Get Your Home Diwali Ready in No Time

The time of celebrations and hosting is upon us and you haven't prepared your home a bit? Here are some quick fixes

Rukmini Ray Kadam 3 November 2021

Houzz India Contributor, Home Decor Feature writer with Huffington post India, Decor stories at Deccan Herald, Realty section & Founder of Trumatter- a design and decor blog which won 3 prestigious awards panning 2014 to 2016. When not dabbling with decor I work with a few brilliant people in a leading Food Tech organization, nurture my enthusiasm for good photographs and sing for an alternative band.

Houzz India Contributor, Home Decor Feature writer with Huffington post India, Decor... More

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Diwali is here. And millennials like us are having a panic attack – all thanks to this cruel festive pressure. There are so many things you could have done but alas, you haven’t. So what? Be Mrs. Havisham for the rest of the festive hours? No way! If you are planning to be a part of the last minute Helter Skelter convention, we say give our last minute ideas a read and you should be able to have a picture perfect house – inviting and ready for Diwali, even if you start on a day before the big day. Here are our fool-proof steps to get your home Diwali ready.

Luisa Volpato Interiors

Spring clean the public areas
No matter where you start from, the first step is to clean. Clean your living room (or at least the most visible parts of the room) and the visitor bathroom to begin with. That’s where you’ll see most traffic. Move onto the kitchen, terrace/balcony and then to the other areas of your house. Dust your furniture, scrub the window glasses, wash your sheets and spot clean upholstery. And while you are at it, do not forget to clean your fans, light fixtures and appliances as well.

Witt Construction

Declutter & organise
Grouping and organising do wonders and can make a space look presentable almost instantly. Start decluttering and sorting places that are most visible. The kitchen is good place to start as you will have guests coming in to help you or themselves. If you have open shelves in your kitchen, organise your pantry and crockery. Move onto the sink area and give it a bit of good scrub too.

ANNA DUVAL DESIGNS

Paint and touch up
You wouldn’t believe the dramatic transformation a good coat of fresh paint can bring about. And surprisingly, it’s very easy to do and not as time-consuming as one thinks … well, at least the one we are suggesting is not.

If you haven’t gotten your full house painted as everyone usually does before Diwali, here is the best trick in the book. Focus on small key area, or a piece of furniture that you think will shine or make the most impact after a paint job. For a quick update, give your old showcase or bookshelves a new lease of life with a new colour. Painting the insides of the shelf in a different colour to that of the exterior will add depth for sure, but will also add loads of style.

Find out how to do an express paint job in your home

Go Make Me

Add accents
What’s festive decor without the nooks and corners of your house screaming Diwali? But to make every corner look like its been carefully tended to requires time, planning and effort, right? Not! Pepper your home with this easy and quick tip that’ll usher in the celebratory spirit pronto. Pour wax into colourful and earthy old teacups to make candles out of them or add tealights in them – group them on a plate and create a vignette. You could also grab old copper or a brass thali and add tealights with petals on it, and place it on the coffee table. This will look beautifully festive.

Michelle Hinckley

Change the cushions
A way to change the look of your living room is to change the drapes, upholstery and covers. However, if you don’t have time for such kind of changes, then at least give your cushions a makeover. Cover them with dramatic patterns and colours and observe them instantly lift the room.

Tip: Try tucking in a throw, as opposed to simply leaving it (as shown in the image), on your sofa or your sofa chair. Instant transformation!

Browse images of cushion cover designs

User

Add a surprise
Having a lighting option or two in places most unexpected, will certainly fetch you brownie points! If you have a hallway, you could line lanterns on the side and on the stairs for a dreamy, festive look.

KBC Developments

I’ve personally lived in small spaces all my life so I am a huge fan of utilising any available overhead space. If you have a balcony, no matter how small, bring a little festive whimsy to it. For instance – DIY this idea: instead of adding fairy lights or as we call it ‘Diwali lights’ on the windows, attach them with nail clips to the ceiling, in and around a place that has provision for an electrical connection. I have done this in my own balcony and the result is quite stunning. Not only does it look beautiful and different, but it also makes for a practical lighting solution (even when Diwali is over) when you want to enjoy a few glasses of wine in the balcony with friends and family.

Beach Vintage

Be creative with your mismatched crockery
Make a mistake once and it’s blunder. Make the same mistake intentionally and repeatedly, and it’s jazz. And we’re giving you easy jazz here. Don’t worry if you do not have a matching crockery set to entertain your guests because you didn’t have time to shop. Bring out your old, vintage, modern and any other kinds of pretty plates and create a set with them. The key is to match the quarter plate to the dinner plate and dessert plate in terms of colour and texture. For example, if you have a pink polka dessert place, a pink Georgian motif dinner plate and a plain pink quarter plate, you could add them together to create a set. To bring the look together, add identical tumblers and use a solid-coloured tablecloth so it can set the varied designs off.

The Painted Home

Go for non-complicated
Festive doesn’t necessarily translate to ornate and opulent. Festive can also be warm, cosy and simple. In the end, it’s about celebrating togetherness. Etch a simple plan to set an attractive table – the key is to play clever with what you have at hand. Don’t have a runner? How about an old burlap strip for one? Make it come alive with tealights in empty jam jars, and a few flowers strewn carelessly on the table. Even a few seasonal fruits displayed in a big bowl would do the trick. Don’t have a good tablecloth? How about using up a gorgeous saree instead? Sarees add an instant ethnic boost to any decor.

Share you Diwali pictures here

Read more:
3 Festive Colours to Amp Up Your Home This Diwali
Houzz Forum: Diwali Decor Tips From 4 Acclaimed Designers

Tell us:
Share some tips and quick fixes that have really worked in making your home Diwali/festival-ready. Write in the Comments below.

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deeners1

I have never heard of this holiday. I am Polish.

1 Like 21 October 2017 at 3:56am

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kaye bullock

@deeners1 Diwali is celebrated by millions of Hindus all over the world. Little earthen vessels with oil called deyas are lit at around 6pm and represent the triumph of light over darkness. It's the equivalent of Christmas I guess.

2 Likes 21 October 2017 at 10:49pm

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