Revamping your home

Your home is your haven, so every now and then it needs your attention and a little bit of a revamp to keep the spark alive. With new developments in the world of interior design every season, why should you remain behind?

Here we bring you four ways to revamp your home in style.

LIVING SPACES

Maximum amount of our time and funds are spent in dressing up our living room, after all, it is the statement we make to the world. The current trend of interiors advises the less is more approach, sleek looking, less space-occupying, consumable furniture that are perfect to lounge in. Statement pieces like dramatic arts and sculptures enliven a room. Structural changes like flooring make a tremendous difference to how your room looks.

STATEMENT FURNITURE

As pointed above, statement pieces are conversation starters. There is no need for a statement piece of art; you can try for a statement piece of furniture that makes an even bolder statement. Vintage furniture and old world pieces are the in thing right now as are low height furniture. With a huge market ranging from thrift stores to ultra luxurious brands, its wide choice that you have.

DREAM KITCHENS

Kitchens have never been more crowded or more stimulating than now. In today’s world kitchen is not just meant to be functional but also aesthetic. From appliance majors to décor specialists everyone is ramping up the look of the kitchen. A lot of dual function and space saving furniture is in the market specifically for kitchens. From foldable cabinets to extendable dining tables, it is all about efficiency. Modular kitchens are here to stay. Built-in space for kitchen appliances is a great choice. For kitchen cabinets, one should opt for hydraulic doors and drawers which are easy to operate and roll out

NICHE APPLIANCES

If you have the bucks then why not the luxury. In the realm of kitchen appliances are a whole host of appliances designed for specific and niche demands. There are 3 in 1 gas oven tandoors, air fryers, electric barbeques and ceramic hot plates to make the process of making delicious food easy and stress-free. Other appliances that are making a splash in this market are cooktop and wall oven combinations, steam ovens, wine refrigerators, freezer-on-bottom refrigerators, double and smart appliances

What is GST and what is its impact?

In the biggest tax reform since the Independence, the Goods and Services Tax Bill (GST) was finally passed in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. In a rare show of solidarity, Congress and the Government along with all the other parties except AIADMK voted for the GST bill.

The GST will have two components, Central GST (CGST) and the State GST (SGST) in keeping with the federal structure of our country. The GST will subsume all indirect taxes currently levied, including excise duties and service tax. It will be levied on consumption rather than production.

What is GST?

The Goods and Services Tax is an all-inclusive indirect tax on manufacture, sale and consumption of goods and services throughout India, which will replace taxes levied by the Central and State governments. At present there are a multitude of taxes like luxury tax, VAT, excise duty, central sales tax, entertainment tax and lottery taxes that are levied by central and state governments, GST will replace all these taxes.

Issues with the current system

At present the state and central government levies taxes at each level of goods manufacture or service delivery. For example, a shirt manufacturer will have to pay Excise Duty to the central government at his factory, when this product finally reaches the consumer, he will end up paying Value Added Tax (VAT). In case the shirt is exported to another state, then an Export Tax will have to be paid.

What will be GST’s Effect?

• GST will ensure that annual GDP growth goes up by 2 percentage points.
• Tax collection in the current scenario is jumbled and confusing, which poses as a big hurdle for businesses. With GST, the regime would become simpler and more convenient.
• Consumers end up paying “tax on tax” in case of goods exported to different states. With GST, no such taxation will happen.
• Tax will be collected at the point of consumption, hence all state and central taxes will be included in the final price. This transparency will ensure that government will not be able to raise taxes indiscriminately without public awareness and reaction 

Don’t let your house be gloomy this monsoon

The monsoon is here and how. .  So everywhere it is damp, cold and gloomy. So to avoid the gloominess of the monsoon, we have the following tips for you. Read on and ramp up the look of your home.

Use sheer curtains

Since the sun is making intermittent appearances, try and get as much of it as possible in your home through sheer curtains. Heavy curtains will keep light away and make your home look dark; what’s more they collect more dust and mold. On the other hand sheer curtains let in light and are easy to maintain

Bring in nature

Many plants in your garden will be at risk of dying because of excessive water, so save them and in the process brighten up your home will lots of greenery.

