Diwali is one of those festivals that anyone can participate in and celebrate regardless of their religion because it’s all about lights. While string lights and diyas are the most common go-to options, there are many other ways in which your home be the cynosure of the neighbourhood.
Here are a few recommendations from us.
The magic of lanterns
Lanterns are extremely versatile pieces that can make your home look disarmingly charming. Diwali gives you an excuse to go that extra step to make your house the highlight (no pun intended) of the neighbourhood.
Get lanterns of different sizes, preferably some tall ones and some medium-sized ones. Place coloured and scented candles or tall candles in them and assign them to various corners of your house. If you have a patio, this will be very good protection from the wind too. Want a more earthy feel? Consider getting some hurricane lamps and either place them by your doorstep or hang them around the entrance. You can even line a few on the parapet or terrace. Add a splash of colour and vibrancy by choosing paper lanterns that can be hung in bunches too.
String lights are never boring
String lights are one of the most efficient ways to bring in a dash of elegance or fun or simplicity, whichever you choose. String them up. Bottle them. Wrap them. There are so many ways you can put string lights to good use. Get a few mason jars and fill them with a few coils of lights and keep them in different corners of your house.
Wrap them around pillars or bannisters, tape them to wainscoting and see how it makes everything pop. You can even buy a bunch of string lights in different colours, intertwine them, roll them up in small bundles and then hang them to create a different effect.
Lamps
Lamps come in so many varieties. Every type of decor can be matched to a certain type of lamp, and your Diwali can be as unique as you want it to be. Take brass lamps, for example. They can be used not just in rituals but also as part of the decor.
Light up some elegantly carved, tall brass lamps, pair them with some brass trays filled with diyas, and you have a great ensemble. Or how about getting some of those intricately carved metal cut lamps and switching them on in different corners? Or hang richly coloured Turkish lamps in and around the house and you get an ethnic yet graceful effect.
Edison bulbs
Edison bulbs, exposed brickwork, and minimal artwork are all the rage in small cafes. Edison bulbs, in particular, are used in a variety of creative ways. Why not implement some of those ideas in your home for Diwali for a new look? Hang clusters of Edison bulbs in your hallway or in your porch. Criss-cross your garden with them or drape them over your plants and hedges. You can even fix them to the ground in a row to illuminate pathways or the lines of your house.
Paper cup lights
Did you know that paper cups can prove to be amazing for light decorations? Perforate paper cups and thread string lights through them and hang them like buntings.
Use them like mini lampshades. Stick them together in different patterns with a bulb inside to give out a jazzy effect. If you are talented enough, then carve out patterns and place a tea candle inside. The shadows they cast would be nothing less than gorgeous.