Reshma Kadvath’s Home- A Perfect Heaven for Swadeshi DIYS and Sukoon!

                                            

Umm…Where do I begin to introduce my lovely friend, Reshma Kadavath? A proud Fauji wife, a doting Mom to two awesome teenagers, a passionate upcycler,  a Keralite who speaks fluent Hindi, and a true nature lover. With all the social commitments and welfare activities that are a part of an Army life, she has even managed to author two coffee table books, titled  ‘Creative Musings of an Army Wife‘ and ‘For the Love of Creativity’. She is also pursuing her Master’s in Psychology.

I have been following Reshma for over a year now, ever since I stumbled upon her Instagram handle reshmakadvath- a treasure trove of creativity.  I don’t particularly remember the first post that enticed me, but I do remember relishing the whole of her Instagram feed in one go. Yup, I have scrolled down till the very first post. Hehe…

Let me not tease you any further and show you one of my most favorite posts from her Instagram feeds.

I just love this serene and gorgeous living room exuding the perfect blend of so many stunning things. I would say, it is a bit of  Roohani (soulful/spiritual) and Roomani (romantic)… I am pretty sure, as you are admiring the eclectic, rustic interiors and are soaking in the ambience, you have also noticed some unique and quirky elements. How could anyone ever miss a centerpiece made out of stoves or the two small settees created by using planks, salvaged from a wooden cable spool, or that red fabric wall hanging fashioned from a Gujarati Ghagra, or that lampshade sitting on an old tree trunk! And that small wooden plank gleefully announcing the truth ‘Sapno ka Ashiyana’, is pure Joy!

You can see here, a pushcart converted into a stunning dining table, reflecting the mellow-yellow light from the Kerala houseboat on the wall…👇

It is just not these two spaces, but every corner of Reshma’s home has such exceptionally beautiful décor pieces that are repurposed, reframed, recycled, and revived.  It is this ingenious creative streak in Reshma, which has her upcycle anything and everything; The old, broken, abandoned, inconspicuous mundane things have all been given an all-together a new beautiful, purposeful avatar.  These are some of the pictures that showcase her upcycled products, which I absolutely adore.

In Reshma’s own words, what started as a necessity driven creative journey has turned more meaningful, as it helps with sustainability, protecting, and preserving Mother Earth. Given the fact that Faujis have new postings every few years, upcycling would be the most practical and satisfying pursuit.  I see upcycling as one of the best examples for ‘Make in India’ movement spearheaded with such simple and effective ‘make at home’ initiatives.

Reshma is blessed with a green thumb and creates green heaven in all her homes, overcoming constraints of any type of Fauji accommodations. I particularly enjoyed the soothing pictures of that dry grass-roofed Gazebo fitting-in perfectly in the middle of that lush green lawn and a plethora of flora. All lovingly created and tended by her at their previous Odisha home, which they vacated a few months back. And, now look at this picture of the balcony of their present home. Reshma has created an equally beautiful Zen space with whatever possible. Don’t miss the sieve table. “Nonattachment/detachment, living in the moment”, are one of the most often prescribed mantras for Happiness. These two pictures seem to convey this message in a very simple manner. A big salute to all our Faujis and their families for showing us how well they walk the talk.

I have to share this… As a civilian enjoying the comfort, freedom, and security of a free Nation, I am very much aware of the sacrifices and selfless services of our Armed Forces.  I have the highest respect for our brave hearts. Reshma’s occasional Instagram post gives us a glimpse of the real Fauji life and their achievements. Like this one here in the video clip, you can see Colonel Kadvath Sir leading the parade when our honourable President presented Colours to the Corps of Army AD, one of the highest military honours.

Reshma’s recent Mother’s Day post deeply touched my heart, where she talked about her son Sid being diagnosed with ADHD. It is so encouraging to see this young man pursue his B.Tech. As a mother to a special child, I relate to it completely. It is such a heartwarming and inspiring message for all those families of children with ADHD or for that matter any challenging special condition.  As with all Resham’s Instagram posts, it says a lot without saying much. I just love this strength in subtlety!

Although I started following Reshma’s IG posts for the love of DIYs, I must say,  I\’m also enjoying all of her other posts that provide Sukoon. Like this one here, Krishna Kamal dancing to Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia’s melodious flute rendition is sheer bliss! 

You can see more of Reshma’s amazing work here.

It is a beautiful coincidence that I am sharing this write up on Reshma’s Birthday. Many Happy Returns of the day, dear Reshma. Have a great birthday and a blessed year ahead. With loads of love and luck💞

Kalyani Sreedhar Kakade

All images and video clips published in this blog belong to Reshma Kadvath and may not be replicated or reproduced without prior permission.

Content Copyrights: This अद्भुत Life!