Earlier this year we got a call regarding work on an apartment at DLF Magnolias in Gurgaon, but, with a twist. The clients weren’t looking to get their entire apartment re-done, instead they wanted a very serious refresh ahead of an all-important party at their home. The idea of re-working the interiors all together wasn’t entirely off the table, they just didn’t have enough time ahead of the do. Based out of Uttar Pradesh, they were hosting a large gathering at their Magnolias apartment which serves as a second home whenever they’re in Delhi.
The brief, quite frankly, was a dream: full creative freedom and a comfortable budget. The trouble was that there was only that much we could do considering the place was fully furnished. From curtains to carpets, sofas to armchairs, dining table to sideboards, it was all there already. Add to that we had exactly four days to source, shop, set-up and surprise. If that wasn’t enough my sister and I were caught up in another project at the time, so, it all came down to our Gurgaon-based mum Archana to work her magic.
Here’s an aside on Mum that explains why this project was right up her alley though, and probably why she didn’t bat an eyelid while executing the brief. Married in her early twenties to our dad, who was already an officer in the Army, she spent the next fourty-odd years moving from town to town on transfers, almost always on short notice. It wasn’t unusual for us to move out of a huge British-era bungalow in the cantonment of a small garrison town to a tiny two-bedroom set-up in bustling Delhi. As a result she developed a very keen skill needed for home improvement; adjustment.
So, with most of the things we’d usually buy or have made for a project already well ensconced in the apartment, mum worked on the accents. The little things that make big changes (blog post title make sense now?)
She started with a change of the seating arrangement from an almost regimented division of space into a more open plan. With it came an almost immediate sense of the warmth and comfort of a home lived in and not just occupied. The new seating plan also made more sense for an entertainment space meant for conversations and joviality.
Up next, she got the upholstery re-done on the back cushions of the sofas, in came new cushions, lush green palms, candle votives, candles themselves, decorative jars, decorative lights and potpourri in delicate bowls, lanterns, lamps, coffee table books that were hiding elsewhere in the apartment and much more. Our clients loved the outcome and we were obviously thrilled with out mother’s attention to detail and the smashing success she pulled off with next to no assistance from us.
But before we go, here’s why we really wanted to get the ball rolling on our blog with this post. It’s up not just because we wanted to take you through the journey of one of our recent projects but also to highlight how simple bringing about change can be.
Sometimes you’re looking for a much-needed revamp for your space but just can’t get down to hiring someone to help you make it happen. You could be in college and short on funds, living on your own and short on time, or one member of a huge joint family that doesn’t really see the need to get things changed around in the house. All you’ve got to do is change a few little things to give your space a new look.
Here are a few tips:
1. Move the furniture around, see if the bed works better on another wall or if you can move the dresser elsewhere.
2. Bring in some colour; change the paint on one wall/add a carpet or dhurrie/add a mirror or two to a blank wall/bring some plants in.
3. Change the curtains/blinds! Don’t trash the old ones, just put them away for a while, when you’re bored of the new ones bring the old ones back out.
4. Do the same as point three with bedspreads and cushions, get a few sets and keep changing them around or mix and match for a new vibe.
5. Throw in a new lamp and some fairy lights for a little change in scene.
6. Take photos of the new look and tag us on Instagram @little.big.co and make our day 😀
Bye bye for now!
The Little Big Company 