After the scorching summer heat, the soft breeze laden with the promise of rain is a welcome change. Along with the soft patter of the rain come gloomy evenings and unwelcome dirt that can dampen your home décor. Here are some dos and don’ts that will help you brighten your home.
Light Fabrics
The beautiful breeze is sometimes accompanied by light rain, and some other times by a thunderous downpour and long gloomy days and evenings which keep the sunlight from entering your home. Keep your home free from damp by replacing your heavy drapes with lighter, sheer materials in order to bring in as much natural light and ventilation as possible; the heavy drapes also tend to pick up moisture which can leave an unpleasant odour in the air. It is ideal to use warm & bright colours as they liven up an otherwise gloomy ambience or one can use light lacy drapes in pastel shades to create an aura of elegance.Avoid use of dull and dark colours as they induce dullness in the décor.
Lamps and Chandeliers
With clouds gathering outside your window they are sure to cut off your normal supply of natural light, hence adding lighting fixtures which could be a floor mounted fixture or a ceiling mounted chandelier, emanating soft pleasant light is not just functional but it helps in creating a pleasant warm glow in your home.
Rainy Day Entry
One of the most persistent problems making its way indoors in monsoon is the mud and slush from outside. Make sure you place a waterproof, easy to clean, anti-skid mat at your doorstep. Adding a coat hanger and an umbrella holder at your door enhances your décor and is useful for your visitors to drop off their rain gear and prevent bringing the rain water inside.
Bye, Bye Carpets!
Heavy rugs and carpets are best stored away in monsoon as they tend to stain easily and moisture seeps into them making the air smell mouldy and unpleasant. Replacing the heavy carpets with light weight ones or carpets made out of bamboo etc can make your floors trendy, and keep your feet warm without demanding too much care. Homes with wooden flooring need to be taken care of more rigorously during the monsoons.
Old World Lights
Another common issue one encounters during monsoon especially in India are power cuts. Add in an antique candelabra or an old school lantern into your decor, which adds a touch of elegance and might actually come in handy when your UPS dies out.
Chimes and Chains
Rains are often accompanied by the breeze that is soothing to the mind and soul. Adding rain chains, bells, wind chimes in your décor – in your balcony or garden you can make sure that the breeze greets your senses in more ways than one. Add flowers to your home as they are easily available and brighten the space. Adding rain chains to the gutters lining the sloped roofs adds a beautiful melody to the pitter patter of the rain, adding to the atmosphere most rains leave us with.
From the rain kissed green of the leaves to the tranquil blue of the cloudless sky, from the bright warmth of yellow to the sophisticated shades of turquoise you can play with a huge array of colours to enliven your home. Team these with easy to maintain, light upholstery and your home is all set to welcome the rain in style.