Wednesday 22 January 2014

The making of a dream ! ( From house to home )

It's hard to believe that today it's two years since we moved in this place we call home and I'm not counting the 9-10 months it took us to build it. My home is not just a home for me, it's my cocoon, my sacred space, my identity and I often find myself so passionately doing up every corner, putting things together, changing it often, moving furniture, hanging pictures, flooding everybody's walls on FB with it's pictures, whether they like it or not ;) recharging my batteries, breathing, living , relaxing.  Today, as I  reminisce about this journey , I fondly recall the day when we bought a  barren plot of land and started building our dreams on it.

The husband and I had no experience or expertise whatsoever in this endeavour and building a home required tons of it. We had never even got a wall erected in our life, leave alone building a home but then we were keen and eager to give it our best shot. It was a long procedure and we encountered many things good and bad ...people cheated us, we were provided with bad raw materials at times, we trusted people too much at times and repented  later. There were times especially during the monsoons that we ran out of  building material and the scarcity of  it in the market resulted in total chaos with work coming to a standstill for a couple of days but the good thing was that  it was a life enriching experience for both of us and the memories are something I will always hold dear for the rest of my life.


Sharing some beautiful memories as I walk down memory lane.


This is how I remember my house under construction for the longest time possible. Something that just gave a semblance of a house, half built brick walls, and a false ceiling precariously held by numerous wooden beams in the most crooked fashion and this is what it looked like for a long, long time. It made me feel like there was nothing going on there but I was made to believe work was going on.


Finally the beams came off from the ground floor only to be carried up and put right back in the same order.



A house under construction has to be the most dangerous place ever with rusty nails lying upside down, iron rods protruding from every corner, wooden planks hanging from the roof giving the impression of falling off any moment. I really pitied these kids belonging to the workers there who lived amidst this chaos and always  looked happy to be there. I, being a mother with two kids in tow, whenever I went there understood the perils of living here very well. I had numerous panic attacks when I saw my kids running amok and at times tripping and falling over something but thankfully we survived all of that. Soon my kids felt quite 'at home' even in this mess and happily spent time playing with these kids and making sand castles, collecting pebbles and  shells whenever they were not throwing heaps of sawdust at everybody else present there ;)





And finally, our terrace on the second floor is ready construction wise.




That's my daughter ( three years ago ) enjoying a moment on the terrace. She was thrilled to be there. There were no railings or boundary walls but the view was spectacular for them, of course my son is not in the frame here. Maybe he's somewhere playing in the sand :)



 This is the enclosed part of my small terrace and the wall in front is what I call my pink Warli wall today.


This is exactly how it stands today after I painted the Warli figures .







 Finally the house takes shape and this is what it looks like some months later.





 Quite an achievement this. Here we are getting the ramp ready and it also marks the end of the construction work.



The small area in front that I now call my small patch of green. Not too green at the moment but it did'nt take me long to plant some grass and put everything under the sun ( literally ) that could grow here .



 This is how it looked last year. Well, this year I have made a few changes and have not taken any pictures yet.


 The making of my Kitchen ~

Well, this happens to be the most happening place of my home according to me. The heart and soul and the hub of all activities. I just cannot club it with the rest of the house. It needs a special mention :)

I still remember how thrilled I was when work finally started on my kitchen. I was like this very excited child who had been eyeing this toy for a long long time in a store and finally  gets to lay  hands on it . First it was the floor tiles that totally floored me and then it was the carcass of the entire cabinetry along with the grilles on the window. When that happened , I knew my big moment had arrived :)


Well, Rome was not built in a day and I could so imagine that ;)




 The tiles and the backsplash taking shape here. I scanned the whole city  for that perfect mosaic backsplash that I so badly wanted and I was so happy with what I settled for , finally !



 Okay, some flesh was added to the carcass, sounds gross but that's what it's actually called... the carcass in the kitchen language :) The cabinets and the chimney go up too.



