Month: May 2017

2017 is a year of several changes and new beginnings, as we explore the new Pantone of The Year, and the direction that architecture takes, incorporating sustainable materials and smart technology. We have compiled some of the most interesting décor trends from around the world for you to get an idea of what the future holds for interior designing.

BACK TO NATURE

2017 seems to be the year of returning to nature, as the Pantone for the year was announced to be “Greenery”. And we find the trend catching up in interior décor in engaging and vitalizing ways. Greenery soothes the ambience, and works really well with warm wood tones and soft lighting. Tip: Greenery is a colour best used to highlight, and not overpower. Pair it with white or pastels to suffuse the overall look with a crisp warmth.

However, what adds the charm of nature are the materials. Natural materials like terracotta, cork and clay are irresistible, as the well-researched practice of using these materials dates back to ancient times, and adds gravity to any home. Terracotta, on one hand, cools the house down, and adds the perfect earthy touch to the coziness of a home. On the other hand, the iron-rich terracotta brings to mind tropical cultures like the Mediterranean and Spanish, depending on how it is incorporated into the décor. Mostly, it is used as it is, but it can also be glazed to make it fit a more modern décor.

Cork, one of the most versatile and ecologically beneficial materials, is fast becoming a favourite with several interior designers as they bank on its green aspects (sustainability and renewability) and its raw, timeless appeal.

To those not familiar with interior décor, clay has proven its worth not just to accessorize a home space, but to add character in the form of well-designed walls. Apart from that, clay is cheap, durable and porous, allowing for a natural temperature regulation.

EMBRACE THE FUTURE

With the advent of the Smart Age, every aspect of our lives is being integrated with each other to form smarter, sleeker and extremely efficient alternatives. Minimalism is the name of the game, and modernists who look to reflect this in their homes have a great year ahead.

Of the many modern decor trends, voice activated assistants are the biggest innovation of the decade. After Google Home, every major tech giant is jumping on the bandwagon to usher in the first stages of automating homes, as other fixtures and functions of the house are being designed for integration into the voice assistant.

Metal has always stood for the future in all its avatars, from burnished to brushed. The latest trend deviates from the chrome to black stainless metal, which can be the entire theme of your home, or be restricted to just a home system cabinet.

In this wave of modernism, even kitchens have participated liberally, as the concept of hardworking kitchen storage walls has been introduced. The idea is to clear more room in the kitchen by confining all storage to a single, smart wall cupboard. Another practice catching on is the incorporation of counter-depth fridges, which clear up space, and add a stream-lining effect to the overall look of the kitchen.

Without the AC, by the way.

Summer has turned on its heat volume, and it’s going to hit max in the coming months. Whoops. Bad news. Okay, so apart from the usual cool colada and the buttermilk that everyone knows of, what other cool stuff can you do to beat the heat? Specially at home? Everyone can turn the AC to make it feel like Bangalore. While that’s cool in your home, it’s not a cool idea when thought of in terms of environment and sustainability. So how about checking out some greener, more responsible alternatives?

The basic idea here is to stop your interiors form absorbing heat in excess. That brings us to the question, how to prevent the surfaces like roofs, walls and windows from letting in the sun’s angry rays? Here’s a quick look at ten cool hacks that will get you through the summer in style.

Green Roof your home:
Green roofing your home is one of the best urban cooling tricks. If yours is an independent house, do a rooftop garden of kitchen plants and flower beds such as zinnia and O’ Clocks. Not only will the plants bear the occasional lemon and chilli, your roof will have a flowery bloom to show off as well. Green Roofing goes for apartments as well. The effort here is a community effort, a common gardening activity which can be made fun and joyful.

Don’t burn the gas:
This one is evident, but not that easy. Obviously, the less you fire cook indoors, the cooler your home will be. What you can do is try and reduce the high flame cooking during the summer months, and use the induction cooker more often. Try and have salads and juices as dinner. [We know your stomach is already growling, but believe us, ten days on, you yourself will much cooler inside, as will your home.].

Cover them up:
As long as you don’t have an underground house with garden on the top, you can at least drape up your windows. Normally, we’d drape with synthetic slits and silk curtains. They don’t do much in the way of keeping heat out. So drape with dried leaf woven rugs and mats. These awesome covers not only shield the rays, they can also be watered down from time to time, to give off that cool vapour.

Water, water everywhere:
Why do you think glamorous hotels have flower tumblers in the lobby? Fragrance, yes. But another idea is that water is an excellent absorber of indoor heat. Ever notice how the lakeside is always cool? Even in the glaring midday? Ancient hotels used to use the trick of having flower baths in lobbies. Modern hotels have conditioning, but the tradition has lived on.

Change the lights:
This may sound a bit expensive, but it isn’t, really. Just change all CFLs and LEDs in your home and switch to softer argon tubes and lampshades and you will feel the difference immediately. The inert gas lights give off far less heat as compared to other white lights used indoors, and help the home stay cool.

So that’s for now, folks: 5 tips to cool down the home without using the AC. Hope you have fun trying the tricks. Until later…