Blogs

Interior Networkers brings to you this week a closing chapter to its monsoon maintenance of house interiors. This week we drift towards a more energy related topic, to cleanse your house of any negative energy, as the water pours from the sky let us detox your home and bring in good fortune. To tap into the benefits of the monsoon season, here are a few Vastu Shastra tips to consider for your home interiors during the season. According to Vastu Shastra, you can keep the doors and windows facing the north-east open after the first few showers to allow positive energy to flow in. The natural flow of rainwater in this direction can bring good luck by altering negative vibrations. However, do not allow rainwater to enter through the south-east and south-west direction as there could be a strong energy clash considering the south-east direction is known to be governed by the element of fire. Therefore, waterproof parts of the house in this direction that are prone to leaks. Fixing leaks will prevent ill health to prevail in your home, as per Vastu.Placing a hanging basket with a four-leaf clover in front of the door or near the window will bring in good fortune.As part of making your house monsoon-ready, it would be best to have pest control done at your place, especially near the drains in the kitchen and bathrooms. Pests and termites are usually carriers of negative energy.If you have unattended wires at home, it would be advisable to get them fixed before the rains. if there’s a faulty wire in the house, do not neglect it. In addition to posing a health risk, exposed wires can also fuel negativity in a space, according to Vastu.According to Vastu, the burning of camphor can purify the air during monsoon. The strong fragrance of camphor is loaded with healing properties, thereby filling your home with positivity. Also, mopping the floor with boiled neem leaves will clear your space of negative energy.Vastu prescribes where plants can be placed to extract the maximum benefit from them. Planting lemongrass, which is known for its medical properties, near the window or in the garden will remove impurities from the home and its surrounding areas.  Hope these tips help you set your interiors right this monsoon season! Stay with us for a brand new series next month!

Often times we forget while designing our house that we live in the Augmented Age. That without our tech gadgets we are virtually as well as actually powerless, and with it we are limitless. So why is it that their place in our home is still struggling to exist? We have tables to put are laptops on, but no place to put the phones when they charge. All sockets are singular and are used for an array of activities. This month at Interior Networkers we are covering these little things that we miss when decide to renovate / decorate or even design our house. This week’s topic? Charging! Utility drawer We all have one of these drawers in the kitchen / study / bedroom and probably even the living room that are full of phone and laptop chargers – some call it the ‘dumping drawer’. And we can bet you’ve run out of power points in these rooms at some stage and have had to unplug your charging phone or tablet to plug in elsewhere. Free up a drawer in your room, by using that same ‘dumping drawer’ to actually charge your gadgets in. And its not just your drawer, you can build in your chargers points in your cupboard, overhead cabinets, and even inside your bed side table! The magic of these lie in the idea that your phones/ laptops are not out, when not in use and charging. Therefore very easily avoiding all dust, pollution and most importantly heat! Defined cupboard Now when we come to wifi routers, and cables of similar kinds: its difficult to put them in drawers since they need to have place for their longer wires and cables, if you mix these up with your phones and laptops there is again a chaos that ensues among them. So how can you put these away? A separate cabinet is always advisable, and little details in the cabinet that lets you coil the cables away and pin them inside properly. Table accessories And finally, when you’re a forever desk worm- you may need to keep chagrining your phone/ laptop all day round. A desktop accessory with a hidden spike guard is the way about it. It can be a pen holder or even a large memo pad with a clock on it! Anything smart will do the trick! Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below! Keep up with Interior Networkers to know about other Interior Tech Design ideas!

