Summer Is Fast Approaching: Refresh Your Home with Seasonal Art & Décor

    

  

 

As the days grow longer and the sunshine gets brighter, summer brings a natural urge to refresh our living spaces. Just like we switch wardrobes for the season, updating your home’s art and décor can instantly create a light, cheerful, and relaxing summer atmosphere.

From airy fabrics to vibrant wall art, small changes can transform your home into a cool summer retreat.

Let’s explore the best décor updates and what you should shop for this season.

 

 

 1. Switch to Light and Airy Fabrics

Heavy winter textiles can make a home feel warm and crowded during summer. Replace them with lighter materials.

What to buy:

Cotton or linen cushion covers

Sheer curtains

Lightweight throw blankets

Breathable bedsheets

Light fabrics allow better airflow and make rooms feel fresh and comfortable.

 

 2. Update Your Wall Art

Summer décor often focuses on bright colors, nature, and relaxing themes. Changing artwork is one of the easiest ways to refresh a space.

Summer art ideas:

Beach or ocean-themed paintings

Botanical prints

Tropical landscape artwork

Minimal pastel illustrations

These visuals bring a calming, vacation-like feeling to your home.

 

 3. Add Greenery and Indoor Plants

Plants instantly make a home feel alive and connected to nature.

Great options include:

Snake plants

Areca palms

Pothos plants

Small herb planters for the kitchen

Pair plants with woven or terracotta pots to enhance the natural summer aesthetic.

 

 4. Replace Dark Décor with Bright Accents

Dark tones absorb heat visually and feel heavy. Swap them with lighter shades.

Choose colors like:

White

Soft beige

Sea blue

Coral

Mint green

Decorative items such as vases, table runners, and lampshades in these colors instantly brighten a room.

 

5. Bring in Natural Materials

Natural textures create a relaxed coastal vibe perfect for summer.

Items to shop for:

Rattan baskets

Bamboo trays

Jute rugs

Wicker storage boxes

These materials add warmth while keeping the décor breathable and light.

 

 6. Refresh Your Table Décor

Summer gatherings often revolve around food and drinks, so give your dining space a seasonal makeover.

Summer table ideas:

Citrus-themed table runners

Floral dinnerware

Glass pitchers for lemonade

Fresh fruit centerpieces

Simple touches can make everyday meals feel festive.

 

 Summer Décor Shopping Checklist

Before summer fully arrives, consider adding these items to your home:

·         Light cotton or linen curtains

·         Bright cushion covers

·         Tropical or botanical wall art

·         Indoor plants and planters

·         Woven baskets or jute rugs

·         Colorful table décor

·         Glass vases and fresh flowers

 

 

Preparing your home for summer doesn’t require a complete redesign. By updating artwork, switching to lighter fabrics, adding greenery, and incorporating natural textures, you can create a cool and welcoming environment that reflects the joy of the season.

A few thoughtful décor changes can make your home feel like a relaxing summer getaway every day.

So start shopping, refresh your space, and let summer shine inside your home.

Now, you may think where to buy –  the answer is here:

There are several eco-friendly Self-Help Groups (SHGs), NGOs, and women artisan collectives in India where you can shop for sustainable summer décor items. Buying from them not only gives you unique handmade décor but also supports women’s livelihoods and rural craftsmanship.

 

Here are some good options:

 

 1. Self Help Enterprise (SHE) Foundation

Focus: Hand-stitched Kantha textiles and home décor

This non-profit works with rural women artisans in West Bengal to revive the traditional Kantha stitching craft, transforming old cotton fabrics into quilts, cushion covers, throws, and wall hangings. Profits help support women’s education, healthcare, and financial independence.

Great summer décor items to buy

Kantha cushion covers

Light cotton quilts

Handmade wall hangings

Table runners

These breathable cotton textiles are perfect for summer homes.

 

 2. Odisha Rural Development and Marketing Society (ORMAS) / Mission Shakti SHGs

This network of women self-help groups produces eco-friendly crafts using natural materials like grass, coir, and palm leaves.

Popular décor products

Golden grass baskets

Sabai grass trays

Coir décor items

Pattachitra paintings

These handmade pieces bring a natural, earthy summer vibe to your home.

 

 3. AMMACHI Labs Women SHG Craft Programs

This initiative trains rural women to create eco-friendly handicrafts from jute, wheat stalks, and natural fibers.

