When I was growing up I lived in a small town, magnanimous nevertheless. Yes, I am very much biased to my hometown. Its a debatable topic but we will get back to it some other day. The entire township was a planned settlement. We had a decent house which were referred to as quarters. The quarters comprised of a Garage, a picket fenced garden, sprawling backyard, three rooms with a kitchen and two verandahs. Almost resembling a mini bunglow. The only pain point in my opinion were the bathrooms. They were a part of the house but yet not very much in it. It was at the end of the backyard. The toilets and the bathrooms were two separate entities. The old style of house planning had this as a disadvantage which believed that toilets and bathrooms should be away from the house owing to sanitation and cleanliness. But imagine the visits at the darkest hour of the night or walking with an umbrella in pouring rains just to answer nature’s call. Phew!! I will cut short the only bit of the quarter life which wasn’t very pleasant for me.
Now growing up and getting into the urban apartment culture. I seriously couldnt relate to living in these pigeon-hole houses (yes that is how they are referred to from where I come from). From my first job to my marriage and arriving in United kingdom, I have only lived in apartments. My first love is still a grounded house with a prominent garden and a backyard. With all the cubicles one thing they eliminated was the far-fetched restrooms. All integrated within the 1000 ft2 space….oh…not to mention the carpet area crap.
My geography teacher once told that “The true status of a person is known from his/her bathroom”. I never researched its genuinely but I take it very seriously. In the process of adorning our apartments we spend very little on our bathrooms or toilets. This is the case with majority of the homeowners.
I associate this as the place where I sulked, a place where I did my last-minute revisions, hid myself when I felt lost, cried over unfair life, unravelled puberty,smoked my first cigarette and last but not the least where I enjoy my own company without any interruptions. Though I could tolerate that single crease on the bed but even with no accessories the bathroom should be spotlessly clean (read OCD). I realised when I spend a significant amount of my life span either in the shower or over the john then why not add a little quirk to it.I identify with quirk because it eases things for me. There is lot of love for vintage but I am not all candy floss expect for romance. 😉
I am reminded of a school song which we sang during our english singing.
She was afraid to come out of the locker
She was as nervous as she could be
She was afraid to come out of the locker
She was afraid that somebody would see
One, two, three, four, tell the people what she woreIt was an itsy, bitsy, teenie, weenie, yellow polka-dot bikini
That she wore for the first time today………………………………by Brian Hyland.
- A thousand pictures
They say a picture tells a thousand stories. Recently I went into a restroom of a renowned restaurant and the walls were filled with Chinese comic strips. I was intrigued and spent a considerable amount of time deciphering the pictures. I did get a few heads turned as I came in late after a while little did they know that I was reading comics rather than answering calls. 🙂 So no more flowers, birds and quotes. Its about weird,bizarre and fun. There is a little of weird in each one of us. Lets celebrate quirk by painting them on the walls. Have fun…why not !
2. Accessorise your tools
I doubt anyone thought in the early nineties that the brush which cleaned muck would one day be a funky bathroom accessory. Spice up your bathroom with Bathroom Accessories, the red toilet seat or world map shower curtains, to union jack towels or an intricate toilet roll holder. All this to help you add colour and interesting twist to your private space.
3. Kid Bath
When you live as a family you should create a space which includes every member of the family. Provided you are one of those lucky ones where each member has their own bathroom. I would definitely create something special for my little one. Her corner where she likes unwinding. I picked up all these kinder joy goodies which she receives and then she dumps it in some nook of the house. I collected all of them and placed them on the window sill by the bath. She pulls in a few of them when she is in the bath. Or practises shooting water guns at them as targets. These give a wonderful quirky touch to an otherwise white sanitary ware and chrome brassware which might seem lame to children.
4. Design your Bath
Lets face it, your everyday dream of soft white sand beaches and you immersed in the crystal clear water. A small hut on the beach where you lounge and enjoy the company of your loved one. Well well well, reality always wakes you up either in the shower or the tap on the door. I grew up taking bath with a bucket and a mug very simple very rustic style followed in many households. But each time I visited the exotic hotels I would definitely make it a point to soak in the bathtub till eternity. So when I was looking for an apartment in UK I was very particular about the bathtub. Nothing fancy just its presence matters. So, if you don’t have one investing in one is not a bad decision at all. On leisure weekends or holidays just transform the whole scene with scented candles, succulents, a thrilling read and a dead sea salt soaking bubble bath. Treat yourself once in a while.
5. Attitube
Every day morning when you get up, you see the world as an open book, crumbling space, amazing adventure or a cynical paradox. Whatever it is you choose your perspective. SO anything you derive happiness or sadness in life is a reflection of your attitude. Quirk is not something which is copied nor is it something you learn. The loudest and most influential voice is your attitude. You are your best judge. All the above hold true if it identifies with your attitude.
The idea was to break from the conventional side of photography. I was bored with the same old food styling and wanted to choose a new subject for photography. I have done tons of food and travel photography. Lifestyle is a new subject for me and I am learning a new aspect everyday.