The shower curtain is a problem place every monsoon season, with the moisture that sticks to its body and is so difficult to remove. Today Interior Networkers plans to deal with just that! Tips to clean out those curtains! Banish Buildup People swear by the incredible soap scum-slaying ability of distilled vinegar (heated first) mixed with grease-cutting dish detergent such as Dawn, in equal proportions. If your shower is made of stone, however, the vinegar could damage it. Instead, mix some liquid soap with baking soda until it's the consistency of frosting. Scrub it onto the glass shower door with a non-scratch sponge. Multitask Clean the shower door as you're finishing up your shower. The warm water has already loosed up the grime, plus you don't have to worry about getting messy or wet. Use a sponge or foam cleaning pad such as a Magic Eraser, and you won't need to mess around with additional cleaning products or chemicals. Multiuse Tools Use a toothbrush for scrubbing the metal frame around your shower door. A paint scraper can help get the gunk where the metal meets the shower or door, and a razor, carefully and gently applied, can scrape mineral spots off flat glass. Squeegee, Squeegee, Squeegee Prevention is key. "The best thing you can do is squeegee the door after each use," Koenig says. Keep one hanging in your shower to make it easy. "It'll help keep hard-water deposits from building up, so you won't have to scrub so much later," she says. DIY Daily Shower Spray Using a shower spray daily builds time between deep cleans. Make your own on the cheap -- and without harsh chemicals -- by mixing 1 cup water, 1/2 cup vinegar, a little dish soap, and 10-20 drops of your favourite essential oil. Keep it in the shower, and spray the glass door down after squeegeeing. (Skip the vinegar if you have a stone-tile shower.) Stay with Interior Networkers for interesting Interior tips !

Interiors today want to declutter to the maximum, especially if we look at homes: the purpose of building a home in a megacity in the twenty first century has become increasingly about saving space. People do not care for opulent furniture anymore, they do not want the most expensive fabric enveloping their sofa set. They want freedom to move around their home, and live a stress free life. Decluttering invariably equals to stress free living.Today, we’re covering homes: how can we store it smart at our homes?1. Shelves behind a sliding mirror panelStow away your bathroom clutter on shelves that are built behind a sliding mirror panel. You can check yourself out and keep the bathroom clutter in check at the same time. 2. PegboardGoing for the industrial style? Interior Networkers totally recommend using a large pegboard as storage. It’s a great choice for the kitchen, because of how versatile and stylish it is. You can hook up your wares and utensils to make it easier to reach for them when you’re doing your cooking. Install shelves on the pegboard to use as a display stand for your dishes or décor.3. Platform storagePlatform storage is great for smaller spaces as it takes full advantage of the square footage. It’s a good choice for storing things that are not frequently accessed, such as bed sheets, winter clothing or extra cushions. The raised height is also great for defining a space, and if placed next to a window, also helps to maximise the outside view too!4. Cubbies surrounding your sofaInterior Networkers loves them particularly for books and display items. Surround your sofa with them to make the most out of a popular “dead space” and create a little cozy enclave in your living room. This cubby design is brushed with gold accents to elevate the look from ordinary to fabulous.5. A TV feature wall that doubles as storageA full-height, wall-to-wall TV feature wall also doubles as a storage for media units, books and other bric-a-bracs. The pops of blue, against the matte black, is a stark visual contrast, while providing a uniformity with the hues in this home.6. Storage under the stairs: When addressing a duplexIf you’re lucky enough to get stairs in your home, make sure you make full use of it by incorporating storage underneath. The steps serve as natural dividers, so they help to keep your things organized.7. Bay window storageBay windows are great for creating this cozy reading nook. But if you aren’t much of a lounger or if you have very limited floor space, it might be more bane than boon. Incorporating an extra drawer above the seat of your bay window helps to make full use of this space.8. Indented shelvesIf you want things to look neat at home, recessed shelves are the way to go. They don’t take up as much visual bulk, but they can store plenty. Go for a glass front to turn indented storage space into an indented display cabinet.Stay connected with Interior Networkers, every Thursday for a smart interior design tip!