Products you can shop

Jute bags and baskets

Natural fiber trays

Handmade embroidered fabrics

Decorative handicrafts

These items are sustainable and biodegradable.

 

 4. Tamil Nadu State Rural Livelihoods Mission SHG Markets

In Tamil Nadu, seasonal eco-friendly markets like Iyarkkai Bazaar showcase products from local self-help groups including bamboo, palm-leaf, and jute décor items.

What you’ll find

Palm-leaf baskets

Bamboo décor pieces

Handcrafted storage boxes

Sustainable kitchen and home accessories

These markets often happen in cities like Madurai and Chennai.

 

 5. Water-Hyacinth Craft SHGs (Assam)

Women’s collectives in Assam turn water hyacinth plants into eco-friendly baskets, mats, and furniture, creating sustainable décor products while controlling an invasive plant.

Ideal summer décor

Storage baskets

Planters

Table mats

Handwoven trays

 

 Why shop from SHGs?

·        Supports women’s economic independence

·        Encourages sustainable materials and traditional crafts

·        Reduces environmental impact compared to mass-produced décor

·        Every item is unique and handmade

 

 Summer décor items you can buy from SHGs:

1.     Jute or grass baskets

2.     Hand-embroidered cushion covers

3.     Natural fiber trays

4.     Bamboo wall art

5.     Terracotta planters

6.     Handwoven table runners

 

 Look for SHG exhibitions, rural livelihood fairs, or NGO online stores. Many cities also host women entrepreneur markets where you can buy directly from artisans.

Colours in the Tamil Kitchen: The Subtle Wisdom of Tamarind and Jaggery

 

Colours add vibrancy to life, no doubt. Concerning personality, they serve as a medium through which a person reveals a little of themselves, though never the whole. Similarly, colours in cooking reveal the nature and quality of a dish.

In the Tamil kitchen, colour is not merely decorative. It carries meaning, experience, and culinary wisdom passed down through generations. Experienced cooks often judge ingredients by their colour even before tasting them. The right shade of spice, grain, tamarind, or jaggery can influence not only the visual appeal of a dish but also its flavour and balance.

Among the many ingredients used in Tamil cooking, tamarind and jaggery stand out as two ingredients whose colours are closely observed and consciously chosen.

 

Tamarind: The Colour that Shapes Sambar

Tamarind is an essential souring agent in Tamil cuisine and forms the backbone of many dishes, especially sambar, kuzhambu, and rasam. While its taste is crucial, the colour of tamarind plays an equally important role.

Traditionally, cooks prefer tamarind that is relatively light in colour—often pale brown or slightly golden rather than very dark. When such tamarind is used, it allows the sambar to develop a warm golden-yellow or gentle brown shade that is visually appealing and characteristic of a well-made dish.

If very dark tamarind is used, the sambar can take on a dull or almost blackish appearance. Even if the flavour remains acceptable, the colour may not reflect the expected quality of the dish. In traditional kitchens, appearance is closely tied to the perception of taste and care in cooking.

Thus, selecting the right tamarind is not merely about sourness; it is about preserving the natural colour harmony of the dish.

 

Jaggery: Depth of Colour, Depth of Sweetness

If tamarind influences the colour of savoury dishes, jaggery plays a similar role in sweets.

Jaggery, known for its rich, earthy sweetness, is widely used in traditional Tamil desserts and festive treats. However, not all jaggery is considered equal. The colour of jaggery often indicates its quality and suitability for particular preparations.

For many sweet dishes, cooks prefer jaggery that is dark and rich in colour—not pale yellow or creamy. The ideal jaggery is deep brown, almost blackish, which produces a glossy syrup when melted and boiled.

 When jaggery syrup reaches the right stage of thickness, it forms what cooks call the “string consistency.” At this stage, the syrup binds ingredients beautifully while also giving sweets a deep caramel-like colour and sheen.

This colour and consistency are essential in many traditional sweets where jaggery acts as both sweetener and binder.

 

The Art of Making Urundai

 One of the most delightful expressions of jaggery syrup in Tamil cuisine is the preparation of urundai, or sweet balls.

The word “urundai” simply means “round.” These sweets are formed by mixing ingredients with hot jaggery syrup and shaping them into small balls before the mixture cools.

