NATURAL BEAUTY
It’s not just about bringing the outside inside. Rather being inspired by flora and fauna, while celebrating comfort and character.
Tradition meets modernity in 61-year-old Anuradha Kapoor’s social media account. It’s full of all things handcrafted, celebrating Indian design and aesthetics. Art and craft can be found in abundance here. A true celebration of an ethnic aesthetic, images of her home show her love for maximalism.
But her design story started at 54, what many would consider a late entry in the social media scene. “My children coerced me into opening an Instagram account to share the pictures of our home. The response was very encouraging and I received a lot of appreciation and praise. From there on my journey has been full of learning, absorbing new ideas and interacting with like-minded people. The journey continues with new experiences, learnings and a whole lot of fun,” says Kapoor. In 2015 Kapoor started her handle and today has over 63,000 loyal followers.
What resonates with her many followers is that she manages to make the home look beautiful without draining her finances. “Coming from a generation where being thrifty was a way of life, I firmly believe that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to give a new look to your home. You can use shawls, duppattas and sarees to drape over your sofas and chairs. Stoles and scarves can become table runners,” she says, adding, “Embroidery hoops can be given a new look
by cutting out fabrics from your old clothes or sarees and changing then regularly. Beer bottles can be stacked with chunky bangles to make impromptu vases. Make simple paper cut-outs with colourful paper and laminate them to use them as table mats.”
“I am all for sustainable, organic and natural materials,” she says. So her favourite brands are Good Earth, Fabindia, Purple Turtles and Urban Ladder. “I also love to buy from indigenous local brands which have fabulous handicrafts and handlooms,” adds Kapoor.
Rukmini Ray Kadam, better known as Trumatter to her over 29,000 followers on Instagram loves to dish out simple home and living ideas, a sentiment that is also echoed on her blog. Interestingly, for the longest time Kadam was not active on any social media platform. “I started the blog in 2010 to document little projects that I did around the house that I rented with a flatmate. Chiefly because I missed home and more importantly the feeling of home terribly,” says Kadam. It wasn’t until 2014 that she opened her Instagram account.“Coincidentally, that was also the year I won my first blog awards,” she says.
Kadam believes that in terms of Insta-popularity, she does not have a large following. “But it gives me solace that I know most of my followers. I see their comments and we get chatty. Lately I see a lot of them doing great things in home decor, I guess we are all growing together. And this connect is probably what saw my following shoot up,” she explains.
What makes her stand out is that she truly loves what she
does. “Doing little things in decor for that maximum impact, documenting it and keeping at it. What people told me they find particularly nice in my content is the simplicity of it all. I have been told that they get a sense of achievable decor from my work and that’s fabulous,” she says. Kadam also prides over what she writes and the connect it has with her audience. So, what are her style tips? “I say this often but don’t buy something for your home just because that thing looks pretty. Think function and most importantly the vibe of your home. Also, don’t be frazzled by trends. If maroon is your colour and the trend is far from it, by all means add maroon to your decor. Weave things around to make it trendy,” she says. Not surprisingly, Kadam loves different things from different brands and finds it impossible to pick favourites. “I am through and through pottery barn fan. I enjoy old school, 90’s knotty wood and soft brown fabric. I also love this brand called Pappa Sven. It’s a Nordic lifestyle brand and does beautiful home and lifestyle things,” she says. She also loves a vintage French shop by Dreamy White Lifestyle. “Maria curates furniture and decor from France and it’s one of my favourite decor shops in the world,” she says. When it comes to Indian brands, she loves Saphed’s gorgeous linens, BeVintage Decor’s refurbished and new, old school statement furniture and Script by Godrej’s cushions and throws. Kadam’s aesthetic is that right mix of contemporary design and Indian ethos, making her very popular online.