Didn’t most of you spend the past weekend doing ‘Diwali ki safai‘ at home? Do you know why we do it? It’s done to spiritually cleanse and purify the home to make it ready to receive blessings from Goddess Lakshmi. Diwali is the perfect time to give your house a fresh makeover or redo it. For those looking to transform their space on a budget, Interior Designer, founder of Coloraza, and influencer Sonika Khurana Sethi, has shared her top Diwali home decor tips and DIY hacks with us!
Along with being a prolific interior designer for 13 years, Sonika is a mother to a 4-year-old son. She has struck the perfect balance between being an entrepreneur by running Coloraza, being a mom, and being an influencer, thanks to her super supportive husband. The couple challenges stereotypical gender roles by supporting each other equally. Sonika believes in balancing tradition with modernity. This year, she crossed 1 Million followers on Instagram, owing to her consistency in producing helpful content.
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We chatted with Sonika about her content creation journey and work life. She also shared budget-friendly home makeover ideas for Diwali that will make your home feel new and festive.
How did you get started as a content creator? What inspired you to start sharing your design ideas online?
I began content creation in 2022 after becoming a new mom as managing multiple sites was becoming difficult and I had taken a little pause from work but wanted to stay relevant. It was more for me than for others to stay busy. I began by sharing ideas, project pictures, and hacks and my account blew from 500 to 50K followers in just 4 months. In the next 15 days, it was 100k, and in 2 years a million. My idea was simple: to create design literacy which I felt there was a lack of while dealing with clients, vendors and builders. There was a huge gap which I wanted to fill.
How has being a creator influenced your career as an interior designer running Coloraza? Has social media helped you connect with clients?
It has totally transformed my life. Earlier, people would reach out to me through word of mouth simply because they needed an interior designer, often without understanding my journey or work style, which could be challenging. Now, with social media, clients connect with me after seeing what I do. As we are not selling a product but a service and working with clients in collaboration, choosing clients from our end is also as important as it is for the client to select us. So we get queries from all around the world and it has given me the luxury to choose work apart from opening new doors like brand collaborations and courses.
With Diwali here, could you suggest some quick and affordable ways to make a home look as good as new for Diwali without extensive renovations?
Some budget-friendly tips are definitely a fresh coat of paint or adding wallpaper or decals while changing furnishings and adding some new decor. It’s quick and easy and won’t dig a hole in your pocket. Just changing accessories like cushions, decor, and rugs can totally revamp your space.
What budget-friendly (under Rs.10K) decor tips would instantly bring out the festive vibes?
Wall decals are great to be added to any wall to change the look. You could decorate with lights, make rangoli, and add wall & window decorations to bring in the festivities.
How do you manage your time between your interior design business ‘Coloraza,’ content creation and motherhood, especially around busy festivals like Diwali?
Well, with a lot of planning and my support system. My husband is my pillar and an equal partner in everything whether it’s household chores or work. While he has his own firm, he helps me out with many things at work. We share an office space where we have a room for our kid where he comes from school, plays, sleeps and stays with us till we go back home in the evening.
Content creation is a byproduct of my work which is interior design. I don’t especially go and create content unless it’s for a brand. So I have simply started documenting my everyday activities, visiting sites, markets or spotting something which could be meaningful for content and then combine and curate content every day. I never plan or have a calendar, it’s simply what I am feeling in the morning. I would combine the numerous videos on my phone, do a voiceover and voila! the content is ready. It may sound easy but it comes naturally and quickly as I have been working in the field for 13 years.
It’s great to see you and your husband challenge gender roles by sharing responsibilities equally at home. How has this partnership helped you both thrive personally and professionally?
I think the best decision I ever made was to marry an equal, progressive and supportive man. He has never made me do anything that a stereotypical woman needs to do. I had never ever entered the kitchen for the first five years of my marriage. I learnt cooking after my son was born. He loves to cook and has always managed that part while I have also proudly taken care of other responsibilities. From day one, we have shared responsibilities, even after our son was born, he has been a hands-on father.
When someone takes half the load of what you are supposed to do, you automatically get time to concentrate on your career. We do have a calendar of important stuff so there are no overlaps and one is always there with our son while the other is at a meeting or travelling. It empowers me to do better. And I love raising a boy with this man, as he knows papa can make coffee for mamma while mamma can also go work and vice-versa. So there is no labelling of jobs as per gender. When there is support at home and your husband is your biggest cheerleader, you automatically conquer the world!
How inspiring and insightful, right? And those Diwali home makeover tips are surely super helpful! Do tell us what you liked the most and tried out in the comments below. Wishing you all a very Happy Diwali and New Year ahead!
