Home is where the love is

A candle-light dinner at a fancy restaurant may be a good idea. But if are looking for personalised ways to make our loved one feel special this Valentine’s Day, Sarah Thomas suggests you get started with adding some romantic touches to your abode

When it comes to gifting a loved one on  Valentine’s Day, some would go down the extravagant path while some prefer the subdued, low-key celebrations. No matter how you celebrate the day, its always the little things that make a huge difference.

“I’m not a big fan of parties and candle-light dinners. I believe in spending quality time with my partner in the comfort of my home. However, to add a bit of sparkle, I decorate the rooms. Valentine’s is always a reason for some good interior work,” elucidates Mahesh K, a business analyst.

If you are someone who can identify with Mahesh’s views or perhaps, just curious and want to know how this can work, don’t look very far — just take a good look around your home. Ordinary, everyday items lying around at home can be turned into something extraordinary and unique.

“You would be surprised how something as common as a pot or a vase can change the entire vibe and look of the house. All you need to do is spare some time for thinking and creative ideas will begin to flow,” says Merlyn Thomas, an artist and interior designer.

To help kickstart your creativity and put your mind to work, here are a few DIY ideas that are not only easy on the pocket, but also novel:

Valentine’s wreath

One of the newest trends to watch out for is the Valentine’s wreath, immensely popular among the youngsters. “Many women, even those who are single, buy Valentine wreaths because they make for beautiful art elements in the house. You do not have to purchase a heart-shaped wreath, it could just be red and white or something that suggests your love,” says Merlyn.

Beyond red

Love need not be red and you don’t have to stick to red balloons and rose petals. It’s about doing something special that would make the house convey your emotions. To add a bit of glamour and spark, consider using colours like black and white and just a little red in your decor. Or, if you want to make it more personalised and unique, use your partner’s favourite colour around the house.

Wall of love

Similar to the ‘wall of fame’ that is most often displayed during weddings and birthday parties, you can consider working on the ‘wall of love’. Explaining the concept, Merlyn says that it is a themed wall with pretty photo frames and photos of the couple, along with a ribbon in the colour of your choice.

“Choose a corner of your home or an empty wall and hang the frames. To make it more decorative, you could place flowers for your partner on a table under the frames. You could also place pebbles from your garden in transparent glass bowls and attach small notes to sticks that can be planted among the pebbles,” she adds. Although it may be a cliche, a cake and some chocolates will create magic.

Garland of little hearts

How about tying strings from one corner of the room to the other in your favourite patterns? It could be one string or even two strings could intersect to make a cross. The room is your canvas, feel free to colour it the way you like!Cut out gunny sacks in the shape of little squares and triangles and stick tiny hearts in the centre.

“You could also have heart-shaped cardboards cut and stuck onto the strings along with a bunch of streamers, cut short, in between two hearts,” suggests  Merlyn. To take creativity a notch higher, you could also have love letters hanging from it, intertwined with mirchi lights.

Photos on a tree

This could be your centre of attraction. Use a huge white pot and place red pebbles or stones in it. These are easily available in stores. Use real twigs or wires wrapped with red streamers and make it look like a tree, with branches. Add little red leaves and small printed photos to the end of each branch.

Merlyn likes to use old artificial plants at home and remove the flowers from the tip to add pictures. They can then be placed in the pot. Don’t think of it as a one-day wonder; it can be a permanent fixture at home to remind you of all the good times you both have shared.

Let there be light

You can buy beautiful scented candles or make votives at home. Use glass jars and have candles inside. “First, clean some of your old bottles or jars. Then, apply glue and stick some tissue to it. Once it dries, paint some abstract images on it or stick egg shells. Upon completion, you can place tea-light candles inside. It instantly looks beautiful and transforms the space,” avers the interior designer.

You can even use serial sets and mirchi lights in bottles. If you do not have the time to design stuff, visit the neighbourhood store and pick up some scented candles. Or else, you can very well use the white candles at home; tie ribbons around them and they are ready for the occasion.

In case you experience a sudden surge of creativity, paper cut-outs in beautiful designs stuck around the candles make for a pretty picture. And get out those oddly-shaped glasses; they make for good candle holders. It’s time to get started on the project. Remember, it’s the thought and effort that counts. Happy weekend!