Happy Eid-ul-Fitr!

It's the second day of Eid, our religious holiday where Muslims all over the world celebrate the beginning of a new month after 30 days of fasting. This is the time where we spend our days with our families and loved ones over good food and laughter.

In the mood of Eid, I'd like to show you some photos of Islamic art and architecture - something I've always thought was beautiful. It's not exactly religious, rather Islamic art and architecture depicts the ways of life of its people and is influenced by many different cultures.

I have collated some beautiful photos over the internet for you to enjoy.

The below is a mosque in Semerkand, Uzbekistan. I love the turquoise colour of the dome. Surrounded by huts and greenery, it is a beautiful sight. 

Source flickr

An element of Islamic art usually found decorating the walls and window screens of mosques and Muslim homes and buildings, is the arabesque, an elaborate application of repeating geometric forms that often echo the forms of plants, shapes and sometimes animals (specifically birds).

This is from the same photographer, still in Semerkand, Uzbekistan.

Source flickr

Symmetry is often used on walls of art - to interpret balance and peace. I love the bright mint of the doors.

Source here

The use of blue and whitewashed walls is beautiful here in Tunisia.

Source here

This is a hotel in Hammemet, Tunisia.

Source here

More blue and whitewash. I love this.

Source here

The garden is an important element in Islamic architecture - due to the spread of the religion in hot, arid areas, gardens were built with cooling fountains and greenery for shade.

Granada, Spain. Source here

I believe Spain has some of the most beautiful gardens influenced by the Muslim culture. Notice the symmetry used in these gardens.

Alhambra, Granada, Spain. Source unknown

 The lush gardens of the Alhambra Palace.

Courtyards instead of back yards are popular in residences due to their privacy to enjoy one's own garden. This residential courtyard below is a beauty.

A residential courtyard in Qurtaba, Spain

Another beautiful courtyard to enjoy the outdoors without the heat. Lovely aged brick walls, arches and a hanging lantern complete this photo.

The courtyard of a townhouse in Cairo. Via Cultural Kiosk

Well I hope you enjoyed these photos. If you're celebrating Eid, I wish you Happy Eid and peace to you and your family!

small gardens

So I have this really small garden in our new house and right now we've been so focused on renovating the house that I've never really thought about how I would like my garden to look like.

You see, I've never been the gardening type of girl... have always loved the decorating of the interiors of houses rather than the exterior.

But a lot of the blogs I read and the pinners I follow on Pinterest are garden lovers, and I cannot help but find myself inspired and repinning away of photos of beautiful small gardens. Something I can refer to when hopefully, one day, I get the time and spirit to spruce up our future garden.

Here are some of my inspiration photos of small gardens... or corners of bigger gardens. :-)

via Design Chic

I love topiary and a neat little garden like the one above. Okay, my garden / landscape vocab is a little rusty, so I'm not going to be narrating much here. I need my landscape architect friends to help me out.

Paul Bangay

A cute white bench to enjoy the greenery.

BHG

I would love to have a fountain in my garden. And I like the way the plants are encircled around this one.

Debora Carl Landscape Design

I love the idea of having a gravel laid path.

HGTV

And, if I could have flowers - surprise, surprise - I would want white flowers.

Shelterness

This adorable urban garden above would be more my style. Simple, a little bit modern, and low-maintenance.

via The Good Stuff

Our garden in our new home is a side garden, kind of like the one in the photo above. It's about 10 feet wide. I love how they've laid out the slabs in this diamond pattern.

via Downsize my space

I love this small garden with square blocks of different plants. Cute and contemporary.

unknown source

Black makes a great accent colour for seating, tables, chairs and planters in this photo. Note the gravel again.

Flickr

Succulents are always adorable.

House Beautiful - Chris Barrett

I love this little courtyard with the stone table stacked with green goodness.

So how would you decorate your garden? Hope you enjoyed my inspiration photos!

Have a great weekend!

barn sink

Our new house does not have the luxury of a kitchen sink under a window.

So I can only dream of this for now...

Just the other day I was telling my husband that we should get a dishwasher for our new house. Dishwashing every morning has been taking up a lot of my time. But if I had sink like this, I wouldn't mind doing the dishes every morning! Love the large windows overlooking the green hill, the cement sink and the linen skirt below. It even has a totally cute glass chandelier hanging above.

This is not actually a kitchen sink - it belongs to a conservatory. Here's what it looks like from the outside.

Isn't that just adorable?

Pictures from here.

can you imagine

I've always been a city girl... but lately, I've been dreaming of living on a farm, growing my own vegetables and herbs, and breeding chickens. Does that sound weird?

On my farm, I would have a little sun room that looks like this.

Desire to Inspire

Wowzers - isn't this room just gorgeous? You can practically hear the birds chirping in this photo.

Okay, maybe my little farm would not be in Malaysia, judging by those plants growing in that garden. But I did say it's a dream for now, didn't I?