| |
| |
|
Interior Decorating Information |
|
Home Care for the Monsoon
Given that the monsoon season lasts for a few months in India, there are many aspects that need to be looked into while considering home care needs. In fact, it is a good idea to get a professional to do an inspection of your home, old or new, prior to the monsoon and ensure that you find and fix the problems that keep recurring. Once they have been fixed, after the monsoon, you can plunge into the decoration aspect. 1. Seepage in foundation walls can be due to a leaking downspout. These problems should be corrected before the monsoon. The causes can be many, so corrective action can only be taken when you have determined the cause of the problem. Stop gap measures do not really help, as the problem is likely to recur the next year. 2. Termites are a major problem wherever water leakage or high humidity levels are a feature. They would require professionals to do a really complete job, but you would need to check the whole house for any signs of termite infestation, which tend to increase during the rainy season. 3. Some easy do-it-yourself remedies for woodwork. Put Camphor in your cupboards, it takes away the moisture and protects your clothes. Neem leaves are also effective against silver fish, which are a common problem in the rainy season. Cloves are an equally effective remedy. 4. Hardwood floors need maintenance during the rainy season. Make sure they are free from moisture and wax them to protect them. Moisture content in hardwood floors tends to make them warp. 5. Carpets, especially wall-to-wall carpets need to be vacuumed regularly with cleaners that will take away not only the dirt but also the moisture that seeps into the fibers. A good carpet cleaner will also keep them from getting a musty smell. Rugs should be rolled up during the rainy season, as they just get dirty if you use them. Ideally if you can wrap them properly in polyethylene sheets they are saved from water damage and insect infestation as well. 6. Waterproofing of the roof is essential before the onset of monsoon. Check that the drains are not blocked with leaves. Ensure that water is directed away from the foundation. Check the underside of roofs for leakage or water condensation. 7. Walls need to be checked for breakages and seepage. The exterior masonry should be repaired well before the onset of the rains. Paint on the interior walls should be checked for flaking. 8. Ventilation is an important aspect of home care during monsoons. Make sure there is enough cross-ventilation and fresh air coming into your home, otherwise the humidity levels will cause a general feeling of dampness. 9. Tile joints in bathrooms should be checked and kept sealed, especially in apartment complexes. 10. Keeping areas clean can prevent mildew and by ensuring that the moisture content in the air is kept as low as possible. Air conditioners and dehumidifiers are a good way to reduce the humidity levels inside a home, but the best way to protect upholstery and rugs is sunlight. A good sunning is the best way to keep moisture from creating problems. 11. An investment you can make this year is a tumble dryer. In a country with such an extended monsoon, we should use tumble dryers, not only to ensure that our clothes do not smell because of moisture trapped in the fibres, but hanging clothes inside the house to dry is one of the reasons why the moisture content in so many homes is so many homes is so high. While its wet outside, you must think of every conceivable way to keep the inside of your home DRY. That solves half the problems that are associated with a prolonged rainy season. 12. Any major work in the home should be done either before the monsoon or after. That is the first basic rule of home décor. Rekha I Nambiar is an interior designer based in New Delhi,India. She runs her own business in interiors,furniture and home furnishings. Her work may be viewed at http://www.id-home-furnishings.com Her blog is http://www.20six.co.uk/furnishinghub
MORE RESOURCES:
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
The Value of Antique Cuckoo Clocks As cuckoo clocks have been around since 1730 and have always been manufactured by gifted artists and skilled craftsmen, many of the older pieces that have been even minimally cared for are still in existence today. A well-preserved cuckoo clock from the 18th or 19th century can bring a king's ransom at any of the prestigious auction houses around the world. Blackout Blinds Tired of waking every morning with a stripe of blinding sunlight across your eyes? Or perhaps you need a way to dim the lights in the baby's room so he'll nap, or in a conference room so that you can project a presentation on a screen. No matter why you need to block the light from entering a room, you will need the right window blinds for the job. Craft Projects - A Home Decorating One Of A Kind Look Have you been in a craft store or maybe gone to a fair and noticed booths filled with home made crafts such as embellished wreaths or pretty decorated boxes and thought it might be fun to make something like that.Well it is fun, and it's a lot easier than you may think. Ceiling Fan Blades The blades of a