With each New Year’s arrival you set out with fresh resolutions about losing weight, spending more time with the family or saving more money. But what do you do about your home? Home is your sanctuary, your space to unwind, tune-out and be yourself after a hard day’s work. In keeping with the spirit of […]
You may think that the worst is over once your loan has been finalized and your new home paid off. However, the real struggle begins only after that. Once you have acquired a loan and secured your dream home, you should also think of repaying the loan. This task is not easy as it requires […]
The place you choose to move or settle down is dependent on several factors including your abilities to spend and save, especially your lifestyle. Some of the biggest factors that affect where you live include demographics, weather, cost, crime rates, property value, school systems, public transport etc. If you have considered these factors and […]
Are you tired of the noisy, polluted and chaotic city life? While millions of people are addicted to the adrenaline that comes hand in hand with the city, you may want a change of pace. Choosing to live in a suburban area is not the easiest choice to make but it has several advantages […]
With the booming real estate market and easy availability of home loans, getting your documents in order is half the battle won. If you have found your dream home and are eligible for a loan that can help you buy it, there are several documents you need to prepare for evaluation and approval. Regardless […]
Owning a home or piece of land is a dream come true for many Indians. You may have spent several years to save up for that dream house and when you do find the right home, there is nothing to stop you from paying that initial deposit. However before you do this, it is […]
When buying a new home, it is imperative to choose the right builder and is easily one of the more important decisions you will make during this process. Because this is a common occurrence, there are a few set ways through which you can narrow down your builder choices and make the right decision. […]
There are many reasons to bring down your energy bills. While the financial gains are the most obvious, cutting down power consumption is also beneficial to the environment. Apart from essential cooling, heating and home appliances, there are simple ways through which you can reduce consumption without making any significant changes to your lifestyle. Here […]
So you have settled for a studio apartment. Despite having limited floor space to work with, there is a lot you can do with a studio apartment. Owing to their smaller size, you can create cozy and intimate settings with the right design elements and clever décor choices. The most important trick behind decorating a limited space like studio apartments is to minimize essentials and create the illusion of space. Organization and careful placement of wardrobes, furniture and other elements is very important in a studio apartment and should be done sparingly. Work with minimal color palettes If you don’t have much space to work with, it is important to strategize on how you will make different elements work together. Use a monochromatic palette to make the space look bigger. Choose wall paint, carpets and curtains of complementary colors and avoid using too much contrast. On first impression, these color choices may sound bland but when paired with pops of vibrant colors, can make your home look spacious and stylish. Use limited colors with the help of accessories like vases, cushions and other decorative items in contrasting colors to balance out the monochromatic pattern of the room. You can use the same process in all rooms. Choose furnishings by scale Scale is an essential yet often overlooked element when decorating any room. Furniture that’s too big for your home can make your studio apartment look like a hobbit’s hut. When choosing sofas, dining tables and armchairs, choose small and dainty designs that are both chic and comfortable to place around the room. In fact, smaller and low positioned chairs and sofas are all the rage as they mix well with modern and contemporary décor. Keep the flow smooth and open The limited space and size of your studio apartment makes it more important to maintain the right flow when it comes to traffic and ventilation. Establish dynamic living spaces and create a comfortable and relaxing environment for your guests. Ensure that the location of your entrance, bathroom, kitchens and windows are placed in harmony. You can use special lighting and dividers to segregate different spaces of your home and create natural and temporary breaks. Organization is vital Small living spaces in studio apartments inevitably lead to one problem – less storage. Even if you have a small apartment, you may have heaps of storage and very little space. The key here is to organize your apartment with clever solutions. Choose open shelves, hidden cabinets, space bags, wall mounted dividers etc to make enough space for your belongings. You can even use your dividers and other open spaces to create decorative storage options. Lighting options Why go for boring old tubelights when you can work with interesting settings? Lighting is an important factor in creating the illusion of space. Instead of opting for generic lighting setups, choose your fixtures carefully and place them cleverly to create light and contrast in different parts of your house. Ideal for bedrooms, kitchens and living spaces, the right use of mood lighting can help create focus points in the room and prevent your home from looking too cluttered or limited in space.
If you have an immense passion for plants and gardening but are stuck living in an apartment on the tenth floor, fret not. There are many ways you can fulfill your love for gardening without moving house. Indoor gardens in apartments are a practical solution for gardening lovers and can be designed for both visual appeal and fresh produce. If you have a sunny and bright window that faces north, building an indoor garden is an easy task. When it comes to indoor gardens, you can choose from flower gardens, herb gardens, kitchen gardens and so much more! Indoor flower gardens Flower gardens are one of the most beautiful ways to decorate your apartment. Whether you keep potted plants indoors or line your balcony with flowery vines, indoor flower gardens are an excellent hobby. Depending on the lighting and ventilation in your home, you can choose from flowering varieties that require little to no sunlight as well as copious amounts of light. As a safe choice, it is always wise to choose indoor plants that thrive inside your apartment. Exotic varieties like orchids are low maintenance and can thrive when displayed in your living room. African violets, bamboo, money plant, and other exotic houseplants are excellent choices for indoor flower gardens. If you have enough space in your balcony, you can plant jasmine, rose and other flowering varieties and ensure that they get enough sunlight and water to thrive. In fact, you can even arrange them on bookshelves, libraries, kitchens and other areas of your home to brighten up the room and to keep the air fresh. Regardless of the varieties you choose, ensure that you create the right environment for growth and your indoor garden will flourish! Indoor herb gardens Nothing freshens up your palette than a sprinkle of freshly ground herbs. If these herbs come from your very own garden, your dinner tastes even better! Even if you have very little space near your kitchen windowsill, you can plant an herb garden. Purchase narrow and long trays that fit perfectly near your sill. You can even purchase small pots with soil and seeds. Whether you want to choose a single herb or a combination of different ones is upto you. After you plant herbs like chives, rosemary, thyme or basil, all you have to do is water them regularly and just snip off small bits when you cook. Indoor vegetable gardens If you thought you needed large strips of land to grow vegetables, you thought wrong. Vegetables not only flourish in small spaces but can also be grown indoors. If you are planning on adding freshly harvested vegetables for your salad or Sunday meal, you can do it right in your balcony. Different varieties of peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes and chilies can be grown in your home in small potted plants. In fact, you can go as far as growing strawberries, melons and lettuce in your apartment. Ensure that your garden faces bright sunlight from south, southwest or southeast direction as well as plenty of fresh air an
