Monthly Archives

June 2017

Welcoming landscape offering areas of retreat, relaxation and congregation

It is human nature to desire a place to retreat, somewhere we can rest, unplug, and be at peace… a place of privacy and quiet so we can refuel and collect our thoughts or even luxuriate in keeping your mind blank!  As it happens the importance of relaxation in our increasingly challenging high-stress world cannot be overstated.  Many illnesses in fact can be linked back to stress & if we wait for our vacations to come around we could end up too stressed out to enjoy our daily lives! This is where the importance of a multi-purpose and welcoming landscape offering areas of retreat, relaxation and congregation becomes crucial.

Most of us can’t afford the time or expense to travel and stay at a luxury hotel more often. What if we can use open spaces & create a relaxing retreat out of it? With the right kind of designs, you can even transform your backyard into a private retreat. After a long day cooped up in the busy office it can be your private haven to unwind peacefully in the fresh air!

Or maybe you can go on vacation in your own backyard by creating a complete outdoor living oasis with everything you would need for hours of outdoor activity. You can start by taking into account the needs and desires of your family to determine the right design approach for your personal retreat. If children are involved then consider their friends as well as an entertaining space for the adults. Once the scale and scope of the project are determined, let’s consider the elements that will have to be included.

Earth

Define your theme or concept, and then pick your organic and inorganic earth elements to successfully achieve your goals. Your backyard retreat need not be restricted by the style of your homes architecture or the neighborhood. If you want a tropical or Mediterranean feel in your landscape, use your ‘Earth’ element choices to achieve your goals. For example, choose plants with large, loose, colorful and informal foliage & unique paving stones to complete the style. Large pots and urns filled with exotic oversized annuals can be used throughout.

Fire

An outdoor fireplace will create a gathering location and define a significant architectural element in your retreat. Be it for the warmth on a chilly evening, a meal on the grill, or the visual attraction of flames and glowing coals, a fire is bound to enrich your space. Designs & products have vastly expanded the opportunities and characteristic of fire elements in the landscape.  Creative stand alone fire pits and unique gas flame features have become the recent trends. A built in fireplace or a portable fire pit – the choices are extensive!

Water

Water has many possibilities in design. A bubbling fountain, a naturalistic pond or a swimming pool can add to the charm of your space. If it is a stand-alone fountain you prefer there are innumerable possibilities -From old world European to modern contemporary style, they can become a sculptural accent in any open space! A naturalistic pond with waterfalls reminiscent of a country creek with fish and water plantings of all sorts is also an option to make your retreat more beautiful. As for a swimming pool, it can provide an attractive and active central water feature to build your entire backyard retreat around. Design your pool to accommodate both your practical uses and style preferences. A pool can also serve as a place for your family & friends togather.

How to utilize the Space in our Dream Home?

As the saying goes there’s no place like home. It’s the place where your family spends time together & it’s your sanctuary from the rest of the world & where you feel most comfortable and relaxed. The question, How to utilize the Space in our Dream Home? taxes your brain more often – Just sit back & relax…

Your home is the place you live your life. But when it’s cluttered it feels chaotic and stressful. Loads of items to sort, and things to clean up can be truly overwhelming.

But not to worry!

You can get back your space and turn your house into a home of your dreams!  You can utilise the precious space in your home & create a welcoming space reflecting your personality & style filled only with the things that give you joy and fulfill your needs.

Here’s a rundown on how you jump start the process!

Clean out the clutter & look around your home. Check out your hobbies & see if you can manage spaces to accommodate them. If you do love to entertain, your home needs to have space for hosting and lots of space to sit down. Try going for an extendable table. If you are a family of readers, try to bring in a small library area and a reading corner where you can enjoy all our books.

For some families, a dedicated space the choices may be different! For a chef or an avid baker, a house with a well-stocked kitchen might be the thing. A space for sewing or crafting could be the need, or they might just want a nice place to relax and watch movies. Perhaps they need the space for inspiration to create art or music.

It’s the time to reflect on how you use your space now and what you really value about your home’s layout and arrangement & make changes accordingly. Try to make good use of spaces under the staircase or staircase landings. Build customized storage units to store your hobby knick knacks.

As you go about reorganizing and uncluttering your home, think about the purpose of each room, and the job of each and every item within each room. Just follow the rule, have nothing in your houses that you don’t know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.

Generally speaking, while you may envision a grand layout for your home, with grand furniture and décor consider the needs of your children and pets & your busy schedule. Instead of a formal décor arranging rooms so they’re comfortable and functional is key to transforming your house into the best home possible for you and your family.

Now that you have ideas as to how to utilize the Space in our Dream Home, what are you waiting for? Just get going!

RAINING HERE! HAVE YOU INSULATED YOUR HOME AGAINST “WET” YET?

Now the monsoons have come & rains have started. The question arises Have you insulated your home against “wet” yet? 

Rains bring with them moisture to our homes,  much to our discomfort. Moisture exists in the air around us which makes it easy for many molds & mites to thrive. Normally a 50 percent level of indoor humidity is usually considered a healthy level as it is comfortable for humans and it also discourages the growth of mites & molds in that environment. But what happens when your moisture levels cross that level?
Some moisture is essential in the air you breathe, but too much moisture in your home can cause problems. It can even lead to damage of the building. Structural wood may rot and drywall can swell.  If moisture gets into your insulation, the insulation will not work as well as it should, and your heating and cooling bills will increase.

Moisture enters your home through rain, either falling on a leaky roof, wind-driven against a poorly-sealed wall, or collecting against (and eventually leaking through) the walls of your basement. The most noticeable are Roof leaks which must be repaired immediately. But rain coming through a wall is less visible, especially if it is a relatively small leak and the water remains inside the wall cavity. These leaks may occur around window or door frame, & can be repaired by replacing any missing or cracked caulking. Sump pumps may be used to handle rain seeping through the ground into your basement which may appear as damp, moldy walls. When moisture condenses inside a wall, mold and mildew grow in moist areas, causing allergic reactions and damaging buildings.

Roofing panels are made of polyurethane foam (PUF) sandwiched between layers of waterproof and non-corrosive material can be used to insulate the ceilings of houses.  These pre-fabricated roofing panels are designed to withstand the forces of nature and the passage of time. They also effectively restrict the transmission of heat by 5-6 degrees, and absorb as well as reduce the noise of rain. These roofing panels are aesthetically designed, sound-proof and weather-resistant. Being corrosion-free, these panels require low maintenance and durable in nature, making them a cost-effective roofing solution.

Insulation boards help to keep floors, external walls insulated from heat/moisture ingress. They ensure an even temperature across the interiors. This insulation system is perfectly suitable for varying Indian climatic conditions.

So now no more waiting! Just go ahead & insulate your house against wet! Happy Monsoons…