Use bright colors to kill the monotony

 To reduce the dullness and darkness in your home, infuse a bit of color through cushion covers, throws, vases or artwork. Try some bold, neon shades to bring the oomph into your home.

Oil diffusers and scented candles

Get rid of the musty dank smell in your home with an array of scented candles and oil diffusers. You can try different fragrances or stick to the tried and tested lemongrass, lavender and vanilla.

 Get rugs and dhurries

As we covered in our previous post, big heavy carpets in this season are more trouble than worth. So, rather than struggling with your precious wool carpets opt for lightweight cotton and nylon rugs or dhurries in bright colors to brighten up your home.

Get musical with wind chimes

Enjoy the cold breeze with a musical note. Hang a beautiful wind chime at your window or balcony and enjoy the serene sounds.

Tips to care for your carpet this monsoon

It is essential to keep your carpets clean in the monsoon as musty and damp carpets will attract bugs and bacteria in your home. We list down some methods on how to get this done.

Vacuum away the dirt

It is very vital to keep your carpet clean and free from dampness in the monsoon. Vacuuming frequently as much as twice a week, is necessary to clean dirt, mold or any other residue from the carpet.

Use doormats and rugs

Place doormats and indoor rugs strategically to ensure that visitors do not bring their muddy shoes straight to your floor carpet from the door. This will reduce the amount of mud that your carpet is exposed to. Doormats are easier to clean and dry faster as well. Use them as an alternative to protect your carpets from dust and dirt.

Pick lightweight rugs and carpet

Heavy carpets in the monsoons are not a great idea. The heavier the carpet, the harder it is to keep it clean. For monsoons, opt for lightweight carpets, which are easy to clean fuss-free. Fabrics like cottons and jute work the best for the season. You can buy carpets specifically for monsoons and roll away your heavy carpets and rugs during the monsoon.

Dry it in the sun

In case of any accidental spillage or dampness on the rug, to get rid of foul odor and moisture, it is advisable to spread the carpet in the sun to dry.

Bold new ideas for your home

Are you feeling bored with the décor of your home but don’t know what to change. Forget playing safe and try some bold new moves to change the look of your home.

Explore bold colours

Paint your living room in an unusual color. Charcoal, scarlet, burnt orange or even black is an option. However, make sure it is a color you are willing to live with. Don’t choose some dramatic color that becomes an eyesore to you as soon as it dries also make sure that the accessories and furnishings are restful and complement the bold colour.

Play with artwork

You don’t always have to hang artwork at eye level. Try some new arrangement with your art and see how your room comes alive. Place a large frame against the wall, set one on the end table, put up smaller pieces on the bookshelf and hang a piece you love on the back of the door.

Paint the floor

Forget a new rug. Just pain the floor. Stencil a design you like or use tape to section off areas and get creative. Paint with porch paint and top with a couple of coats of polyurethane to seal it. If this seems too dramatic, consider getting a piece of plain PVC flooring and painting that.

Bring home some fur

Fur spells glam, opt for a décor element and see the magic. You don’t have to go big things like a pouf, a runner for the sofa or a rug — can add a touch of classic Hollywood touch to the simplest of rooms.

Opt for high-gloss lacquer paint

Paint an old item like an end table or a sideboard in high gloss lacquer paint. The paint will add instant shimmer and shine and make piece sing.

Add memories to cabinets

Print out old family and other photographs on thick glossy photo paper and make collages on the cabinets in the kitchen. These add an inexpensive and nostalgic touch to your kitchen.

Redo the refrigerator

You can’t buy a new fridge every season, but you definitely can do it up. Nowadays you get a lot of material like magnets, variety of fabric and washi tape which you can use to create your own DIY accents for your fridge. The internet has thousand of ideas on how to dress up your refrigerator, from DIY fridge magnets to coverlets etc. 

Practical Vaastu tips for a happy home

Vaastu, which literally means 'house', is a science (shastra) of arranging the five elements - earth, water, fire, air and sky in complete harmony. The fundamental principle of Vaastu Shastra is to add value to a man's life. Behind every tenet of vaastu, there is a scientific reasoning that aims to provide an organized and convenient life to everyone. So, a few changes in your house can bring a lot of peace in your life.

