Get Diwali-ready with budget décor

Shristi Nangalia

With Deepawali right round the corner, you must have started wondering how to create a festive vibe at home. Looking for quick, yet effective, ways to dress up your spaces? Read on for many creative ideas for a warm and welcoming setup that can be achieved with very little effort and cost.

Build an accent wall

Turn any plain wall into a statement by introducing a mural depicting any traditional scenery or tribal pattern made of beautiful colours and details to draw the eye. Otherwise, a painting or traditional framed art can attain a strong focal point as well. Another simpler way to achieve an accent wall is to take up a DIY job of printing little motifs with a stencil in a repetitive pattern to give a wallpaper-like look.

Dazzle with lights

Table lamps, wall sconces and pendant lights can up the décor game of any space in an instant. Turkish wall lights, Moroccan hanging lights, table lamps with metal work, wall lights with wood carvings, light fixtures with mosaic details, etc. can help bring in oodles of festive vibe to your space. A quick, economical and efficient alternative to pendant lights and wall lights are fairy lights. Also called rice lights, these delightful decor pieces are now available in a plethora of designs and colours options.

Allure with mirror

Although utterly basic, mirrors are underrated décor elements. Decorative mirrors can not only boost the sense of volume in a room, you can place it strategically to reflect light around to create an intriguing effect also. Mirrors can be paired with a console table or side board to tailor an accent wall which stays with you even after the festive season.

Water element with an Urli

An urli — topped with colourful flowers, tea lights or oil diyas — is a timeless crowd-pleaser. These are made in a variety of materials, from bell metal to brass, from cement to terracotta. You can pick the one that appeals to you and place it by the entrance door or living area on the floor, over a highstand or centre table too.

patterns in fabric

Nothing beats the personality and character that Indian handloom, patterns and fabrics can foster. While silk, zardosi, velvet, patchwork, zari and sequin fabric can offer a rich and ornamented appeal, ikat, kalamkari, sambalpuri and bandhni fabrics can offer subtle, printed motifs in pleasing colours. You can invite these fabrics to your interiors in a hassle-free manner by buying ready-made cushion covers, table runners, sofa throws and area rugs.

Tapestry & torans add to the charM

Reinforce the traditional, festive atmosphere by dressing the walls and doors with tapestry and torans. Tapestries are typically made of weaved fabric which can be used as a wall hanging or soft furnishing. Torans, or bandalwals, are decorative door hangings that are made in multiple material and design options. Pick the ones that go best with your interior style.

Touch-up with

table décor

You do not need to invest a large amount of money and time to give bland tables a quirky spin. Scented candles, potpourri, tea light stands, decorative lanterns, table lamps, figurines and sculptures are budget friendly decorations that can be mix-matched and arranged in distinct fashions over the centre table, console table and dining table.

Embellish with rangoli and oil lamps

Can Diwali be complete without rangoli and diyas? Go the organic way by using biodegradable material like rice grains or rice powder, turmeric powder and mehndi powder to make your rangoli designs. Alternatively, you can make the rangoli entirely of flower petals and leaves. Daisies, roses and marigolds can give bright orange, red, pink and maroon colours while mango leaves can be used to add a striking green colour to the rangoli design. Add clay diyas and voila! Your eco-friendly rangoli is ready.