Throwing that last-minute Holi get-together and worried about how to spruce up the look and feel of your home? Be it your terrace, home, patio, or garden, any party gets just that much better with the right decor elements in place.
We got in touch with Saima Wohra of The Custom Krafts for a quick-DIY Holi set-up that you could put together without any hassles, using easily available elements at home and around you. So let’s get started!
Chatt wali holi
No party is complete these days without photos and hence a designated #PhotoSpot is what your Holi decor most definitely needs. Opt for this simple and super colourful backdrop that you can create using satin fabric in different colours and patterns, or even different dupattas that you have readily lying at home. To add finishing touches, this decor has stitching hoops wrapped in multi-colour fabric. You can also use paper, net, etc to create the look. Add tiny fairy lights around the periphery and you could easily take this decor from day to evening by just switching on your lights.
Most of the elements used in the decor are easily available at your nearest market. All you need is chilled thandai, and some kick-ass Holi tunes and you’re all set.
Instead of using the regular tables for your colours, try out these gulal stands made using readily available bamboo sticks that can be tied together using a pom-pom lace or any other colourful ribbon or cloth strand and fixate a bamboo basket or even a mud pot for your colours. Not only do they look cool and innovative, they’re also super easy to create and are user-friendly.
Channel your inner desi-ness with this khatiya or jute bed as a seating option. It works well with the rustic look and feel of the decor and is also easy to maintain, wash and clean. You can tie colourful cloth around its four legs or even paint them in quirky colours. These also make for super cool photo settings and your guests are going to love them for sure. They also serve as a great resting spot in between the dancing and running around.
Garden wali holi
Here’s another decor that you could do in a bigger space such as a patio or a garden and much like the previous one, this too does not require much prep. Have an old scooter or motorbike at home? Dress it up in flowers and colourful fabric, add readymade paper or artificial flowers to the wall behind you, and voila! An easy DIY photo-cum-decor corner is ready with minimal effort. If you are someone that chooses to go all out then you can use a floral or fabric canopy behind the scooter as well for a more polished look. Use readily available placards and props such as funky glasses, umbrellas, hats, feather boas etc to hand out to guests who want to make use of the backdrop for a photo-op. For those without a vehicle, you can substitute the same with a couch or a swing and dress it up to create a similar effect.
Since it’s the festival of colours, even the simplest of colourful and quirky decor can create a great impression. We loved the idea of using old tyres, re-painting them in a range of colours, and stacking them randomly while adding finishing touches with flowers and fairy lights. You can also add streamers, feathers and even some confetti if you want to go all the way. An easy way to camouflage the unappealing corners as well.
Create an eye-catching yet easily doable entrance that can be created using readily available dupatta and fabrics lying at home as a half curtain. Use marigold flowers or artificial flower chains around the periphery of the curtain for a pop of colour. You can also use leaves, tassels, lace as well as fairy lights. Next up, stack a few bright pots decorated with ribbons, lace and chunky mirrors, you can also use potted plants for the same.
DIY Holi decor tips
1. Use bright-coloured elements, Holi is all about colours!
2. Keep a few pichkaris in a bucket, it’s one of the main elements.
3. A Holi greetings printable would look great.
4. Create a backdrop for photos using colourful dupattas.
5. Use bright-coloured glasses to serve your thandai.
6. Keep the Holi colours in a kulhar (earthen pot) to give a desi feel.
7. Serve sweets in a nicely decorated tray with lace or simply fill the tray with flower petals.
8. Use quirky glasses, hats and wigs, it won’t just give you great pictures but also save your hair and skin.
9. Make a fun playlist with Bollywood Holi numbers to dance on.
10. A little bhang didn’t hurt nobody!
Pictures: B. Halder