Category: Do

Categories
Do

5 ways to increase storage space

We are always running short of storage space in our homes. Use the available space creatively to create more storage area.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

For congested cities like Mumbai, where the sizes of houses are tiny and the living conditions cramped, storage space is a luxury very few can afford. Architects and interior designers too, do not give much thought to the concept of using every square inch of space for storage purposes, even in very small homes. The result? Though we try our best to keep our homes looking neat and tidy, our houses still look overcrowded and dowdy because of all the extra stuff we have lying around.

However, you can get creative and make space for storage inside your home. You might get hardly any space, or you may get a lot, depending on the area and layout of your house, but making the effort is certain to free up some space which you can gladly use to stow away your extra belongings.

Here’s how you start doing this:

Storage space under the bed1. Use the space under the beds. This one’s a no-brainer, yet most people don’t put this space to use. It is tacky to have exposed under-bed space where you will inadvertently store old newspapers or extra suitcases, etc. Invest in a sofa-cum-bed in the living room that will give you extra storage space. In the bedroom, get a box bed made so that you can store all the extras in the house under the bed, out of view. This is normally ‘dead’ storage, so you can store all the things you don’t need regularly.

2. Install overhead cabinets wherever possible. As the years pass, every home accumulates a lot of stuff in every room of the house. While a periodic cleaning will get rid of broken, unusable items, you will find that you still have a lot of stuff left over and not enough space to put it in. At such times, overhead cabinets in the bedrooms and living room come in handy. All your large cardboard boxes, box files, etc can be easily accommodated in these cabinets. However, make sure that you create the cabinets at a height just slightly over eye level, so that they are easy to reach.

3. Make vegetable racks in the kitchen. You will need to store extra onions, potatoes, rice grains, packets of wheat, oil etc in the kitchen, and only a cabinet or two will not do the job. Invest in stand-alone vegetable racks that you can place on one side of the kitchen counter. Board up the tops of the kitchen cabinets on one side to create an extra storage space at the top – this is where you can store onions, which require to be kept in the open air to prevent them getting spoilt. Also, place hooks on the inside of the cabinet shutters where you can vertically store big spoons and ladles.

4. Use odd columns to install shelves. Some of our homes have oddly-placed columns in the room. You can’t remove these columns because they are vitalColumn shelves structural elements that hold up the ceiling beams. A good way to get around the wastage of space around such a column is to knock a series of shelves on it – this way the column doesn’t stick out like a sore thumb, but becomes a quirky part of the décor. If you want to hang photographs or a really sensational wall piece, you can use this column for the same purpose. Or if the column is located in a quiet corner of the room, you can nail a pull-down table to it and include two little chairs to create an intimate eating corner for two.

5. Niches make for great cupboard space. Some homes have unexplained niches, which most people fill over with masonry to even out the wall. Instead, extend the niche from floor to ceiling and put in shelves, or use the space created to make a ceiling-height cupboard. This could be a showpiece cupboard in the hall, or a private library in the bedroom. Install glass shutters on this cupboard to show off its contents to maximum effect, but be sure to put only pretty things inside and to clean it regularly.

(Pictures courtesy www.hgtv.com, plomet.com, www.decoratingyoursmallspace.com. Images used for representation purpose only)

Categories
Do

8 ways to redo your home in colours

We don’t experiment with colours as much as we should. Here’s rresenting 8 ways to make colours your best friends at home.
by Reyna Mathur

It is true that the colour of the space you are in can influence your mood. Some colours are cheerful and put you in a good frame of mind, others are more solemn. Still others are fun and flirty, while some bring about a sense of peace.

But it is easy to go overboard when experimenting with colours, and too many colours can come together and clash badly. To being with, make sketches of each of the rooms and use colour swatches to find the best combinations as per your taste. It is not necessary to have a different colour per room, but if you decide to go that route, try and use shades of the same colour wherever possible.

You can use colours in everything – paints, fabrics, furnishings, drapes, carpets, furniture, cabinets and cupboards, even in the colour of the light bulbs you select.