Several varieties of urundai are popular in Tamil homes:

Groundnut urundai (peanut balls)

Roasted channa dal urundai

Manoharam

Puffed rice balls

Poha (aval) balls

Coconut balls

In each of these, the colour of the jaggery syrup plays a vital role. A darker jaggery produces sweets that appear glossy, rich, and well-bound. The syrup coats the ingredients evenly, creating sweets that are both visually appealing and structurally firm.

When prepared correctly, the urundai hold their shape, shine slightly, and display the deep brown hue that signals perfect jaggery consistency.

 

Colour as Culinary Wisdom

What might appear as a simple preference for colour is actually a reflection of deep culinary knowledge. Tamil cooks understand that colour often signals freshness, proper processing, and cooking balance.

A golden sambar, a deep-brown jaggery syrup, and perfectly shaped urundai are not accidents. They are the result of careful ingredient selection and time-tested techniques.

In this way, colour in the Tamil kitchen becomes a quiet guide—helping cooks judge quality, achieve balance, and preserve the authenticity of traditional dishes.

 Tamil culinary wisdom about the colour of tamarind and jaggery is not merely a kitchen preference. Traditional proverbs such as “வெல்லம் கருப்பாக இருந்தால் பாகு நல்லது” (dark jaggery makes good syrup) reflect the same observational knowledge that generations of cooks have practiced.

Tradition Seen Through Colour

The Tamil kitchen teaches us that cooking is not only about flavour but also about observation. Colour, aroma, texture, and sound all play their roles in shaping the final dish.

Tamarind and jaggery, humble as they may seem, demonstrate how something as simple as colour can influence the success of a recipe. Through generations, this attention to detail has helped preserve the distinctive beauty of Tamil cuisine.

Ultimately, colours in the Tamil kitchen are more than visual appeal—they are markers of tradition, care, and culinary artistry.

(this blogpost is a part of Blogchatter's Bloghop. Details here : https://www.theblogchatter.com/blogchatter-blog-hop-a-new-way-to-write-collectively)

A Powerful Celebration of Womanhood

 

SHE: Silk and Thunder – Poems on the Arc of Womanhood, published by the Indian Poetry Circle (IPC), is a vibrant anthology of poems written by its members during the month of May as part of the much-celebrated MayRathon challenge.

Spanning 236 pages, the book is a treasure for poets and poetry lovers alike. It showcases the varied shades of womanhood through powerful, stylish interpretations of daily prompts. The spirit of MayRathon is simple yet exhilarating: a poem a day, on a prompt a day, for all 31 days of May. The enthusiasm and creative energy of the participants make this collection a truly special literary celebration.

The book also features a prompt calendar, profiles and portraits of poets, and an index of contributors, including both poets and artists. Artistic elements enrich the anthology, with the artist contributing the front cover design along with illustrations and images that introduce each section, each accompanied by a thoughtful quote.

The anthology includes a foreword by Jairam Seshadri and an editorial note by Avantika Vijay Singh, setting the tone for the collection. Organized into around ten sections, some further divided into parts extending up to Part E, the book contains 163 poems that explore the many dimensions of womanhood.

Each poem carries a distinct voice and personal imprint, creating a collective yet intimate portrayal of women’s strength, emotions, resilience, and diverse roles in life. As such, SHE: Silk and Thunder stands as a unique and powerful anthology celebrating womanhood in all its forms.

Especially around International Women’s Day, this book becomes a meaningful read, reflecting the power, depth, and multifaceted nature of women through the voices of many poets.

here is the book buy link : @Amazon

The House with Nobody in It by Joyce Kilmer

Whenever I walk to Suffern along the Erie track
I go by a poor old farmhouse with its shingles broken and black.
I suppose I’ve passed it a hundred times, but I always stop for a minute
And look at the house, the tragic house, the house with nobody in it.

I never have seen a haunted house, but I hear there are such things.
That they hold the talk of spirits, their mirth and sorrowings.
I know this house isn’t haunted, and I wish it were, I do;
For it wouldn’t be so lonely if it had a ghost or two.

This house on the road to Suffern needs a dozen panes of glass,
And somebody ought to weed the walk and take a scythe to the grass.
It needs new paint and shingles, and the vines should be trimmed and tied;
But what it needs the most of all is some people living inside.

If I had a lot of money and all my debts were paid,
I’d put a gang of men to work with brush and saw and spade.
I’d buy that place and fix it up the way it used to be,
And I’d find some people who wanted a home and give it to them free.

