The Stay At Home Club

A big part of me knows that I need to stop patting myself on the back for embracing my homebody nature. But after years of being teased for preferring to stay in than go out, I finally gave in and relished the fact that I love sinking into the couch with my Laptop with me researching for Wilderness, or a good book and a good movie every night. Every time I hear my freind's Ami or Pankti or my husband Kunal Shah's voice in my head — “Disha, you’re only 26 and not 56” — I’m going to tuck this bag under my arm a little tighter and remember that I’m part of a club. Ok, maybe not a real club, but a club that unites — in spirit — those of us who enjoy quiet nights at home with our pets. The Stay Home Club is an online shop that sells art and home goods designed by independent artists and illustrators. These pieces were designed by Olivia Mew and sum up my feelings pretty perfectly. So if you’re on the stay home team, click here to check out the patches and bags. If I see someone wearing one of these on the street, I’m definitely going to stop for a high five. And then I’ll ask what book they are reading this week ; P

WATER PITCHERS + RECIPES

 Yesterday we focussed on drinking more water .. my simplest goal is always to drink more water. A few years ago I discovered that the best way to trick myself into drinking more water was to flavor it with something subtle and delicious. I’ve tested just about every fruit and water combination there is, so I thought I’d share my favorite recipes here today, as well as some pretty pitchers (many with built-in flavor infusers) that might encourage you to drink more water (and skip the plastic bottles). I’m always hunting for cool new “spa water” recipes to try, so if you’ve got a favorite, please please share it with me in the comments below. My typical cucumber/mint and lemon/lime routine is getting a little tired. Here’s to a happy, healthy new year for all of us, and a few more glasses of water. xo, grace

Pitcher roundup above: 1. Muse Pitcher, $98 | 2. Iittala Pitcher, $65 | 3. Clay Pitcher, $39 | 4. Steel Pitcher, $30 | 5. Bobble Water Filter Jug, $34 | 6. Pill Carafe, $48 | 7. Hobnail Pitcher, $78 | 8. Gatsby Pitcher, $45 | 9. Lilac Pitcher, $89

My favorite easy-to-make water blends

• Ginger Mint
• Chamomile, Mint and Cardamom
• Raspberry Rose Vanilla
• Pineapple Mint
• Blackberry Sage (I love this made with a home seltzer machine.)
• Orange Cranberry
• Orange Ginger (and many more from this source)

Image above: 1. Ceramic Water Filter, $895 (a pricey but pretty water commitment) | 2. Ona Pitcher, $24.95 | 3. Striped Pitcher, $42| 4. Aalto Pitcher, $115 | 5. Rimini Pitcher, $72 | 6. Alpha Pitcher, $196 | 7. Glass Infuser Pitcher, $39 | 8. Fruit Infusion Jug, $25 | 9. Off Pitcher and Cup, $246 (custom made)

More pitchers after the jump . . .

Image above, left to right: Soda Lime Pitcher, $28 | Infuser Jug, $19.99 | Infuser Pitcher, $19.95 | Menu Water Jug, $49.99

Image above, left to right: Recycled Glass Pitcher, $27 | Kumquat Pitcher, $268 (splurge)

Image above, left to right: White Pitcher, $39 | Cafe Pitcher, $29

40 GREAT JUICE GLASSES

Why should I stick to only 20 great Yoga Mats. If I am going, I am going all out. With my Yoga routine I am also asked to increase my water and fluid intake and keep myself sugary and hydrated ! Ofcourse – the summer of Mumbai is killing us all equally – But for some, like me, the delicate lot, the one with the golden spoon, we can barely take the heat. Forget our dose of Vitamin C I say and stay indoors and keep COOL.

So I thought I’d do a post on How to keep it stylish in Scorching Mumbai and stay hydrated ! Here is a round up on some fabulous designer Juice Glasses !  

Sometimes my life feels like a never-ending battle against dehydration. I have a weird aversion to plain water (unless it’s infused with fruit), and coffee has become my new best friend over the past few years. Combine those two things, and you’ve got a recipe for dry skin and all sorts of health issues. So in addition to trying to drink more water, I’m making myself incorporate juices into at least one meal a day.  

Like most things, if I can tie it to something I already love (like cute patterned glasses), I have a better chance of sticking to it. So I hope these glass options will get you in the mood to embrace some healthy drinking options. If not, you can always pour something a little more sinful in them. And if you don’t see something you like here, my full research roundup of 70+ juice glasses is right here on Pinterest. 

