Colours of monsoon

Don’t let the gloom outside dull your interiors’ sparkle! Here are easy tips to give your living space an instant facelift...

Bring the monsoon feel in
Add plants to EVERY room – living room, bedrooms, entry ways and bathrooms. Not only do plants add life to the room, they balance and purify the air.  Add indoor plants such as chinese money plant, bamboo shoots and syngonium.  Use empty wine bottles and glass pitchers as pots. Using flowers  like roses, chrysathemum and orchids are sure to add a beautiful natural colour to your interiors. Try keeping them on shelves, sideboards and bathroom window sills.

Orange and pink work wonders!
Brighten up the interiors with by using orange and pink tones. Be it on rugs , throw pillows, table mats, bed linen  or  even curtains; these bright colours always work. Use coloured bean bags for an inexpensive solution for furniture. Not only do they brighten up the room but also highlight the dull areas of the house.

Kitchen and dining area
Kitchen and dining space are where we spend a lot of time, besides our bedroom of course. Make sure to liven it up with cool accessories. Take out the fancy chinaware and don't just keep it for special occasions, use colourful cutlery such as bowls and serving spoons, bottles and jugs. Keep the dining table clean but add bright table mats and table covers. Use jute, bamboo and linen material. Use funky coasters and coffee mugs to add more life to your evening tea/ coffee while listening to the chattering of rain.

Doormats and umbrella stands
We often overlook the importance of these two items. Let the dirt and mud of your shoes remain outside with the use of welcoming and funky doormats,  specially made of jute. Adding a simple wicker basket/stand to hold umbrellas and raincoats can prevent carrying the rain water inside your home while providing a very well-thought design for the entrance.

Artificial lighting for the gloomy days
We can't emphasise enough on the usage of perfect lighting in rooms, be it the kitchen, living room or even your bathroom. Create a royal and soft look by changing your white lights to yellow lights. Use colourful lamp shades  whether it be hanging, table lamps or floor lamps. Lamps accentuate the look and feel of the entire room. Keep the candles ready for power cuts too. Use of fragrant candles add a romantic touch to the room. It also keeps the room fresh.

Get rid of the unnecessary
De-clutter your space this monsoon.  Let your furniture breathe. While we may want to keep our doors and windows closed while it rains, it is advisable to open them when it is not raining to let the odour and dampness of the room to clear out.

Outdoors
Paint your outdoor furniture with lacquer and other sealants to prevent the moisture from damaging the furniture. Deck up the patio with lanterns and pebble paths.  Use special garden incense sticks to ward off the mosquitoes. Citronella and lavender are the best options for this.

— The writer is  an entrepreneur and an interiors expert.