Interior Networkers strings together for your homes wallpaper décor that would bring in light and shun out darkness. Set the mood in the right style by papering up your space: DICTATES STYLE: While wall color encourages mood, designer wallpaper design does this and a bit more. Visually, it offers a direction towards a particular style. A damask print perfectly denotes a traditional bedroom just as a honeycomb one does for a contemporary dining room or an ikat one for a global style living room. ADDS DRAMA: Without having to invest in expensive art or lighting, designer wallpaper is a great way to enhance a room design with a bit of dramatic “wow!”. Whether a marbleized pattern with shimmering gold splashes or a whimsical forest motif, wallpaper can really wake up a space through color and art. COVERS DOORS CREATIVELY: Let’s not over-look doors as surfaces with covering potential. Get creative by using wallpaper on door panels for a varied look. And those outdated sliding mirrored closet doors? Cover them with removable adhesive wallpaper like this orbit small metallic one as a modern alternative. BRINGS IN NATURE: Adding an element of nature is not limited to placing a lovely fig leaf tree in the corner. Floral prints can evoke a colorful spring garden in the living room while a verdant fern pattern gives the home office a sense of calm. INVITES ACCENT WALLS: Accent walls play a key role in enhancing a room design. Offer another layer of color and pattern wallpaper on a prominent wall, a niche, or chimney wall for added interest. Textured wallpaper goes above and beyond with another design element added. Set your rooms apart with this new trend, leave behind the paint and bring forward the innovation in design with interior networkers:: paper up your walls this Thursday!

LET THE WATER IN! With monsoon already at the edge of June, we’re all wondering how to keep our spaces safe: lest the water goes a little wonks. Here at Interior Networkers, we’ve worked to put together a few essential suggestions to keep the water at bay and let the wind embrace your home.Carpets and Doormats: Keep away those thick doormats and carpets during monsoon. Replace fur or thick doormats with plastic ones, so that it becomes easy to wash the wet mud or dirt from it. Also it is better not to use any carpet as they attract dirt and bugs. But if it is necessary you can use thin clothed carpets and clean them weekly.Fresh flowers: Take in those non rainy season flowers from your balcony and replace them with monsoon flowers. Hibiscus, colourful daisies are flowers of rainy season. These flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds that are sure to add a glorious charm to your garden or balcony. And you don’t need to keep up with the watering because the rain’s going to be handling your chores for you these few months!Vibrant Hues: Rains bring a lot of dark clouds with them, and it will get darker inside your home for a few months, but it does not HAVE to be gloomy inside! Replace your living room and other room cushions and curtains with bright and vibrant hued ones. It will add positivity and freshness to your personal space. Also you can use light curtains or lace curtains as it will give a charming look and will allow ample amount of light to enter the room. Scented Candles: During monsoon we all enjoy the fragrance of wet mud outside but inside the not-so-good smell of moisture and dampness can get to us. So, to spread an aromatic aura in your home spray some perfume or light up the scented tea light or votive candles. This will keep your house both fragranced and refreshing. Browse through these new flameless scented candles here.Decorative Cutlery: Monsoon season is a lazy one with limited drive to be outside. It is just perfect for your chinaware to come out of the showcase. So get ready to create fun filled snack, meals and beverage time for your loved ones. Let the hot soup, yum drinking chocolate, yummy pakodas roll out!!! Keep glued to our website, and follow us on Facebook and Instagram to catch the water before it comes into your house!