See this short video from ‘Better Homes and Gardens‘ on selecting colours based on the Colour Wheel:

 

Here are a few ways to get started:

1. Whatever colour you opt for, you have to be sensible in your choices, especially when it comes to wall paint. You cannot undo a wall colour in a hurry, so make your choice based on how bright the sunlight is in the room. If the room is brightly lit or if you like to leave the lights on during the day time as well, you cannot paint the walls a very bright colour.

2. If the overall colour scheme of your house is monochromatic, you can add pops of colour by way of furniture pieces or lamp shades or even a bright dining table and chairs.

Differently coloured light bulbs3. Use shades of blue in your bedroom. Blue is a calming colour and induces restful feelings. However, too much blue in the colour scheme can make the room look dull. Add a dashing contrast with bright bed furnishings or a red coloured wardrobe.

4. Use white tiles in the kitchen, but break the monotony with a patterned tile here and there. You can try the same in the bathroom and toilet.

5. Even the light bulbs you use introduce colour. Use yellow light bulbs to good effect in the living spaces, but use white light in the bathroom, kitchen and over the wash basin. Use different coloured light bulbs in the living room for a fun visual effect.

6. Keep the styling and furnishing of your living spaces Spartan, but use colour liberally on the floor. For instance, use a bright square of carpet in the centre of the room, or a mosaic of coloured tiles all over the living room floor. However, the colour of the floor shouldn’t be too bright or warm-coloured, because it will become disturbing.

7. Coloured candles placed in odd corners will liven up the room. Invest in several candles of varying colours and thicknesses, and place them liberally around the living room and bedroom.

8. Tone down bright colours with rust coloured metal lamp stands or cabinets. Or place a large metal statue near the entrance of the house for a unique effect.

(Pictures courtesy afflante.com, www.ebay.co.uk. Images are used for representational purpose only)

Categories
Do

How to put scrap to good use

We all have unusable scrap lying around the house. It is possible to put it to good use with a little creativity.
by Reyna Mathur

We buy so many things every year, big and small, and as time passes, many of these things begin to age. But instead of throwing them away, we can re-use them or break them up to decorate other objects, too.

Rummage around the house and you will find several useless things – old magazines, discarded glass bottles, plastic pots and containers, old clothes, faded paintings, shoelaces, frayed ribbons, to name just a few. You may be obsessive about clearing out the junk, but if you decide to get creative, you can reuse the scrap.

Wood chipsOld wooden pieces and chips: There is nothing you can do with pieces of wood left over from creating furniture. All you can do it throw them away or let the carpenter clear them. Instead, why not use the wood chips to create a 3D effect design? Unless you are very proficient with a hammer and chisel, you will require the help of a carpenter to do this. Select a surface with a design – an old faded painting is a good place to start – and using a pencil and scale, demarcate the areas of the painting you want to create a 3D effect on. Then instruct your carpenter to copy your design and specifications and further create chips of exact shape and thickness to paste over the painting. You can colour the wood chips in the colours of the surface you have pasted them on, and voila! Your 3D design is ready. You can even use this technique to create greeting cards or glam up flower vases.

Magazines and newspapers: You can create pretty bookmarks or paper 3D cut-outs simply by cutting old papers of different designs and colours into specific sizes and gluing them one over another to create a thick paper surface. If you’re throwing a party, create your own decorations by using old papers lying about the house. If you’re fond of making murals and montages, put magazines to good use for the purpose. If you have old newspapers lying around, use them to make miniature kites and colour the finished product. These can be stuck on walls for a pretty effect.

Marbles: Many homes have entire jars of marbles stashed away. The great thing about marbles is that they have great aesthetic appeal and can be glued to almost any surface permanently. You can create a very beautiful showpiece by gluing marbles in a design of your choice using a good adhesive. Lightly tie up the showpiece with string till the glue sets and the entire assembly is able to bear its own weight. Alternately, you can try gluing marbles on the outside of a light bulb to give a stunning visual effect once the light is switched on.

