revolving cake stand, a thali, some cylindrical jars, a baking dish and another thali on top to create a three-tier revolving mithai tray. She fixes them all together with glue, spray paints them bright red and then makes floral motifs for that extra edge. There’s a detailed video of how to do this on her YouTube channel. Watch the reel for yourself and try it at home for some last-minute serving ideas.
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WHERE: @shwetmahadik, Instagram
Skip the roses, opt for shevanti
For DIY creator Nikita Rakshe, who also goes by the moniker The Junk Drawer, everything around the house, can be utilised to hold flowers during the festive season. “Don’t use the same old vase. Use copper vessels at home, wine glasses or earthen pots to make a unique statement,” she says. But she suggests you decide the theme, and colour combination first. For example, for copper vessels use whites and dark-coloured flowers, or roses and baby’s breath. “If using earthen pots, add traditional flowers like genda or mogra. While using glass vessels, go for roses and chrysanthemum. Genda phool can also be put in longer vases, but pin them on to small bamboo skewers then,” she says. Pro tip: Choose flowers that will stay for long. Marigold, ashter, shevanti or chrysanthemum are some good options, if you want to skip the cliched roses.
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Where: @the__junkdrawer, Instagram
Blooms take over
Uurmi Bhatia has been a paper florist for five years, and has four DIY ideas. For the centre table, she suggests paper flowers combined with candles, diyas or even fairy lights. Adding flowers to a rangoli or keeping them in stands at the entrance is one way to decorate your doorway.
Uurmi Bhatia
“Paper flowers, built on wires, can be easily coiled around napkins as napkin rings,” she says. “Or place each flower with a name tag on it as place setting holders.” She recommends including paper or fresh flowers when you wrap the gift.
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WHERE: @mi_ikigai, Instagram
PRICE: Rs 2,500 onwards
CALL: 8928055236
Flowers like the stars
If you marvelled at the floral decorations at Ali Fazal and Richa Chhada’s wedding, meet educationist-turned-entrepreneur Anuja Joshi. Her company specialises in all sorts of flower arrangements that use native as well as exotic flowers. And they grow all of these (apart from non-indigenous flowers that have to be imported) in their farms in Nashik, Ooty, and other places around the country.
Anuja Joshi
They have Diwali hampers packed with candles, dry fruits and chocolates. If you want to do it yourself, Joshi suggests locally-sourced blooms paired with gold accessories to create a soft traditional look. “A combination of marigolds and lamps will help you get the classic look, and to compliment it, use soft pastels and foliage,” says Joshi.
Make your own fairyland
Dhara Patel
Dhara Patel, a DIY art YouTuber, shares a quick hack for home decor using freely available paper doilies. “Cut a lace-paper doily in half and roll it into a cone. You could also try coloured paper,” says Patel. Now put the string lights inside the cone and, glue it up to close the end. You will get beautiful floral shadows from the fairy lights on your walls.”
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WHERE: Dhara Patel, YouTube