Decorating Guides
Beautiful Decor Ideas for Celebrating Diwali
Discover 10 ways to bring bling, light and color into your home for India’s festival of lights
It’s almost Diwali — that time of year we awaited eagerly as kids because it meant unlimited sweets, bright new clothes, sparkling lights, noisy firecrackers (although I hated them) and a pervasive joie de vivre. I also remember, albeit with less enthusiasm, having to clean and paint the house as part of this five-day Indian festival of lights. As an adult, I look forward to the festivities, which begin Nov. 5 this year, with just as much delight, but I have less patience to do things as elaborately as my parents did. Over the years, I’ve drawn up a decorating checklist for Diwali. Whether traditional or with a modern twist, these ideas meet the festival prerequisites of light, color and bling.
Who needs phuljharis (sparklers) when you can have decorative lights that resemble them? Besides looking pretty, these lights last a long time and don’t pollute the air.
I love the traditional multitiered brass lamps, which hang or stand indoors or out. Paper lanterns are great temporary options for the outdoors — simply fold them up and put them away after the festival until you need them next.
I love the traditional multitiered brass lamps, which hang or stand indoors or out. Paper lanterns are great temporary options for the outdoors — simply fold them up and put them away after the festival until you need them next.
No Diwali is complete without diyas. If you are careful, you can reuse the clay ones year after year. If you are too lazy to go the oil-burning diya way (or too much of a cleanliness freak since they can leave stains), use tea lights in decorative holders. I also found, to my delight, small battery-operated diyas and tea lights, which produce a realistic-looking flickering flame.
Shop for tea lights on Houzz
Shop for tea lights on Houzz
Tuck a string of fairy lights in a glass bell jar to light up a corner, or put them in a large glass bowl on the coffee table, along with some shiny baubles to catch and reflect the light, for a twinkling display.
Don’t forget the niches when illuminating your home. These cupped candleholders will ensure that the niches stay soot-free.
2. Design a Stunning Entrance
Create an entrance worthy of inviting Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of good fortune, into your home. Decorate the doorway or a balcony with garlands of marigolds. Marigolds are a festival favorite; they are associated with fire and purity and therefore considered auspicious. They also are brilliant-looking and long-lasting. Intertwine the wreaths and strands with strings of lights for added charm.
Create an entrance worthy of inviting Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of good fortune, into your home. Decorate the doorway or a balcony with garlands of marigolds. Marigolds are a festival favorite; they are associated with fire and purity and therefore considered auspicious. They also are brilliant-looking and long-lasting. Intertwine the wreaths and strands with strings of lights for added charm.
A toran is another option. This doorway-hung decoration is easy to create, so you can include the children to make them feel part of the festival preparations. If fresh leaves aren’t readily available, get the kids to cut leaves out of green paper — that will keep them happily busy for a few hours.
A traditional urli bowl full of colorful flowers or petals at the entrance will add to the festive atmosphere.
3. Create an Accent Wall
If you are loath to repaint the entire house, concentrate on a key wall, maybe in the living room or the entry. Cover it in a striking red or orange — red traditionally represents shakti (power or energy), and orange symbolizes positivity — and set it off with a gold-trimmed mirror or painting.
Browse gold-framed mirrors
If you are loath to repaint the entire house, concentrate on a key wall, maybe in the living room or the entry. Cover it in a striking red or orange — red traditionally represents shakti (power or energy), and orange symbolizes positivity — and set it off with a gold-trimmed mirror or painting.
Browse gold-framed mirrors
Wallpapering a small wall in a brilliant hue is a good alternative to paint, giving you a feature wall with a ready-made design of your choice.
Shop for wallpaper by color
Shop for wallpaper by color
4. Switch Up Your Pillows
Now is not the time to be understated. Unpack the bright silk furnishings embellished with zardozi (gold and silver embroidery) and sequins that you may have stored away. I find pillows to be easier to change than, say, curtains, and you can have as many as you want in a myriad of colors.
Now is not the time to be understated. Unpack the bright silk furnishings embellished with zardozi (gold and silver embroidery) and sequins that you may have stored away. I find pillows to be easier to change than, say, curtains, and you can have as many as you want in a myriad of colors.
5. Decorate the Coffee Table
Diwali means hosting a stream of guests, so ensure that your coffee table looks smashing. All kinds of decorative elements can be put to use, even potpourri. This tray with scented fir cones and pillar candles is in the center of the action, conveying a subtle sense of festivity. It would work for Christmas too.
Diwali means hosting a stream of guests, so ensure that your coffee table looks smashing. All kinds of decorative elements can be put to use, even potpourri. This tray with scented fir cones and pillar candles is in the center of the action, conveying a subtle sense of festivity. It would work for Christmas too.
