Take cues from Bollywood's finest for your Diwali 2026 home decor

Diwali is as much about dressing up our homes as it is about celebrating the festival itself. From welcoming guests into beautifully illuminated living spaces to setting up an elaborate festive dining table, the season offers the perfect excuse to give our interiors a thoughtful refresh. And when it comes to finding inspiration, celebrity homes are an excellent place to start.

Whether you gravitate towards understated elegance or maximalist festive styling, a few well-considered details can transform familiar spaces into something special. Taking cues from Alia Bhatt, Manish Malhotra, Sonam Kapoor and Ayushmann Khurrana, here are four celebrity-inspired decor ideas to bring home this Diwali, along with tips on how to recreate them without an elaborate makeover.

Let fairy lights set the mood

There is something undeniably magical about the soft glow of fairy lights, particularly when the festive season calls for a little extra sparkle. Alia Bhatt offers a lovely reminder of how simple lighting can make a space feel instantly more inviting. Her Diwali photographs feature a green backdrop illuminated with twinkling fairy lights, creating a warm, intimate setting that feels celebratory without being overly elaborate.

How to recreate it at home: Take a cue from Alia and use warm-white fairy lights to highlight existing architectural features rather than simply draping them around the house. Wrap them around balcony railings, frame doorways, adorn a window or create a softly illuminated backdrop behind your living-room seating. You can also weave delicate string lights through indoor plants or place battery-operated fairy lights inside glass jars for an understated decorative accent. Pair these with traditional diyas and candles to introduce different layers of illumination. The trick is to opt for warm lighting instead of harsh, cool-toned LEDs, allowing your home to retain a cosy, golden glow throughout the celebrations.

Make a statement with decorative lanterns

When it comes to festive interiors, Manish Malhotra's aesthetic is synonymous with grandeur, thoughtful detailing and an eye for dramatic presentation. The designer's approach to festive decor makes a case for incorporating lanterns as statement pieces that can transform even the simplest corners into visually striking spaces. Whether suspended overhead or positioned strategically around the home, lanterns bring together traditional craftsmanship and contemporary elegance.

How to recreate it at home: Instead of relying exclusively on conventional string lights, introduce decorative lanterns in brass, antique gold, wrought iron or glass finishes. Hang a cluster of lanterns at varying heights in your entrance foyer, balcony or verandah to create an inviting first impression. For smaller apartments, floor-standing lanterns placed beside a console or in an empty corner can make an equally beautiful statement. Choose designs with intricate cutwork for interesting light patterns, and use LED candles or flameless lights for convenience. Complement them with fresh marigold strings, brass urli bowls and a few floral accents to achieve a festive setting that feels rich without appearing cluttered.

Elevate your celebrations with tablescaping 

If there is one detail that can make hosting during Diwali feel like a thoughtfully curated affair, it is the art of tablescaping. Sonam Kapoor's approach to entertaining and floral arrangements offers inspiration for those who believe that a beautifully laid-out table is just as important as the food being served. From carefully selected tableware to fresh blooms and decorative accents, the idea is to make every element come together as part of a cohesive visual story.

How to recreate it at home: Start with a colour palette that complements your existing interiors. Jewel tones, ivory, muted gold and deep reds work particularly well for Diwali. Layer your dining table with a linen runner, elegant placemats and coordinated crockery before introducing brass or silver cutlery and statement glassware. For the centrepiece, opt for fresh seasonal flowers such as roses, carnations, chrysanthemums and marigolds, arranged in brass vases or ceramic vessels. Keep the arrangements low enough to allow guests to converse comfortably across the table. You can further elevate the setting with miniature diyas, tea-light holders, decorative napkin rings and personalised place cards. Even a simple mithai platter can become part of the tablescape when presented on an ornate serving tray.

Experiment with wallpaper-led statement makeovers

For those who enjoy interiors with a little more personality, Ayushmann Khurrana's wallpaper-focused decor is an interesting direction to explore. Moving beyond the conventional approach of keeping walls neutral and introducing colour through accessories, this style puts patterns and prints at the forefront. Coordinating wallpapers with upholstery creates a layered, visually interesting space, allowing furniture and walls to work together rather than compete for attention. It is also a refreshing way to introduce character into your home without investing in an extensive renovation.

How to recreate it at home: Start by identifying one area that could benefit from a decorative refresh, such as a living-room wall, reading nook or dining space. Choose wallpapers featuring botanical motifs, intricate florals, geometric patterns or traditional Indian-inspired prints. Carry the same visual language into your upholstery through printed cushions, accent chairs, upholstered stools or a statement bench. If you prefer a more restrained aesthetic, keep the wallpaper as the focal point and select upholstery in complementary solid colours. Alternatively, experiment with contrasting patterns, ensuring they share a similar colour palette to maintain visual harmony. Finish with textured throws, patterned cushions and carefully selected accessories for an interior that feels individual, inviting and festive.

Bring the outdoors in with floral decor

Nothing captures the spirit of an Indian celebration quite like fresh flowers. Ananya Panday's festive aesthetic offers inspiration for incorporating floral arrangements into home decor, making them an effortless way to add colour, fragrance and a touch of natural elegance to your surroundings. From traditional blooms to thoughtfully arranged floral accents, flowers can instantly brighten up a space while lending it a celebratory feel. It is a decorating detail that feels timeless yet allows plenty of room for creativity.

How to recreate it at home: Take inspiration from Ananya and make fresh flowers the focal point of your festive styling. Think marigolds, roses, jasmine and tuberoses arranged in brass urli bowls, ceramic vases or traditional brass pots. Create a welcoming floral arrangement at your entrance, decorate your puja space with loose petals or fashion a floral toran for your doorway. You can also experiment with floating flowers in water-filled bowls, accompanied by floating diyas and tea lights. For a more contemporary interpretation, combine different flower varieties in contrasting colours and place them across coffee tables, console units and dining spaces. The idea is to let florals add a natural vibrancy to your interiors without overwhelming the existing decor.