In today’s apartments and rental culture changes related to architecture are not really possible.  Hence, we bring you a few practical changes that will bring balance into your home.

•  At the entrance if you have a bare wall, place a statue or a picture of Ganesha. Since a bare wall represents loneliness, it is an excellent way to hide it.
• Place scenery in the North East direction depicting a long road for good vision and planning.
• Place a family photograph in the south-west direction in a yellow or golden frame or a picture / painting of sunflower for a healthy family bond for healthy family relations.
• Place a picture or painting of a rising sun in the east direction for healthy social relations.
• Place the study table of your kids in the east direction for improvement in studies.
• Remove all the clutter, especially under your bed. It brings you down and keeps your mind subtly connected to the past, which impedes progress.
• The bedroom should not be left in the dark; it should be well lit. Refrain from using dark colors on the bedroom wall to bring harmony and calm.
• Place natural green plants or candles in the bathroom to remove negativity and bring brightness.
• Do not sleep in any direct arrangement with sharp corners. Sharp corners act like energy spears and create stress in the nervous system.
• Place a water fountain in the north-east direction of your house for harmony.

Using glass bottles for home decor

Today we bring you an interesting and inexpensive way to do up your home. Glass Bottles- very versatile and interesting piece of home décor that is cheap and reusable. Glass bottles come in a wide variety of sizes and shapes, depending on the product they carry like mason jars, wine bottles etc. So, with a little creativity you can dress up these bottles to make them statement décor pieces.

Bottle Art

Paint old cold drink bottles with acrylic or even glass painting. You go wild with your choices, if you are really arty type then pick a style like warli or Madhubani and paint that way or for those who are artistically challenged there are always stencils. And if even that’s a problem, then just use the old toothbrush dipped in paint and spray it, there’s you abstract or modern art.

Fairy lights in your bottle

While fairy lights are pretty commonly used to do up homes, this is a novel idea. Cut the base of the bottle and insert or put in through the mouth of the bottle itself. You can even paint the bottle to make a more colorful setting; another idea is to paint half the bottle black and the put lights. It creates brilliant contrast and looks amazing.

Beaded with love

Use your old bead necklaces and anklets to dress up a wine bottle or even a mason jar. In case you don’t have any such necklaces, you can just buy colored bead and glue them to make interesting patterns.

Make a Terrarium

Use big sized mason jars to make beautiful terrariums, place some soil and put in some seeds for plants that don’t need too much water. Place the bottle on a window sill and just watch the magic. If you are really serious about a terrarium then you can research and find out how best to do them.

Decoupage Bottles

Decoupage, the art of sticking paper on a surface so that it looks like it’s printed is a fairly easy and inexpensive art. This is best suited for those jam and pickle bottles as they are very distinctive in shape and thus harder to convert into art. Pick up images from magazines or greeting cards or even newspaper print and glue it to the bottle with a mix of glue and water, keep applying this mixture a few times to give the effect of a printed bottle. 

Wealth creation through residential real estate investment

Investment in real estate needs the location to meet specific parameters to be considered effective. Mainly, the location should have good social infrastructure, availability of public transport and sufficient economic activity to sustain growth and development.

To mitigate the risk of investing in real estate, one should restrict investment in residential property in Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities. It is also advisable to invest in properties that fall in the Rs. 2500-5000/sq.ft. price range, because such investment provides safeguard against capital value erosion. In simple terms, the cost of construction and land makes this segment safe and almost guarantees an appreciation in value.

Some other points to be kept in mind are

• You need to understand the property cycle to determine the best point of entry.
•          Leasehold titles issued by the Government must be understood.
• The quality of the development is significant, because depressed markets often result in shoddy design and construction quality.
• All the development plans and statutory approvals for a project should be available. If approvals are not yet in place, the investor should monitor them closely during the investment cycle
•  Due diligence by a well known, independent legal firm is an essential. Relying solely on due diligence by home loan firms is not advisable as they are also driven by targets.
• The size and dimensions of the plot and the apartment need to be understood; small plots or apartments may cost less, but they are also often difficult to resell.
• The delivery timelines and possession must be explicitly clear. Penalties in case of delay should also be understood clearly, as legal battles are not everyone’s cup of tea.
• The track record and credibility of the builder has to be carefully and diligently researched. Since even the best ones have failed to deliver under the current market conditions.