This is how my kitchen looked on the day of housewarming. Of course a lot has changed or rather been added and it looks a little different now.
The best thing I like here is the amount of natural light that streams in through the windows , makes it a happy, cheerful place. Mine is an eat-in kitchen and I especially designed that extended counter or breakfast table as we call it. We've placed high chairs around it and this is more of a family room than a kitchen. It' s where we unwind after a long day, where we normally have meals , where the kids do their homework, colouring, project work etc when I'm cooking and also where they love to sit and sulk when things don't go their way :)



This is how the kitchen  looks today :)
























On the day of housewarming  :)

\



Coming back to the present, this is a small corner in my living room  which is my favourite. It has the lovely orange wall behind  and that makes it all the more pleasing  for me :)







And a  courtyard wall that has a Madhubani painted by me recently. I feel my home is still new and there is lots to do, lots to add and I'm happy it's an ever evolving process .


Coming back to what my home means to me, I think I have given a fair idea. Each pillar has a story to tell, each wall speaks because I know all about it as it came up brick by brick.
There are many people ( family as well as friends) to thank here who helped us by giving us the much needed advice and guidance whenever we needed it, ( I will not name them for the fear of embarrassing them but they know who they are. A big , big thank you to all.) my mother, who has not only been physically present as much as she could during this phase but was always there in spirit throughout and I can't imagine going through this without her,the divine power up there who I strongly believe in, helping us to overcome  each and every hurdle and of course the husband who always gave me a free hand in everything.

 The word 'home' has a different meaning for each of us but whatever it may be, it is very close to our heart. The best definition of a home is what I heard from Mr. Bachchan during one of the episodes of KBC some years ago. He said , in hindi, " Ghar ek aisi jagah hai, jahan aate hi aisa lagta hai, jaise aap apne maa ke god mein aa gaye ho" , roughly translated as " a home is a place where on entering, you get a feeling of coming to your mother's lap" ( hope I got that right ). That's a such a sweet definition and so true. It  should give you the security, the comfort, the warmth and the reassurance of a mother's lap. Mine surely does and I'm happier when I get my mommie's lap too in that lap. Gosh ! I have written too much today, not making  much sense now. Gotta go !

 P.S. Keep those dreams alive.....they do come true :)



















32 comments:

  1. Such a lovely post di. Loved the write up and can relive those exciting days when the house was under construction. How time flies and so beautifully.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you to you both for always being there. You were so much a part of this journey :)

      Delete
  2. What a beautiful post. Your home is lovely like you!! hugs Anu

    ReplyDelete
  3. Such a lovely and heartfelt blog reshma di! It makes me feel a part of the whole process even though I was in another country. Your home is so beautiful, and not just because of your exquisite taste and original finds, but also because of the love you pour into it..gorgeous home, the most loving and gorgeous family. .perfect combination!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Surabhi, that is such a sweet thing to say :) Thank you and now come spend some time with me here !

      Delete
  4. lved the pics and the writeup...your last sentence gives me hope :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sudha, thank you so much and yes, that's true... dreams have this uncanny knack of coming true. It was a far fetched thing for us , faced so many problems mid way, went over budget and what not but pulled through some how. I still cannot believe we did this. So hang in there, dreams will come true whatever they may be :)

      Delete
  5. As you got the house constructed, brick by brick, your heart has come out word by word, line by line, pic by pic....
    A beautiful walk through of the memory lane.....just a few minutes back, I mentioned, on your FB post, that your house will always remain new because both of you are taking so good care of it, the kids have their hands too in maintaining the house, they don't scribble here and there and don't scatter things......Reading this blog, I remembered all those instances of our interaction when your pride was taking shape.....I remember how suddenly the raw material got out of stock and that the workers did not turn up.....As I saw the last couple of pics, I realised that this place which you call as home, looked no less like a resort.....AB's definition automatically holds true.....You enter a resort like place to relax yourself and only to find that its your home gives you a spa of synergy.....I am proud of you...I take inspiration from you and I love you for the beautiful soul you are.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ritu, thank you so much. You have been there as a constant companion throughout so you surely know all about it and I'm so glad you visited us . Come again now :)

      Delete
  6. Reshma, what a beautiful walk through memory lane. Loved this post. Your home reflects your warmth and love in it. Wrote a comment and tried to publish using my google account and don't know where it went.