A tray with beautiful glassware on your coffee table will do double duty as a decorative and functional item.
How to Decorate a Coffee Table
How to Decorate a Coffee Table
6. Break Out the Bling
An easy way to add shine to your space is with a scattering of small decorative items like vases, candleholders and plates dipped in gold. As I mentioned before, stuff that might hibernate in the closet most of the year because it’s too sparkly is just right for Diwali. You also could plan a DIY project for the preceding weekend and, for example, paint a few key photo or art frames in gold.
An easy way to add shine to your space is with a scattering of small decorative items like vases, candleholders and plates dipped in gold. As I mentioned before, stuff that might hibernate in the closet most of the year because it’s too sparkly is just right for Diwali. You also could plan a DIY project for the preceding weekend and, for example, paint a few key photo or art frames in gold.
7. Don’t Ignore the Corners
While you are busy lighting up the whole house, pay attention to those usually neglected corners. You’d be amazed, if you just cast a glance around your home, at the number of everyday things you could use to decorate. Add color and light to these areas with multicolored tassels, tinted glasses and a couple of lamps.
While you are busy lighting up the whole house, pay attention to those usually neglected corners. You’d be amazed, if you just cast a glance around your home, at the number of everyday things you could use to decorate. Add color and light to these areas with multicolored tassels, tinted glasses and a couple of lamps.
8. Use the Fancy Dishes
Get out the fine china that you save for special occasions for fear of chipping. Alternatively, lay the table with copper vessels, which are traditional, beautiful and unbreakable. Copper or rose-gold cutlery befits Diwali if your tableware tastes run traditional.
Tip: Copper or rose-gold cutlery is usually stainless steel electroplated with a layer of gold or copper alloy, so hand-wash it carefully if you’d like it to keep its sheen.
Get out the fine china that you save for special occasions for fear of chipping. Alternatively, lay the table with copper vessels, which are traditional, beautiful and unbreakable. Copper or rose-gold cutlery befits Diwali if your tableware tastes run traditional.
Tip: Copper or rose-gold cutlery is usually stainless steel electroplated with a layer of gold or copper alloy, so hand-wash it carefully if you’d like it to keep its sheen.
9. Fill Your Home With Fragrance
Scent your home with fragrant candles …
Scent your home with fragrant candles …
… or flowers.
Fragrance lifts the spirit and the mood. Ideally, I use it all year but most definitely during the festival of lights.
Fragrance lifts the spirit and the mood. Ideally, I use it all year but most definitely during the festival of lights.
10. Make a Beautiful Rangoli
For those of us who haven’t learned the art of making rangoli decorations freehand, stencils are a heaven-sent shortcut. Choose nontoxic powders, especially if children are using them. Natural, biodegradable ingredients like turmeric, henna, rice powder or gulaal (vegetable powders traditionally used for other Indian celebrations) increasingly are being used during Diwali.
Alternatively, go for a floral rangoli. It’s easier to make (especially for someone as clumsy as I am) and to clean up. You can make rangolis anywhere in the house, but usually they decorate the entrance — a sign of welcome and an invitation to Lakshmi to come in with wealth, prosperity and good luck.
On that note, dear readers, here’s wishing you all a wonderful Diwali in advance. May the new year bring good health, prosperity and peace to all.
Tell us: How do you decorate your home for Diwali? We’d love to hear from you in the Comments.
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Read other stories about holiday decorating
Find a decorating professional
Shop for holiday decor on Houzz
For those of us who haven’t learned the art of making rangoli decorations freehand, stencils are a heaven-sent shortcut. Choose nontoxic powders, especially if children are using them. Natural, biodegradable ingredients like turmeric, henna, rice powder or gulaal (vegetable powders traditionally used for other Indian celebrations) increasingly are being used during Diwali.
Alternatively, go for a floral rangoli. It’s easier to make (especially for someone as clumsy as I am) and to clean up. You can make rangolis anywhere in the house, but usually they decorate the entrance — a sign of welcome and an invitation to Lakshmi to come in with wealth, prosperity and good luck.
On that note, dear readers, here’s wishing you all a wonderful Diwali in advance. May the new year bring good health, prosperity and peace to all.
Tell us: How do you decorate your home for Diwali? We’d love to hear from you in the Comments.
More
Read other stories about holiday decorating
Find a decorating professional
Shop for holiday decor on Houzz
Sprinkle your outdoors with LED fairy lights, a great alternative to diyas (oil lamps made of), which might get blown out by the wind. I love the simplicity of this lighting scheme, with fairy lights stretching across a patio to transform it into the prettiest spot ever. Energy-efficient and long-lasting LEDs can be used indoors as well.
Find LED string lights in the Houzz Shop