            For more details about the project, You can call us at 925-0005-154

Feng Shui for the garden

Good Feng Shui in your garden attracts nourishing energy to your home, while delighting your senses. When it comes to great feng shui design, size isn’t the main factor. While it is amazing to have a big, lush garden, you can create a good feng shui design even with a small space.

First and foremost, you need to understand the five elements of feng shui theory and then work towards strengthening each area.

For instance the Northeast area of your garden is connected to personal growth and self cultivation and the element is earth, an excellent idea would be to have a Japanese Zen garden with beautiful rock formations.

If you plan to add a water feature to your garden, then the Southeast, East and North areas signifying money, health and career respectively are the best choices.

Try and create gentle, curving pathways in your garden as this allows the energy to flow smoothly. Since nature doesn’t have straight lines, its best to follow that approach.

A wonderful addition to your garden would wind chimes, as their gentle sounds create healing energy. While each element of the wind chime design is important, mostly the deciding factors are the sound and look.

Working with feng shui colors is great way to emphasize the feng shui rhythms in your garden. In feng shui, color is used according to the five elements theory, and you can bring healing harmony and joy to your garden by choosing colors that emphasize specific energies. So you can opt for purple or red flowers in the South or yellow in Southwest of your garden.

Another element that enhances both the beauty and energy of your garden is the décor elements. You can add decorative elements like a metal sculpture of a turtle on the North side for protection or an outdoor fountain with floating golden hued bells at the Southeast for money and abundance. 

How to create your own terrace vegetable garden

Have you wanted a terrace veggie garden of your own? Its in fact a great idea to grow ones own spices and herbs, so that you have fresh, organic produce at hand. But if you are amongst the huge number who doesn’t know how to go about setting up this garden, read on...

Select the right space
have a good look at your terrace. Determine how the Sun plays in the entire day, and then select a space that is shady but still gets sunlight at least five to 6 hours in a day. Just keep in mind that in case you are planting herbs the sunlight falling them is not harsh enough to destroy them as they are quite delicate.

Prepare the soil

Get some soil and natural manure from any nursery, and mix it well. You can keep it organic by adding cow dung or goat dung manure to the mix. Leave this mix aside for a few days. Meanwhile, when you peel veggies, etc, do not throw away the skin. Instead, create your own compost with these vegetable skins and waste veggies in another pot in the terrace, and add them to this mix. After about a week, this mix is ready for plantation. Get the seeds of whatever you want to grow (tomatoes, chilies, coriander, basil and herbs are good choices). Sprinkle a few seeds over the mix, slightly dab them in with your hand, and leave it be for a couple of days. Watch them grow.

Pick the right veggies

In the begging you can opt for just one or two vegetables, and then go in for more veggies as you gain more experience. Tomatoes, chilies and spinach are easy to grow, so start with them. Sometimes you might need to net out the seeds and the saplings as they grow, to keep pesky sparrows and other birds from feasting on them.

Watering is the key factor

Water the plants regularly, as and when needed. Excess water often causes damage and decay to plant roots, and it also washes away the nutrients of the soil. Also, post every heavy rainfall, remember to add manure to the soil.

The weathered shabby chic look for your home

The 'weathered look' is in this season. Check out any new restaurant or a club and you'll see the grungy, garage look or the so called ‘warehouse’ look that has suddenly become stylish.

The places are generally loaded with loaded with metal and wood furniture, stone flooring and brick walls. There will be the unfinished look in terms of half done paint job, pipes overhanging and a general rusty feeling of a closed factory that's become the new cool hangout for youngsters. The interior design experts of the world are calling this rise of the shabby chic.

