Stylish Spaces

The unfortunate circumstance of Robin William's death last week has shocked many, those who thought they knew him in person as well as those who knew him on the screen. It has also thrown into limelight the terrible affliction - depression and those who think they carry the burden of their troubles alone and have no one to turn to. I must confess, one of Robin's quote that did the rounds on facebook not that long ago sent a chill down my spine the first time I read it. It was so hauntingly true and those who have felt like that at times in their lives can empathise how terrible some people can make you feel. It was ... " I used to think the worst thing in life was to end up alone. It's not. The worst thing is to end up with people who make you feel alone."Robin Williams  I can't speak for anyone else, but I have felt that way at certain times in my life, among family, among friends, among colleagues - as if I don't quite belong, as if I am the odd o...

I must say I had never been a huge fan of Brad Pitt the actor - albeit he has been named the sexiest man on a number of reputable publications and has many hit movies under his belt and is engaged to the most beautiful women in the world - until... a couple of years ago when his designs came to public eye under the flagship name of Pitt-Pollaro - furniture designed by Brad Pitt and manufactured by the reputable furniture establishment of Frank Pollaro. Now that really got my attention and I thought-  wow, this guy is more than a pretty face, he is genuinely talented, he has an eye for style and form and function, the three ingredients necessary for any successful furniture design and his artistic aesthetics are interesting to say the least. Fours years of collaboration between Pitt and Pollaro have resulted in a few but pretty interesting pieces - all carefully manufactured and numbered by Pollaro establishment and signed by Mr Pitt - but that's what kind-of bugs me as...

Grace is my all time favourite attribute in people and one I wholeheartedly strive for every day of my life - but there are days when I get frustrated by the nervous, narrow and neurotic minds I come across and the abruptness with which they pounce on people, thinking and imaging the worst in every situation. Very few people know how to be truly graceful in their lives and dealings with people and situations these days-  it's easy to be benevolent and graceful when things are going your way but the true test of character is when things don't go your way- most end up accosting others without thinking rationally and blowing everything way out of proportion - making things worse than they actually need to be. And it's really hard to react with grace when you are at the receiving end of someone's neurotic thoughts and ramblings. I know, because I was at the receiving end of one such encounter yesterday at work... But that's exactly what you need to do - be graceful...

Arches in buildings and designs over the years have been attributed with a broad spectrum of adjectives ranging from majestic, towering, magnificent to cosily vaulted and warmly niched, just to name a few. Historically, arches have also been associated with triumph and sorrow, holy buildings and royal seats - they truly are a cultural and architectural triumph (apparently dating as far back as the Mesopotamian period)- I think primarily, because of the delicate structural balance of compression forces vying with each other to hold them upright but even more so because they are infinitely pleasing to the eye. For me personally, arches epitomise the charm of a place - whether they are eighty feet tall or eight feet low vaulted ceilings, in old buildings in Rome or new ones in Dubai - they give the place a definite character that would be sorely lacking without. There is something infinitely secure and serene about their soaring sinuous curves that defy gravity and raises the human e...

I can't get enough of his music - and I know what to reach for and listen to every time I am stressed, or tired or down trodden, or just want to get away from everyday chores and transend to a beautiful, wonderful place - and yes,  I have used the word " transend" because that exactly what Ludovico's music does, it speaks to your soul and carries it away on a beautiful melodious journey of highs and lows and sheer, utter bliss. There is something so pure, so true, so touching about the unspoken words and feelings his music conveys to your soul-  you can't help but be affected by it. Ludovico is a composer par genius - he has taken traditional orchestra and shaken it up a bit -  bringing in musical influences and instruments from around the world and blending them all harmoniously together to create amazing pieces that are a treat to listen to. He is also an amazing pianist, with dexterous fingers that sometimes hover over and sometimes linger on keys for just t...

Summers has one of two effects on people - they either reach for their whites and pastels in cool shades of aqua and green, trying to recapture the feel of cool summer breezes or they go all out and don their brightest, sunniest and loudest colours paying homage to the brightness all around.  Whichever one you choose to be - and I myself have oscillated between one and the other over the years - the pull of summer and it's affect on you is undeniable. The sultry heat, the welcome shade of verandah and trees, the pleasant, relatively cooler evenings all serve to bring out the best and the fun in you. You are suddenly reaching for tall cool lemonades, serving fresh exotic salads and having lazy summer Bar-be-ques with near and dear ones. Some of my best memories are built around these times - sharing laughter and stories late into the warm nights. Summer is the time when I am most tempted to revamp my home as well - small changes here and there that make a world of difference - ...

We all love a good moan - unloading our daily little misfortunes on our near and dear ones, things that went horribly wrong at work, traffic jams on the way or back, someone who let us down again, last minute, when we were so trusting and relying on their support - and that niggling pain in the back or neck or leg that we can't seem to shake off no matter what - and then there are the things that could go wrong (but haven't yet) and we can feel it in our bones the doom headed our way, like that dark thunderous cloud far off in the sky, that is surely going to pour down the minute we step outside our home. And all these tales of woes are not because we are jobless, or out on the street, or living in a poverty stricken shanty town, with no warmth in winter and no luxuries to speak of, no, these tales of woes are exchanged in comfortable homes, over sumptuous dinner tables and in front of warm fireplaces. Life to us has become one damn thing after another, to bitch and moan abo...