Candles, fairy lights, flowers, 'rangoli' motifs, 'diyas', gods and goddesses, 'haldi', gold and festive red! Let's get celebratory. Slow down, light those candles, drape some sheers and special table linen, do some catching up with that tired corner and spruce up your sitting room. Have a whole new look for you and your home. Transform your home for that special month when fairy lights sparkle up the driveway and Diwali is around the corner.

Starting Point

First, lighten the space. The new look of things is big and bold. A few ornaments, one focal point - more of a statement - this is a home, not a showroom. Let's do away with passé clocks, crystal bowls and a profusion of coloured vases and blown glass ashtrays. If you just must have all the masks in the living room, then group them together rather than scatter 'em. Diwali is a good time to let go of the clutter, literally and metaphorically, and focus on the showstoppers!

Think Colours, Think Bright

Grab that child within you and think of the colour-filled posters and pillows you loved as a child. Like the bright sun in a clear blue sky, a flash of yellow on a wall is all you need to wake up a room. You could contrast daubs of high intensity saturated colour with liberal amounts of white or pastel mauve. Or even go for a main colour that means something special to you and your family.

Bring Home An Idea

I remember visiting actor Monisha Koirala's home and being riveted by a special wall flanking the wooden stairwell, painted attractively to emulate Monet's 'Water Lilies'. The original canvas is at Musee de l'Orangerie, Paris, and it leaves the viewer immobile. So also the wall treatment here, though not the same obviously, is well rendered and used so effectively, giving a dreamlike quality to the house. A faded floating wall lamp in a subtle self-design is a bold, beautiful step.

Accessories For A Different Look

Covers, Cushions And Throws: You cannot continually change furniture (perhaps just the placement) and the lamps remain the same. But curtains, loose cover upholstery, throws and assorted rugs, when switched around, mixed and matched and alternated, produce a sense of attention-grabbing vibrancy that quite satisfies the urge for change in an inexpensive, convenient manner. Dashes of brightly coloured jewel shades, dramatic sequin embroidery, monochromes et al, resonating against each other, offer an exhilarating experience. Walk around from room to room first and visualise the points where throws and coloured cushions will add life. Deep royal blue and mustard yellow cushions brilliantly pepper the colour scheme. Golden colour-washed walls are sunny backdrops for pools of deep blue and sea green blue checks on the sofa.

Warm your spirit and body; use furnishings with less busy prints but rich bold colours - glowing copper rag rugs and throws around your conversation spots.

Sheers And Curtains : Perhaps you could add a sheer layer to your existing curtains. All it takes is the putting up of an extra curtain rod in front of the existing one, and using an ash rose organza or maybe indigo voile. And if the main layer of existing curtain is solid, the sheer layer could also have delicate self-coloured embroidery. Some bright-coloured ribbons around curtains instead of the now much-used metal clasps to hold them back are inexpensive and add to the festive feel.

All You Really Need...

You don't need a huge budget or a complete makeover to revamp the look; just a metaphoric brush stroke here and a frill there - you will have livened up the space for the special day. Start small, but think big and bold. Remember, you can always erase your mistake with another flick of the brush.