It’s Diwali time and we’re all set to binge-eat sweets and scroll through endless Diwali party selfies. It also means that your house is going to be decorated with a thousand twinkling lights and you’d run the risk of ruining a beautifully made rangoli on the floor with one single careless step. The festive season means spring cleaning the house and decking up your space in bright lights emanating from colourful fairy lights and diyas.
Importance of Decorating Your House for Diwali
This festival symbolises the victory of good over evil. Hence it’s celebrated by lighting lamps, creating cheerful rangolis, and generally looking like an off-duty Bollywood star. On Diwali, people clean their houses, decorate their spaces with lights, and vibrant colours, and pray for prosperity, good fortune, and peace. It is believed that Hindu deities Lord Ganesha and Goddess Laxmi, the patrons of wealth and good fortune, visit people’s homes and, therefore, it is important to have your house clean and nicely decorated to welcome them properly so that you can get their blessings for the coming year.
Diwali is also celebrated to mark the triumphant return of Lord Ram to Ayodhya after vanquishing Raavan and rescuing his wife Queen Sita from his clutches. A cheerfully decorated house symbolises the joy and triumph of the moment perfectly.
All the Popular Elements of Diwali Decor
Diyas Diwali Decoration
The little oil lamps are the most traditional way to decorate your space on Diwali. Traditionally, it’s made out of clay and has a cotton wick dipped in ghee. A diya is a standard decor item during the festival.
Flowers Diwali Decoration
Whether you use flowers in strands to hang around the doorways in your house or make rangoli patterns out of the petals, flowers make great decorations during the festive season. Flowers are also used during the puja, so you can use them to decorate the designated praying area of your house too.
Rangoli Diwali Decoration
Colourful patterns, made out of powdered pigments, are a common sight in houses across the country for Diwali. Making a rangoli is a great way to decorate your space and spend some quality time with your loved ones.
Torans Diwali Decoration
Diwali torans, or wall hangings, are a great way to add colour to your space as well as bring good luck because they’re considered to be a good omen. You can either buy torans from the market or get into the DIY spirit and make yourself one out of recycled material to score some eco-consciousness points.
Fairy Lights Diwali Decoration
While not traditional, string lights or fairy lights are a great addition to Diwali decor. They present a pleasing effect that brightens a space instantly and turn your space Pinterest-worthy with just a turn of the switch.
Antique Lamps Diwali Decoration
You can add brass lamps and candlesticks around the house and place diyas or tiny tea lights to add to the Diwali decor in your space. These can vary in style and size, depending on your preferences.
Diwali Decoration Ideas for Inside
The Puja Area Diwali Decoration
Since your home’s praying area would be the centre of all the activity during Diwali, it should be the main focus when deciding the decor for your house. Whether it is a big area or a compact one, there are a few ways you can decorate it to make it appear warm, inviting, and appropriately festive. It goes without saying that the area should be absolutely clean. Since it’s a designated praying area, there’s a good chance that it’s already fragrant with the scent of incense and has a few diyas lit all year round. All you need to do is add flower strands and garlands to decorate the area and include some lamps to add to the festive feel and you’re sorted.
The Living Room Diwali Decoration
This area of your house is where you and your guests would be spending a lot of time so it needs to be decorated in a way that’s non-intrusive but bright and cheerful at the same time. You can do this by adding flowers, diyas, and scented candles around the space. Avoid making rangolis in areas with a lot of movement as it can get easily ruined. With all the diyas and candles, you won’t need any additional light as these would do a great job of providing soft lighting to the space. Another simple trick to add colour to your space is to go for sheer curtains in vibrant shades, like yellow, red, pink, and orange.
Diwali Decor Ideas for Outside
Don’t skip out on decorating the outside of your house for Diwali. Most of your decorating efforts will be directed towards the interior of your home, but it doesn’t mean that the exterior should go without a little dressing up! The most common way to decorate the outside of your house is to add string lights and flowers. Adding rangoli outside your door is also a great way to add a bit of festive pep to your house.
Things to Keep in Mind While Decorating for Diwali
Decorating your house for Diwali can be a fun bonding exercise for the entire family and help instil the feeling of festivity in everyone. But there are some things that you should keep in mind while you’re decorating for the festival. Here are a few important things to remember:
1) If you’re using LED fairy lights in and around your house, then make sure they are of good quality. Not only would it completely tank your grand Diwali decor spread, but it can be potentially hazardous as a piece of faulty electrical equipment can cause a fire.
2) Do not place open flames near curtains or in places where they can come in contact with clothing items like saris, dupattas, or lehengas.
3) Keep a fire extinguisher handy because, you know what they say, prevention is better than cure.
4) Try using eco-friendly rangoli colours this Diwali. Not only are these good for the environment, but they also will not cause any skin issues when you come into contact with them.
5) Do not go overboard with creating the perfect Diwali decor. The festive season is all about celebrating and having fun with your loved ones. Don’t sweat the small stuff in making each and every detail perfect around the house when it comes to decor.
DIY Decor Ideas for Diwali
You don’t need to break the bank when it comes to Diwali decorations. With a few nifty DIY hacks, you can ensure your space looks nicely decked up when all your loved ones come around to visit. Here are a few ideas that you can employ around the house…
Mason Jar Lanterns Diwali Decoration
A simple and effective decor trick is to stuff battery-operated fairy lights or tea lights in a glass mason jar. It looks adorable, fancy and makes for a ‘Gram-worthy light fixture.
Paper Lamps Diwali Decoration
There are numerous YouTube tutorials on how to easily make different kinds of paper lanterns and lamps for your house. This Diwali, indulge in some arts and crafts and make paper lamps on your own.
Hand-Decorated Diyas Diwali Decoration
While there’s no dearth of beautifully decorated diyas in the market, you can make yours even special by decorating them yourself. You can personalise some and hand them out as Diwali gifts too. The best part? You don’t have to be perfect with your artistry. Just take your paintbrush and have fun creating patterns on clay lamps.
Eco-friendly Ways to Decorate Your House This Diwali
Being conscious about our effect on the environment and taking care of the planet is truly in the spirit of the festival which is all about goodness and virtue. So it would be remiss to not take into consideration using eco-friendly decor items while getting your house Diwali-ready. Here are a few ways in which you can be mindful of the environment while decorating for the festival…
DIY Rangoli Colours
Typically, the colours you get to make rangoli are filled with chemicals that can be harmful to your skin and the environment. You can make colours for your rangolis from items around your house, like rice, fennel, turmeric, kumkum, and even flowers.
Use Plants for Decorations
Despite all the bans and pleas to avoid bursting crackers this Diwali, it’s inevitable that the air will be polluted. Having lots of plants around your space will not only make for a calming aesthetic but also keep the air purified.
Invest in Good Quality Decor Items
If you’re buying lamps and other decor items for Diwali, make sure they are of good quality. This would mean that they can be reused and won’t be discarded, adding to the growing issue of non-biodegradable trash threatening the environment.
Switch to LED Lights
Good quality LED fairy lights consume less energy and are more eco-friendly. They will also last for a long time and help you keep your decor sustainable.
Avoid Plastic Torans
Instead of going for cheap, non-biodegradable plastic torans, opt for ones made out of fabric with techniques like crocheting, patchwork etc.
Whatever way you choose to decorate your space this Diwali, remember that it’s more important to have fun and be safe. Happy Diwali!
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