Get Your Home Ready for Deepavali
Discover different ways to bring bling, light and colour into your home this Deepavali
It’s that time of the year for which we waited eagerly when we were kids, because it meant unlimited sweets, bright new clothes, noisy crackers (although I hated them), rows of sparkling Deepavali lights and an all-pervasive feeling of joie de vivre. I remember too, albeit with less enthusiasm, the annual spring cleaning and house-painting, in which we had to help out. As an adult, I still look forward to the festival with as much delight, but have a lot less patience to do things as elaborately as my folks did. But over the years I have managed to draw up my must-do list for Deepavali, which I am happy to share with you. They are simple hacks, some traditional, some with a twist of the modern, but all that involve lots of light, bling and colour – prerequisites for Deepavali decor.
Who needs sparklers (phuljharis) when you can have decorative lights which resemble them? Plus, they are not polluting, last long and look pretty.
I personally love the traditional multi-tiered brass lamps, which can be either suspended or stood on the floor, either indoors or outdoors. Paper lanterns are great temporary options for the outdoors – simply fold them up and put them away after the festival, until you need them next.
I personally love the traditional multi-tiered brass lamps, which can be either suspended or stood on the floor, either indoors or outdoors. Paper lanterns are great temporary options for the outdoors – simply fold them up and put them away after the festival, until you need them next.
…or diyas
No Deepavali is complete without diyas. If you are careful, you can recycle the clay ones, year after year. If you are too lazy to go the oil-burning diya way (or too much of a cleanliness freak as they can leave oil stains), use tea lights that can be placed in decorative holders. I also discovered, with much glee, small battery-operated diyas and tea lights which produce a very real-looking simulated flame – with flickering and all.
No Deepavali is complete without diyas. If you are careful, you can recycle the clay ones, year after year. If you are too lazy to go the oil-burning diya way (or too much of a cleanliness freak as they can leave oil stains), use tea lights that can be placed in decorative holders. I also discovered, with much glee, small battery-operated diyas and tea lights which produce a very real-looking simulated flame – with flickering and all.
…or a new take on fairy lights
Try popping a bunched-up string of fairy lights in a glass bell jar to light up a remote corner, or put them in a large glass bowl on the coffee table, along with some shiny baubles to catch and reflect the light, for a twinkling display.
Try popping a bunched-up string of fairy lights in a glass bell jar to light up a remote corner, or put them in a large glass bowl on the coffee table, along with some shiny baubles to catch and reflect the light, for a twinkling display.
Don’t forget the niches while illuminating your home. These cupped candle holders will ensure that the niches stay soot-free.
2. Design a stunning entrance
Create one that’s good enough to invite Lakshmi into your home. Decorate the doorway and balcony with garlands of marigold. Marigolds are a festival favourite; they are associated with fire and purity and hence considered auspicious. Moreover, they are brilliant-looking and long-lasting. Intertwine the wreaths and strands with strings of lights for added charm.
Create one that’s good enough to invite Lakshmi into your home. Decorate the doorway and balcony with garlands of marigold. Marigolds are a festival favourite; they are associated with fire and purity and hence considered auspicious. Moreover, they are brilliant-looking and long-lasting. Intertwine the wreaths and strands with strings of lights for added charm.
A toran over the doorway is another option. Torans (decorations hung over the doorway) are easy to fabricate, so involve the kids to make them feel part of the preparations for the festival. If fresh leaves are not at hand, get them to cut out leaves from green art paper – that will keep them happily busy for a few hours.
A traditional urli bowl full of colourful flowers or petals at the entrance will dial up the festive quotient a couple of notches.
3. Create an accent wall
If you are loath to repaint the entire house, concentrate on a key wall, maybe in the living room or in the foyer, to create an accent wall. Repaint it in a striking red or orange (again, traditional Deepavali colours; red represents shakti (power or energy), orange symbolises positivity) and set it off with a gold-trimmed mirror or painting.
If you are loath to repaint the entire house, concentrate on a key wall, maybe in the living room or in the foyer, to create an accent wall. Repaint it in a striking red or orange (again, traditional Deepavali colours; red represents shakti (power or energy), orange symbolises positivity) and set it off with a gold-trimmed mirror or painting.
You could also stencil a large paisley motif in a niche.
Wallpapering a small wall in a brilliant hue is a good alternative to paint. The advantage of wallpaper is that you can get a feature wall with a ready-made design of your choice, with very little hassle.
4. Switch up your cushions
Now is not the time to be understated. Unpack those bright silk furnishings, embellished with zardozi (gold and silver thread embroidery), zari (gold embroidery) and sequins, which might have to be put away for the rest of the year. I find cushions to be the easier option to change up in soft furnishings, as opposed to, say, curtains – you can have as many as you want in a rainbow of colours.
Now is not the time to be understated. Unpack those bright silk furnishings, embellished with zardozi (gold and silver thread embroidery), zari (gold embroidery) and sequins, which might have to be put away for the rest of the year. I find cushions to be the easier option to change up in soft furnishings, as opposed to, say, curtains – you can have as many as you want in a rainbow of colours.