*I know juice glasses traditionally hold 6 oz., but I included a range of sizes for anyone who likes to have smaller or larger options.

Image above: 1. Mildra Glass, $1.99 | 2. Laguna Glasses, $78+ | 3. Kartio Glass, 2 for $20 | 4. Color Pop Juice Glass, $8 | 5. Skoja Glass, $1.49 | 6. Blown Glass Tumbler, $54 | 7. Krokett Glass, $2.49 | 8. Twisted Tumbler, $24 | 9. Corky Glass Carafe and Glasses, $99 | 10. FABULÖS Glass, $2.99

Image above: 1. Brooklyn Glass, $6.50 | 2. 123 Glass, $1.95 | 3. Tortoise Glasses, 4 for $50 | 4. Not Neutral Glassware, $20+ | 5. Platinum Glass, $22 | 6. Brukbar Glass, $1.49 | 7. Sparrow Glass, $7.50 | 8. Siena Glass Tumblers, $18+ | 9. Enamel Tumbler, $16 | 10. Lempi Glass, 2 for $65

See 25 more juice glasses after the jump . . .

Image above: 1. Aegean Glasses, 4 for $30 | 2. Miguel Glasses, $4.95+ | 3. Minima Glass, $28 | 4. Enamel Tumbler, $16 | 5. Dissolved Cobalt Glass, $8 | 6. Recycled Juice Glass, 4 for $66 | 7. Resin Cup, $36

Image above: 1. Hobnail Glass, $10 | 2. Aino Glass, 2 for $20 | 3. Laksha Glass, $12 | 4.Pink Dots Glass, $5.50 | 5. Godis Glass, 6 for $6.99 | 6. Frasera Glass, $3.49 | 7. Timo Glasses, 4 for $69 | 8. Frida Glasses, $9.99

Image above: 1. Jewel Cut Glasses, 4 for $34 | 2. Beacon Glassware, $16+ | 3. Colorful Cafe Glasses, 6 for $48 | 4. Working Glasses with Lids, 4 for $16

Image above: 1. Brighton Tumbler, $16 | 2. Curve Glass, $16 | 3. Opalescent Tumbler, $16 | 4. Jadeite Tumbler, $15 | 5. Pooled Gold Glass, $14

20 GREAT YOGA MATS

A Twisted Fact in my mind : Yoga is a slower way of life !

Fact : Yoga is a the way of life.. !

I have had a bit of a trouble streak when it comes to my personal fitness for a couple of weeks now. Every since I have gotten married – life with Kunal Shah is no lesser than living on a roller coaster. It’s like a never ending one. We have a string of weddings, birthday parties, dinners etc all planned out weeks in advance which gives very little time for the boady to recuperate. Also it may sound like an excuse – but I am exhausted just going everywhere to actually find time for my personal fitness. Until I went to see the doc yest – yes yes everything is in top form – except I was asked to have some Y time – YOGA time to de-stress.

Everybody who is my somebody knows I am one to live in the moment and I love the fast way of life. Yoga is the last thing on my mind -  but Alas – I have been asked to stick to it. But ofcourse, if I am put in a situation I am never going to have a glad acceptance .. I will see the artsy , glam-ming it up form of Yoga and thought hmm… need some nice fancy Yoga Mat.

I have to admit to feeling a little nervous about giving yoga mat advice, as I think choosing a yoga mat can be a bit personal. The best way to find a mat is to try out a few. I used to practice with a super cheap mat until I started slipping all over the place the last time I tried a Yoga stint. I came across  a Jadeyoga mat because I think it has a good grip and is eco-friendly. Some of these mats were picked for the grip and some for the fantastic patterns; if a patterned mat motivates you to pull it out more frequently, then there’s nothing wrong with that!

Image above: 1. Prosperity Yoga Mat, $19.29 | 2. Southwest Yoga Mat, $85 | 3. Magic Carpet Yoga Mat, $85 | 4. Flower of Life Yoga Mat, $21.59 | 5. Blue Medallion Yoga Mat, $21.59 | 6. Yoga Towel, $35 | 7. Neo-Baroque Yoga Mat, $22 | 8. Lululemon Mat, $68

Image above: 1. Red Polka Dot Yoga Mat, $71.99 | 2. Manduka Yoga Mat, $68–$96.36  | 3. Nike Yoga Mat, $50 | 4. Stella McCartney Yoga Mat, $80 | 5. Eko Superlite Travel Mat, $39 | 6. Prana E.C.O. Yoga Mat, $48  | 7. Blue Tie-dye Mat, $21.99

BEST OF BATHROOMS

The bathroom can be one of the most difficult rooms to decorate. You have to work around so many bulky fixtures and utilitarian objects. My favorite bathrooms are those that treat the space as an extension of the house, with vintage objects, great artwork and beautiful rugs. Here are 50 great bathrooms that do it right. 

