The vibe: Mid-century modern marries Scandinavian, if that’s even a thing!

Budget decorating can be so challenging, but we did it. I am so excited to be finally sharing this project with you guys. 

To start off, I had mentioned on my Instagram post that this one was a personal project reveal. Designed/planned the layout and decor for my cousin brother Sharan, who’s a 25 year old young, ambitious and talented magician.

One thing he stressed upon from the beginning was that he wasn't interested in installing a false ceiling or spending on wallpaper but he wanted a space that felt cozy, casual, simple and functional. 

LIGHTING!! 

Well no false ceiling meant no recessed lighting. So to illuminate his home we used lovely pendant and wall lighting, adding a subtle glow and a nice warmth to his foyer and living room. We picked up these gorgeous cement finish lights for the foyer with a light wood top and it definitely made the entrance a cool focal point. They brought in the perfect Scandinavian inspired touch, steering me in the direction to go light and minimal. 

In the living room we added a black wall light, it perfectly ties into the space as the shelving is also accentuated with black hardware. Amazon is a great place to score a budget buy, and these wall sconces are great, trendy and sleek.

But keep in mind that accent lighting isn't enough to brighten a space. We needed to add in one tube light & placed it above the dining table. If you are using a simple light fixture make sure to create enough interest in other spots so we can divert everyone’s eye to the nicer things at home.

INVEST IN PIECES YOU NEED….

Again, he knew what he wanted and he specified on wanting a sofa cum bed for his one bedroom studio apartment. He invested in a new piece since it was his first apartment, otherwise you can always browse through sites like Zefo for used or factory buys. Below are a few pictures I took inspiration from.

Source: Source

Eyes fixated on a grey couch, we found the perfect grey sofa cum bed on Urban Ladder. He’s also always wanted the centre table and side table set from them, so he decided on investing in that too. Urban Ladder is great for a budget friendly home. 

TEXTURE, texture PLAY.

You need rugs, cushions, throws, artwork, books and plants to make a space feel whole, most times don’t you think?!?

Texture is definitely key to a space that’s so white, and we loved the pattern on the rug we chose.

Plants brings life into any space according to me and are so affordable as well. Most of the plants you see in the pictures were picked up from a local nursery. We added faux greenery as well, faux eucalyptus leaves placed in a bottle at the foyer.

DIY, join the network!

Coming to artwork we did a simple DIY with acrylic paint and masking tape. The other african painting was collected from his travels, I decided to place it on the floor. 

Tips for floor art: 

1. Make sure scale wise its big enough 

2. The artwork should have some repetition as you generally place it behind a sleek piece. 

Letter-boards are also so great to create fun quotes and add into your gallery wall, easily available on Amazon India. We incorporated the board into his shelving, along with a few fun pieces he had collected from his travels. Layer with books to achieve varying levels, so your eyes can travel across.

In the entryway we’ve also tied a bunch of Keventers bottles that were just lying around his house, with a jute rope to a log and suspended it over the bench in the foyer, with my favorite non-fussy plant- the money plant. Absolutely love how they turned out.  

SHOP YOUR FAMILY because it’s convenient & they’re usually nice!

His grand mom passed down two beautiful mid-century modern teak wood consoles and one of them perfectly fit into his living room. 

We also found planks lying around the garden of our grand mom (the one we share together) and cut and sized it to the foyer with the simplicity of the round mirror. The teak wood bench with storage in the foyer was made for my mom, uncle & aunt to study on as kids. Just kept in a corner, so we took it too! Oh, and yes the dining chairs also, she’s amazing guys!

We’re in love with the styling and the simplicity of this project. What do you guys think? Let me know!