Old sarees and clothes: It is a good idea to give away your old clothes to the needy, but if you have any of them still lying around the house, you can put them to use. How about making a large patchwork quilt or blanket using old cloth scraps, stitching them together on a base cloth, and stuffing it with cotton? If you are adept at using a needle and thread, you could stitch clothes for small children out of sarees and old shirts, or make beautiful washcloths to use around the house.

Buttons, broken magnets, badges: Every house has a huge collection of these items. Simply cull buttons of different sizes and colours and stitch them in aButtons crazy pattern on a plain handbag. Do the same with old pins, badges and broken magnets to jazz up your bags and skirt hems. If you wear ankle socks, you can make them more interesting by sewing buttons along their elastic band. Some people even sew different coloured buttons on plain canvas shoes for an interesting effect.

Ribbons: Ribbons can be put to a variety of uses, especially in embellishing the surface of objects. You can tie two or three ribbons of different colours (but the same width) end to end and use the same to tie up wrapping paper on a gift. Or you can create floral patterns by twining ribbons together. If you have thin ribbons, use them to make wristbands. You can also braid three ribbons together and tie up your documents in them. Alternately, twirl several ribbons together and tie up the ends; use this as a hair band or like a loose scrunchie.

(Pictures courtesy singmah.com.sg, heavypetal.ca, theibtaurisblog.com. Images are used for representational purpose only)

Categories
Do

4 ways to beautify your home

You don’t need professional help to make your home beautiful. Your intuition and personal taste can come into play instead.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

Anjali Doshi, a housewife and mother of two, moved into her parents’ old home last year. Her parents had never done a home furnishing job, so she decided to change things around. “Their furniture was old and creaky, the paint had been destroyed by several leakage patches on the walls, and even the plumbing lines were old. An architect evaluated the extent of the refurnishing work to be carried out, but when his quote came in, I realised that I would have to save up for several years to afford it!” she laughs.

Putting aside her grand plans to reinvent the entire home, she says she decided to do the basics first. “I got the leakages checked and repaired, then I got the painting and some civil work done. I also changed the drapes and upholstery. These small touches have made a big difference,” she explains.

The rest of us might not even need to undertake full-scale repairs and restoration work in our homes, where little corrections might do the trick. Try these tips:

Beautify with flowersDecorate with flowers and paintings. Most of us don’t realise the difference a big vase of cheerful flowers can make to a room. Apart from improving appearance, flowers also enhance the mood and add the necessary pop of colour to a space. If you are not interested in buying fresh flowers every couple of days, try hanging colourful or calming paintings on a couple of walls. Doing this negates the dullness of the room caused by plain walls painted in pastel shades, or a lack of interesting furniture. “A client of mine wanted white walls, white furniture, white flooring and white appliances,” remembers Anisha. “I gently suggested adding a large painting or photograph with vibrant colours to make the space more interesting.” Her clients were so agreeable to the idea, that they bought large and small picture frames for an entire wall. “The result was so stunning. The necessary colour now makes the rest of the house look really lovely,” Anisha says.

Let the walls speak. As such, a new trend in interior design is to paint one wall in the living room a different colour, to create a visual ‘highlight’ in the room. “But you have to be careful how you use this wall,” says interior designer Anisha Mehta. “You can put up picture frames on this wall, or a couple of beautiful shelves to add to its beauty. Keeping a tall vase with artificial flowers next to the wall will also automatically draw attention to it. Take care that this wall is plain; it should not have a window in it, nor should you put a large flat screen TV on it. Leave it uncluttered,” Anisha advises.

Other tips are to decorate this wall with simple patterns and colours, leaving the other walls bare. The trick is to let one wall reflect your personality.