For more inspiration, see our other Best of Bathrooms:

Image above: A dark and dramatic bathroom that didn’t cost an arm and a leg. The floor is linoleum, and the black gloss sink was from a salvage yard. This home is actually a Canadian gastro hotel: Sneak Peek: Jessica & Ash Bettenay.

Image above: This dark color is chalkboard paint mixed with 10% white. It’s the perfect color for art display. See the full home tour here: Sneak Peek: Zoe Johns & Max Catalano.

Image above: Color can make a huge impact in a tiny bathroom. See more of this Austin, Texas, home here: Sneak Peek: Pete & Bailey McCarthy.

See all 50 bathrooms after the jump . . .

Image above: Dark colors can do wonders for a bathroom. See more of this Toronto Victorian house here: Sneak Peek: Emma Reddington of the Marion House Book.

Image above: In the bathroom of his country escape in Victoria, Australia, the homeowner managed to find a matching sink and tub for only $60! See the full home tour here: Sneak Peek: Luke Mortimer.

Image above: The homeowner found all the items for her nautically themed bathroom in Australia from eBay. See the full house tour here: Sneak Peek: Paula of Tuppenny Farm.

Image above: With chalkboard paint, the pattern can be changed on a whim. See the full home tour here: Sneak Peek: Tara Mangini & Percy Bright.

Image above: A relaxing bathroom in a Catskills vacation home. The tub is a black-bottomed clawfoot tub. The tub fill is a brass spigot originally used for a laundry basin and found on eBay. Subway tile on the walls and Carrara mosaic tile for the floors. See the full home tour here: Sneak Peek: Jason Gnewikow & Jeff Madalena.

Image above: Instead of a shower curtain, try salvaged windows! See the full home tour here: Sneak Peek: Evan and Oliver Haslegrave.

Image above: A cheerful light blue bathroom in Tel Aviv, Israel. See the full home tour here: Sneak Peek: Merav Sade.

Image above: A great industrial shower in Mexico City. See the full home tour here: Sneak Peek: Enrique Arellano & Libia Moreno.

Image above: Somehow, Gregory Beauchamp’s favorite rug ended up in the bathroom of his Venice Beach home, but it really warms up the space and looks great next to the Pendleton towel. See the full home tour here: Sneak Peek: Gregory Beauchamp.

Image above: Gorgeous wood-planked bathroom in Belfast, Maine. See the full home tour here: Sneak Peek: Annie & Caleb Coggan Crawford.

Image above: Originally this bathroom was covered in ’70s wallpaper, but the homeowner wanted to take it in a more masculine direction. See the full home tour here:Sneak Peek: Emily & Andrew de Stefano.

Image above: Black and white doesn’t mean lack of drama. See the full Dallas home here:Sneak Peek: Paige Morse.

Image above: The fern wallpaper is the highlight of this tiny bathroom. See the full home tour here: Sneak Peek: Carla & Jack Fahden.

Image above: A white bathroom with simple wood furniture for a Scandinavian feel. See this full London home here: Sneak Peek: Jane Cumberbatch.

Image above: The orange tub is part of what gives this bathroom a Moroccan feel. See the full Nîmes home here: Sneak Peek: Myriam Balaÿ-Devidal.

Image above: The huge white ornate mirror adds some glamour to an all-white bathroom. See the full San Francisco home tour: Sneak Peek: Jochen & Tina Frey.

Image above: This white clawfoot tub stands out against the brown wall, making a huge visual statement in this Australian home. See the full home tour here: Sneak Peek: Annabelle Kerslake of Fête Magazine.

Image above: A flocked wallpaper is the feature of this tiny bathroom. See more of this Austin, Texas, home here: Sneak Peek: Pete & Bailey McCarthy.

Image above: Dream shower in Austin, Texas. See the full home tour here: Sneak Peek: Pete & Bailey McCarthy.

Image above: The clean white backdrop makes this bathroom the perfect place to display fun finds like the party banner and the bird cage. See the full home tour here: Sneak Peek: Charity D’Amato.

Image above: The shower and floor are covered in glazed handmade Moroccan tiles, which give the space a lot of texture. See the full Sydney, Australia, home here: Sneak Peek: Sarah Davison.