ceiling fan make all the difference. The amount of airflow a fan generates depends on the type and size of blades it has. The Benefits of Quartz Cuckoo Clocks Unlike windup cuckoo clocks, which require rewinding every one, two or eight days before, quartz cuckoo clocks use a more modern timing mechanism, drawing power from batteries and running continuously until the batteries run dry. Battery cuckoo clocks run for approximately one year on a new set of batteries give or take a little, depending on the type of battery used and the amount of animated movement built into the clock. Goose Down Comforters - Warm, Cozy, and Lightweight Who wouldn't want a goose down comforter and a pretty duvet cover to keep warm at night? There is nothing that holds your body heat in and keeps the cold out like goose down. Goose down comforters are made with the down sewn in baffles between specially designed fabric. Decorating Ideas for a Baby Nursery Creating a comfortable area for your baby is important to many parents. That is why so many parents are interested in decorating ideas for a baby nursery. Decorating Frugally The trend these days is to discover extremely innovative ways to decorate interiors on a budget. The tips provided below are just a few of the many ways one can inexpensively achieve a truly original look for a room. Picnic Baskets for Two Picnic baskets for two provide an intimate way to celebrate any occasion, whether it be a much-needed period of time spent alone with your mate or a reunion between friends. Instead of using paper plates, paper napkins, plastic cups, and plasticware, why not step it up a bit? But how are you going to carry all those fine china plates, wine glasses, large water thermoses, and other odds and ends?You might consider browsing for picnic baskets for two. A Baker's Rack: Always A Favorite When it comes to home accessories, baker's racks have long been a favorite of consumers due to their versatility, beauty, and practicality. In addition to adding that special element of style, a baker's rack is also very practical in that it can be used for extra shelving, storage space and/or as a work center. An Informative Review of Popular Adjustable Beds This article provides a detailed review of popular adjustable beds available for purchase both on and off-line. Prominent adjustable bed manufacturers include Craftmatic, Sleep Comfort, Sealy, Tempur Pedic, and Spring Air. Entryway Benches - Why Theyre a Must Have in Every Home One of the easiest ways to leave a lasting, warm impression on first-time visitors to your home and to make those visitors feel welcome is to place an entryway bench just inside your main entryway. Not only do entryway benches create a warm and inviting atmosphere, they are also very beautiful and are practical pieces of furniture as well. The Benefits of Gourmet Picnic Baskets Instead of carrying dinnerware, silverware, beverage containers, and so on, gourmet picnic baskets contain food for the feast. Gourmet picnic baskets are woven baskets, either with an open top or a closeable lid, containing cheese, salami, bread, crackers, olives, vegetables, dips, and desserts like strawberries, chocolate sauce, whipped cream, mints, and so on. Kitchen Island Design Ideas - The Look, Size, And Features Kitchen island design ideas not only include choosing the right look for your kitchen but choosing the correct size for your floor plan and the correct features to satisfy your needs.Fortunately, because 80% of all home buyers consider kitchen islands to be essential, manufacturers offer islands in a design and style to suit nearly every taste. Types of Wine Cabinets Many people enjoy a glass of wine with dinner or for entertaining while other people are serious wine collectors or connoisseurs. Regardless, whether keeping one or two bottles of wine on hand or multiple bottles, a wine cabinet is needed to store the wine properly. The Advantages of Ionic Exchange Water Softeners It can be difficult to decide which method for softening hard water is best because there are a number of choices available. Cost of a water softener system - from $400 to $1,200 -- can be a factor, as well as how the water softener unit is set up, its size, and how much water it will soften before requiring maintenance. Decorating Your Home: 5 Style Tips that Cost Less than $50 Do you dream of adding style to your home but don't have a lot of money? Don't despair! There are 5 things you can do that will help your house look beautiful without spending much money.1. Nursery Room Decor The nursery is your newborn's first room, his own little world: the environment, which in part will influence and shape his personality. As a parent your goal is to provide a surrounding that is comfortable, secure, inviting and cozy. Baby Quilts - Traditional Or With A Twist I am not a quilter in the typical sense, but I love making small coverlets and quilts for babies when I am not making wall hangings. All you need is some cute and colorful fabric. A Look at Shower Curtain Rods Shower curtain rods give you a unique opportunity to showcase your sense of style. There are many different styles of shower curtain rods available.
|
| home | site map | contact us |