Look for interesting knick-knacks. An afternoon spent in Chor Bazaar will give you enough opportunities to get some very interesting and unusual curios Interesting curiosfor your home. Or if you are creative enough, you can recycle some of the rubbish lying around the house to create your own knick knacks. A slowly growing trend in Mumbai is to opt for decoupage to liven up boring old furniture and give personality to a home.

Buy light furniture. The problem with most homes in Mumbai is that the houses are very small, with tiny living rooms and bedrooms. If you buy heavy three-seat sofas and big centre tables, your living room will appear smaller than it already is. “A good idea is to do up the living room in cane. You can experiment with an entire cane setting – sofa sets, an extra chair, cane lamp shades and even cane pouffes,” says Shalini Abraham, a marketing professional. “My living room looks gorgeous because my furniture looks light. Plus it is easy to shift around for cleaning.”

For those investing in wooden furniture, ensure that the sofa set has extra storage space and that your centre table is a combination of glass and metal for a lighter look.

(Pictures courtesy bhousedesain.com, heiressflowers.com, www.mumbailocal.net. Images are used for representational purpose only)

Categories
Do

Engage your child this summer

The NCPA hosts a range of activities for children in Mumbai to spend their vacations learning various arts and crafts.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

Wondering what to do with your restless, bored child this summer? Channel his or her inner creativity through a series of fun activities at the NCPA.

Since 2010, the NCPA decided to initiate a ‘Summer Fiesta’ as a means to reach out to children and offer them an exciting way to spend their vacations.
Over the years, children have enjoyed a series of plays and films picked for them, as well as a range of engaging and creativity-enhancing workshops in theatre, dance, photography, puppetry, art, craft, creative writing, poetry, animation film-making and many others with masters in their fields.

This year…

The 2015 edition of Summer Fiesta offers children an exciting way to spend their holidays. It is a month long festival that encourages their development through the performing arts. (See the event schedule here).

Children can look forward to workshops on acting, photography and craft, among others, apart from participating in singing, dancing and debate contests.

Look up booking details here. The fiesta has started on May 1, 2015.

(Picture courtesy NCPA, Mumbai. Image used is a file picture)

Categories
Do

Walk along the river Cooum

Join famous photographer Pa Madhavan as he follows the river Cooum and documents the culture and the people alongside it.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

This one’s a wonderful experiment in documenting the life of a river, the microcultures around it, the life it gives to those who seek refuge in it, and how well one can follow a meandering path to its successful conclusion.

Noted photographer Pa Madhavan is taking a walk along the river Cooum in Chennai in the last week of July 2015, and is inviting like-minded enthusiasts to take the walk with him. The project is called ‘WAT R’ (Walk Along The River).

Madhavan says, “WAT R is a project about walking along the river Cooum; the river is narrow, with twists and turns, flows slowly through the fields, collecting smaller streams along its path and enters the fourth largest city in India, also a major industrial, business, and cultural center of South India Chennai. It is the shortest classified river draining into the Bay of Bengal and is only about 72 kilometers long.”

He explains that the walk is “an aimless wandering along the banks, encounter talks, and casual recording of content appropriate to sense perception with my Nikon FM3A and a pinhole camera. I walk along the river, stay where I can, eat whatever available and not overindulge in austere practices.” He intends to cover 10km a day to span the entire length of the river in just seven days. “There are no maps to follow or sign posts to see or manuals to refer to; the only cue to follow is the river,” he adds.

There are no rules to joining him on the walk, but he cautions that the route is one of the highly polluted ones. There is high pollution by industrial effluents, drainage and open defecation from the thousands of hutments along its banks.

“On the other hand, with the culture of its own, with its own rationale, structure, and moral, Cooum river bank all along has a port, a fort, a university, palaces, graves of the common men and saints alike, museums, 1,500-year-old temples (mostly Chola temples) and also scientific astronomical observatories, which will definitely be a visual treat as much as a historical record,” he explains.

If you wish to join Pa. Madhavan on the walk, send him an email at madhavan@goa-cap.org.

(Picture courtesy www.thehindu.com. Image is a file picture)

Exit mobile version