    Nayana

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Nayana. I'm glad you stopped by, liked the post and left a comment . I'm sure Google lost your comment due to protest.You don't blog enough to make it happy. Come back to blogging now :)

      Delete
  7. Wonderful post Reshma, Very very well written. Hats off to your efforts of making a house and then transforming it into a home. Your home is a reflection of your personality :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much Disha. It's always so encouraging to hear from you :)

      Delete
  8. Reshma this is such a genuine post. And two years you say, my God, you've already worked your magic into every corner ;) Love what you've done with your place. The courtyard wall is my new favorite. With all the studying and exams, I'm glad I took a break and headed straight to your blog. This was just what I needed.......
    Good luck and can't wait for more of such wonderful posts....
    Hugs,
    Sruthi

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aww , thank you so much Sruthi. It's so nice of you to visit me here. Thank you so much for your encouraging words and best of luck for your exams :)

      Delete
  9. I love it when people are passionate about their homes. And everything is well thought out. beautiful home.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much Deepa. Welcome to my blog :)

      Delete
  10. Your home is ACTUALLY like a dream. Loved it is an understatement. Every word, every brck, every splash of colours touched my heart. Loads of love to this dream...the dream that you call home.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much Parama. So sweet of you to say that :)

      Delete
  11. Such a beautiful post. Love what you have done with the house. Loved the painting you have done on the walls.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much Arathi. It's so nice to hear that . I'm glad you like the paintings. They are a result of my impulsiveness :)

      Delete
  12. Awesome.....got to visit your site through housedelic.....The before and after pictures are amazing....Psst but I have an Apartment and zero sense of decor....I do enjoy visiting the web for some inspiration...and this post is surely inspiring :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much Mamatha. I'm glad you found this post inspiring. As for me, I still feel I have zero sense of decor, it's just that I follow my heart and take inspirations from some people whose designing style have appealed to me over the years so thank you. I'm sure you have it in you too :)

      Delete
  13. Decorating home is a ever going process. Lovely home! Your taste is just like mine...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Welcome to my blog Vasudha. I'm so happy to hear that, Please do keep visiting :)

      Delete
  14. Lovely Home! I absorbed every word of this write up as if they were my own. I recently moved into our new home and started blogging on a lifelong passion - interiors/art and design. Catching a few glimpses of your home, I must say you have amazing eye for detail, they way you have brought together the ethnic elements and those dollops of green, made my day! Taking some inspiration for my own space :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much Anusha. I'm so happy to hear that and thanks for reading the post the way you did. All the very best for your new home and your new venture of blogging. I will visit your blog soon. Please do keep coming back and thanks once again :)

      Delete
  15. i bumped into this post today and must say, you deserve a big round claps... thats a lovely cosy abode Reshma.. dreams and love does make it all what you call it as home.. completely agree buddy. :)

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hey Amrita, always great to hear from you. Thank you so much for your lovely words. Much love :) Do keep visiting :)

    ReplyDelete
  17. What a beautiful post Reshma....we have just gotten married and are thinking about our first home together.... I can connect so well with your words... awesome inspiration and I love the last lines...will keep the dreams alive <3

    ReplyDelete
  18. Shaz originals ( is Shaz your name ?) - thank you so much. Congratulations and I wish you the very best for your married life. It's great when you start planning your home and picturing it all in your mind and the ultimate result is when the dreams come true. I'm glad you liked the post and related with it. You just wait...your dreams will come true soon :) Thanks for stopping by !

    ReplyDelete

It's always good to get a feedback :)