Image above: The tiny office bathroom gets added style with a navy door and bathroom sign. See the full home tour here: Sneak Peek: Judith de Graaff.

Image above: A beautiful clawfoot tub in an 1860s Queen Anne historic brownstone in Baltimore’s cultural district.  See the full tour here: Sneak Peek: Wayne and Angie Wu.

Image above: This bathroom in Cape Town, South Africa, has so much light that it can practically function as a greenhouse. See the full house tour here: Sneak Peek: Monya and Jeremy Eastman.

Image above: This amazing sunken tub has water views. See the full home tour here:Sneak Peek: Family Beach House.

Image above: This Portland bathroom is filled with treasured pieces. The wooden box was found at a flea market in Provence, the ceramic cup was made by a friend and the collage was part of a college art project series. See the full home tour here: Sneak Peek: Julie Pointer.

Image above: The green vanity makes this tiny bathroom in Oakland, California, bright and happy. See the full home here: Sneak Peek: Rebekah Carey McNall of A & B Creative.

Image above: The ultimate luxury: an outdoor clawfoot tub. See the full Australian home tour here: Sneak Peek: Rachel Bending of Bird Textiles.

Image above: The vintage bottles in cool sea colors make this bathroom serene and spa-like. See the full house tour here: Sneak Peek: Josh & Diana of Casa de Perrin.

Image above: A vintage Singer machine as a bathroom vanity — perfect for a crafter. See the full home tour here: Sneak Peek: Chrissy Poitras & Kyle Topping.

Image above: This might be a tiny bathroom, but it has plenty of shoe storage. See full house tour here: Sneak Peek: Katia Graeff & Family.

Image above: The homeowner found this bathroom cabinet on the sidewalk in her Brooklyn neighborhood. See the full house tour here: Sneak Peek: Ariel Dearie.

Image above: The deer bookends and wolf mask add a sense of humor to this bathroom in Toronto, California. See the full home tour here: Sneak Peek: Sarah Foelske and James Milward.

Image above: Decal letters with a reminder to smile in a small bathroom in São Paulo, Brazil. See the full home tour here: Sneak Peek: Cendira Carvalho & Rodrigo Ribeiro.

Image above: A feminine bathroom in Kansas City. The mirror was found for $19 in one of Kansas City’s many great antique markets. See the full home tour here: Sneak Peek: Molly & Robert Josiah Bingaman.

Image above: The ultimate modern bathroom in Calgary, Canada. See the full home tour here: Sneak Peek: Jess Loraas.

Image above: If you can’t add color on the walls, you can still be bold with artwork. See the full home tour here: Sneak Peek: Kate Challis & Andrew Hollo.

Image above: This bathroom, with its salvaged clawfoot tub, is a vision in white. See the full home tour here: Sneak Peek: Alexandra Grablewski and Todd Bonne.

Image above: More of the white bathroom, a salvaged sink paired with an antique brass toothbrush holder. See the full home tour here: Alexandra Grablewski and Todd Bonne.

Image above: Utilitarian outdoor hose handles give this New York City bathroom an unfussy, industrial look. See the full house tour here: Sneak Peek: Lauren Moffatt.

Image above: More of Lauren Moffatt’s industrial bathroom. The vanity is actually a Paul McCobb piece that Lauren found for $50. See the full house tour here: Sneak Peek: Lauren Moffatt.

Image above: A great toothbrush holder solution! See the full home tour here: Sneak Peek: Bryan Minnich & Katie D’Angelo.

Image above: An explosion of tile in Marrakech. See full home (with lots of tile) here:Sneak Peek: Caitlin & Samuel of Popham Design.

Image above: This bathroom was a labor of love. The homeowners did all the tiling themselves. They also splurged on radiant heat floors — perfect for cold Toronto winters. See the full home tour here: Sneak Peek: Shaun Moore & Todd Caldwell.

Image above: Jewelry storage adds some bright color to an all-white bathroom. See the full London home here: Sneak Peek: Michelle Mason.

Image above: White oak bathroom cabinets and red chinoiserie wallpaper make a statement in this Atlanta bathroom. See the full home tour here: Sneak Peek: John & Vivian of Square Feet Studio.

Image above: A graphic shower curtain adds visual interest in a black and white bathroom. See the full Brooklyn home tour here: Sneak Peek: Kimberly & John Canale.

Image above: Arlo approves of the bathtub, too. See the full home tour here: Sneak Peek: Lizzy Janssen.