Now a new house standing empty, with staring window and door,
Looks idle, perhaps, and foolish, like a hat on its block in the store.
But there’s nothing mournful about it; it cannot be sad or lone
For the lack of something within it that it has never known.

But a house that has done what a house should do, a house that has sheltered life,
That has put its loving wooden arms around a man and his wife,
A house that has echoed a baby’s laugh and held up his stumbling feet,
Is the saddest sight, when it’s left alone, that ever your eyes could meet.

So whenever I go to Suffern along the Erie track,
I never go by the empty house without stopping and looking back;
Yet it hurts me to look at the crumbling roof and the shutters fallen apart,
For I can’t help thinking the poor old house is a house with a broken heart.

 

Mother Mary Comes to Me by Arundhati Roy,

   

 

Page 21

In the non-human category, my closest companion was a striped palm squirrel who lived on my shoulder and whispered in my ear. We shared secrets. She wasn’t my pet. She had her own life, but chose to share it with me. She would disappear often because she had things to do. At mealtime she would appear, perch on my plate and nibble at my food. She loved pineapples most of all. She was constantly watchful, eternally alert to every possibility of looming danger. She taught me things.

Squirrel survival skills were an asset for anyone attempting to navigate the ledge life in Ayemenem.

Page 123

 

I handed over the files and accepted the offer on the spot. It was a tiny three-room apartment, exquisitely appointed — the first real ‘home’ I had been invited into in years. There was an air of low wood and spare furniture. A rendition of a Rajasthani folk epic painted on canvas silk stretched across the entire length of one wall; the floor was covered with a nondescript jute or perhaps coir pineapple fibre carpet. Bright cushions with ethnic prints were carelessly strewn around. A picture of perfect domesticity.

Page 245

“Could you please sign this for my …” that revealed something to me about their lives, their loves, their friendships and relationships. It made me realize how literature can join humans in a bond of quiet intimacy the way almost nothing else can.

 

 

After completing Mother Mary Comes to Me by Arundhati Roy, I felt deeply moved. It wasn’t just a book to me; it felt like stepping into someone’s lived truth. I could sense the courage, energy, and determination flowing through the pages.

The three paragraphs I selected earlier stayed with me the most. They felt intimate and powerful. The clean, direct language made everything feel honest and immediate, allowing me to move quickly through the pages while still absorbing the depth of her experiences.

What touched me most was her openness — about her successes, her struggles, her tough times, and her lucky breaks. She did not hide behind comfort. She chose honesty. Reading about the people around her and the social issues that shaped her made me reflect on strength and integrity.

More than anything, I felt inspired by her straightforward nature and her decision to stand firm in her beliefs, even when it would have been easier not to.

The Slippers That Crossed Love

  

Once upon a time, in the month where hearts hum pink,
Love floated in bubbles, in breeze, in bees that blink.
Why not a sandal dream, a chappal brave and worn,
A slipper seeking bridge-love from dusk to dawn.
Footwear with a mission, leather laced with faith,
Walking toward a lover across distance and wait.
Love, love, love—it travels one way or some way far,
Fetching souls like letters carried by a star.
Like seeds that trust the air to choose their land,
Pots or palaces bloom from that brave plan.
Love erupts like laughter cracking silent stone,
Love yearns with the ache of paths unknown.
Love longs to love the lover, fierce and true,
To catch you wherever the world slips you to.
The slippers slipped in, slid sideways through doubt,
Finding the curve where hope bends about.
Soles stood strong before sure love’s flame,
Worn thin but walking all the same.
For even the humblest shoe knows what to do,
When love calls—cross the bridge to you

The Moment That Made Me Feel Alive

 

 

 

The moment that made me feel alive
was not loud, not fast—
it simmered.

Energy came to me
on a warm plate,
served by my mother’s hands.

Food—the first power source,
the quiet fuel of joy.
A ladle in her grip
turns the ordinary into wonder,
makes heaven feel
just a few steps from the dining table.

A simple dish,
yet the taste blooms—
worldly, rich, unforgettable.
I lick my fingers,
wipe the plate clean,
trace the last memory of flavor
with my tongue, again and again,
unwilling to let the moment end.

Sweet or hot,
pickle sharp with love,
brinjals, beets, beans—
every bite says live.

And it isn’t just the food.
It’s her words,
soft as steam rising,
her smile seasoning everything just right.

In that moment,
full to the edges of my heart,
I am active, joyful, happy—
completely, unmistakably alive.

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