5. Decorate the coffee table
Deepavali means a stream of guests, so ensure your coffee table is nothing short of stunning. All kinds of decorative elements can be put to use – even potpourri.
Here, a tray with scented dried fir cones (Christmas isn’t too far away) and stout candles has been placed in the centre of all the action, conveying a subtle sense of festivity.
Deepavali means a stream of guests, so ensure your coffee table is nothing short of stunning. All kinds of decorative elements can be put to use – even potpourri.
Here, a tray with scented dried fir cones (Christmas isn’t too far away) and stout candles has been placed in the centre of all the action, conveying a subtle sense of festivity.
A tray with beautiful ready-to-use glassware on your coffee table will do double duty as a decorative as well as a functional item.
Read more tips to style your coffee table
Read more tips to style your coffee table
6. Break out the bling
An easy way to add shine to your space is with a scattering of smaller items like vases, candle holders, decorative plates, and other curios dipped in the golden colour. Like the shiny cushions I mentioned earlier, stuff that might hibernate in the closet through most of the year because it’s too ‘blingy’, is just right for Deepavali. You could also set a DIY project for yourself over the weekend – paint a few key photo or art frames in gold.
An easy way to add shine to your space is with a scattering of smaller items like vases, candle holders, decorative plates, and other curios dipped in the golden colour. Like the shiny cushions I mentioned earlier, stuff that might hibernate in the closet through most of the year because it’s too ‘blingy’, is just right for Deepavali. You could also set a DIY project for yourself over the weekend – paint a few key photo or art frames in gold.
7. Don’t ignore the corners
While you are busy lighting up the whole house, do pay attention to remote corners that usually get neglected. You’d be amazed, if you just cast a glance around your home, at the number of mundane things you could profitably put to use. Add colour and light to these areas through multi-hued tassels, tinted glassware and a couple of lamps.
While you are busy lighting up the whole house, do pay attention to remote corners that usually get neglected. You’d be amazed, if you just cast a glance around your home, at the number of mundane things you could profitably put to use. Add colour and light to these areas through multi-hued tassels, tinted glassware and a couple of lamps.
8. Use your fancy crockery and cutlery
Get out the delicate crockery which sees the light of day only on special occasions for fear of chipping. Alternatively, lay the table with copper vessels – traditional and beautiful to look at and unbreakable. Copper or rose-gold cutlery is befitting for Deepavali, if your tastes run to the traditional for tableware.
Tip: Such cutlery is usually stainless steel electroplated with a layer of gold or copper alloy, so hand-wash it carefully if you wish it to retain its sheen for a long time.
Get out the delicate crockery which sees the light of day only on special occasions for fear of chipping. Alternatively, lay the table with copper vessels – traditional and beautiful to look at and unbreakable. Copper or rose-gold cutlery is befitting for Deepavali, if your tastes run to the traditional for tableware.
Tip: Such cutlery is usually stainless steel electroplated with a layer of gold or copper alloy, so hand-wash it carefully if you wish it to retain its sheen for a long time.
9. Fill your home with fragrance
Either with scented candles…
Either with scented candles…
…or with fragrant flowers.
Fragrance lifts the spirit and the mood; so, ideally I’d have it all year long, but most definitely during the Festival of Lights.
Fragrance lifts the spirit and the mood; so, ideally I’d have it all year long, but most definitely during the Festival of Lights.
10. Make beautiful rangolis
For those of us who haven’t learnt the art of making rangolis (traditional Indian art in front of the house) freehand, stencils are a heaven-sent shortcut. Choose non-toxic colours, especially if children are using it. Natural biodegradable colours such as turmeric, henna or mehendi, rice powder and organic gulaal (the vegetable-powder colours that are usually used at Holi) are now increasingly being used during Deepavali.
For those of us who haven’t learnt the art of making rangolis (traditional Indian art in front of the house) freehand, stencils are a heaven-sent shortcut. Choose non-toxic colours, especially if children are using it. Natural biodegradable colours such as turmeric, henna or mehendi, rice powder and organic gulaal (the vegetable-powder colours that are usually used at Holi) are now increasingly being used during Deepavali.
Home Diwali Decor
Alternatively, go for a floral rangoli. It’s easier to make (especially for someone who’s clumsy like me) and to clean up than powders. You can make rangolis anywhere in the house, but usually they decorate the entrance – a sign of welcome and an invitation to the goddess Lakshmi to come in with wealth, prosperity and good luck.
And, on that note, dear readers, here’s wishing you all a wonderful Deepavali in advance. May the new year bring good health, prosperity and peace to all.
TELL US
What’s your family tradition for decorating the home for any festivity? We’d love to hear from you in the Comments section.
And, on that note, dear readers, here’s wishing you all a wonderful Deepavali in advance. May the new year bring good health, prosperity and peace to all.
TELL US
What’s your family tradition for decorating the home for any festivity? We’d love to hear from you in the Comments section.
Sprinkle your outdoors with LED fairy lights – a great alternative to diyas (clay lamp) that might get blown out by the wind. I love the simplicity of this lighting scheme – strings of fairy lights hung across a patio to transform it into the prettiest spot ever. LEDs can be used indoors as well – they are the most energy-efficient lights available today, economical and have the longest lifespan.