Following in the footsteps of the commercial are homeowners who are bringing this grunge look into their homes. The idea is to reduce and re-use, and make the living space look 'cool'. Imagine factory lighting, old ship's lanterns, station clocks... steel chairs gone a bit rusty and worn out. The idea is not to hide the building materials but to show them in all their glory. So, you have exposed pipes, bare ceiling with visible iron rods, wooden tables and metal chairs, brick finishing, tin roofs, metal furniture, steel glasses etc...

Industrial design is generally in neutral tones and showcases utilitarian objects. If turning your entire home seems a bit too much, then try to turn around a corner of your house with this vintage look. The most surprising part of this décor is that while you may think that ‘warehouse look’ will be cold and utilitarian, but it's actually quite the opposite - warm and vivacious.

So how do you go about getting this look at home ...

Try old metal pots inside rooms, these instantly spell the warehouse vibe to a corner or room at your home.

Get a vintage ceramic or metal pitcher for your bar. Add a metal jug or a decorative vase and put some flowers.

A few rustic metal stools, with a weathered look can appear quite stylish. Also old worn out trunks or dressers work really well, you can even use you basic wooden centre table and sandpaper it to get the weathered look

Feng Shui for Bathroom

Traditionally in Feng Shui bathrooms are considered negative places. Part of the reason is that bathrooms generally tended to be out houses not like the beautiful spa like bathrooms common today. Other reason is that energy gets drained from pipes and drains, since Feng Shui is basically study of flow of energy, this is a negative thing. However, nowadays bathrooms are as much a style statement as a living room, and everyone tries to keep them beautiful and functional.

So here we bring you some tips for the bathroom.

Plug the Drains and Keep the Toilet Lid Closed

Plug all the drains of the shower and keep the toilet lid closed to stop the energy from draining away. You can try plastic drain covers. We understand that when you have children it is easier said than done, but everyone can be trained!

Add the Earth Element

Bathrooms have an excessive of the water element, one of the five elements of Feng Shui. To counter balance this you need to bring in the earth element, this can be done by painting the walls in shades of gold, yellows and taupe.

Hang a Crystal from the Ceiling

Crystals are considered the Feng Shui aspirin and are used whenever there is something that could potentially be out of balance in the home. Hanging a Feng Shui crystal about 9′ from the center of the ceiling will keep the chi flowing upwards rather than sucking it down into the drains.

Clear Clutter and Organize

This is perpetual theme in Feng Shui, whichever room it maybe, clear it out clutter and get it organized to promote better movement of energy. Once it is organized you can add attractive and functional things like pretty soap dispensers, tooth brush holders etc.

Freshen It Up!

Buy good quality plush towel sets and matching rugs to create an aesthetic and balanced looks for this important space.

Ultimate hacks to sort your kitchen

Kitchens are one of the most important places in a home, all conversations at home generally tend to happen around dinner, and kitchen is pivotal to that. For a kitchen to be a place of warmth and comfort, it needs to be clutter free, open and spacious. However in our overcrowded urban cities this seems to be difficult. So, here we bring you some useful hacks to make your kitchen more sorted.

Put those shower caps to a creative use

Cover leftovers (in the dish) with a fresh shower cap to protect your food from bugs and other unwanted particles. Also, these caps are reusable and easier to use than aluminum foils or cling sheets.

Label your containers

While this might seems tedious and irrelevant, but, believe me, it is far easier to get things done if everything is properly labeled. Also, you will not be bugged by your family in case one of them is cooking in your absence. You can even make a décor statement, by creating funky chalkboard labels etc.

Prevent clogs in kitchen sink

To prevent clogs from forming in your kitchen sink, make sure to periodically pour boiling water down the drain. This will ensure that the oils in food products run down the drain.

Make your kitchen odor free

A foul-smelling kitchen can make you lose your appetite. Vanilla extract can help you keep the foul odor in your kitchen at bay. Put two caps of vanilla extract into an oven proof dish and then place it in your oven for an hour at 300 degrees. The smell will spread and fade away the foul odors.

Create Partitions in your kitchen drawers

Sort out your big kitchen drawers by partitioning them. Just measure out cardboard strips horizontally or lengthwise to fit snugly along the wall of the drawers, creating partitions to sort your dishes. You don’t need to buy cardboard, you can just use old cartons or books covers etc.