Whether you’ve just moved or are looking for a quick, little home pick-me-up, or perhaps something more significant, there are some well-known interior design tricks that designers employ that you too can easily do with minimal effort and cost.  Sometimes the smallest things make the greatest impact. It could be the addition of a mirror, a painting, a lamp or even a plant. Maybe you want to soften your walls, brighten a room, or add some warmth to your living space. Take a look at these clever design tips and see how they can inspire you!1. Paint smaller rooms in softer, lighter colours to help make the room feel larger.The living room above is a great example of how to maximize a small living space. A room of this size has the tendency to seem cramped, but the large windows, light coloured walls and ample use of mirrors not only reflect the natural light pouring in from the doors and the windows but the use of mirrors also gives the optical illusion of space, making the room seem larger than it actually is. Conversely, darker colours will make a room feel smaller. Even with the abundance of natural light and the strategic placement of the mirrors, this room in a darker shade would have a more boxed-in feel to it.2. Use decorative mirrors to add instant light to your living space.As seen above, mirrors can also be used to make a small space feel larger. For larger rooms, or any room with a more limited amount of natural light, mirrors placed directly across from the windows, will add instant light. Decorative mirrors can also be used in lieu of art to fill empty wall space. Large or small, mirrors add light and dimension to your living space.3. Mix it up. Mix up patterns and textures. Mix up old and new, expensive and inexpensive. There’s nothing wrong with placing family heirlooms alongside your modern couch. All good interior decorators will tell you that the most important aspect to decorating your home is that it reflects who you are, your personality and your style. The antique Chippendale desk that was your grandfather’s tells a story. It tells the story of your past. The modern couch you fell in love with and simply had to purchase also tells a story, your present story, and there is no reason why the present and past can’t co-exist beautifully together. The same can be said for art. Now you might not want to place a painting by Salvador Dali on the same wall next to a Monet, but there’s no reason why they can’t be in the same room together. With fabrics whether it be furniture, rugs or pillows, varied colors and patterns can bring warmth and texture into your living space.4. Slip into something a little more comfortable!Slip covers often get a bad rap but they are truly wonderful things. They can serve as a  means of changing your furniture’s look to reflect the seasons. These easily removed coverings allow you to have a sophisticated look without constantly worrying about people dirtying or spilling on your furniture. Slip covers are ideal for rooms used frequently by children. Above the white slip-covered couches gives the air of a casual, comfortable, easy yet sophisticated elegance.5. Wicker basketsWicker baskets are an economical and elegant way to add storage to any room. Baskets can be used to store and display books, architectural and decor magazines, toys, towels and blankets to name a few. Place a couple of small wicker baskets on the counter-tops in your kitchen to beautifully display and store your fruit and vegetables.6. Use what you already have to decorate.We all have items in our possession, probably packed up in boxes somewhere and haven’t given them a second glance. Your home needs some accessories. Instead of running to the store, take a good look at what you already have. Trays, wooden, acrylic, metal or silver can be placed on top of luggage racks, tea carts, trunks, bedside tables and coffee tables for extra texture and dimension. Arrange candles on them, frames or pile books on top of them. Plates can be hung to create wonderful wall art. Art from children’s books can be framed and hung in nurseries, children’s rooms or their bathrooms. You will be amazed at what you can do with what you already have!7. Add a hanging pot holder to your kitchen.Kitchens are meant to be warm and inviting. We spend much of our time in them whether it be for preparing meals, serving meals or entertaining. A hanging pot rack is useful elegance. Kitchens are meant to feel as though they are in constant use and a hanging pot rack certainly makes one feel this way. In addition to looking so wonderful, (there are many sizes and styles available) additional cupboard space below is now freed up to store other items. Seldom has anyone complained of having too much storage.8. Go green.Add plants to your living space. Add them to every room, small or large, few or many. Plants are an inexpensive means to accessorizing your space and adding color and texture. Not only are plants beautiful but many can clean household air and balance humidity. They can absorb pollutants and remove harmful gases from the air. No home should be without these wonderful greens!9. Paint or wallpaper your bookcases.This instant pop of color will brighten and re-energize any room! It’s amazing how something so simple as a coat of colorful paint can instantly energize and transform your space. This built-in bookcase would be simple and ordinary without the bright blue interior. Perhaps the simplest and most inexpensive way to transform a boring space is to apply a coat of paint somewhere unexpected. Bookcases are an ideal place to start because you don’t need to paint a large area. Other fun places to add a pop of color include painting fireplace mantels, the insides of closets, hallways and ceilings.10. Use area rugs to soften hardwood floors.Throw rugs give warmth and can add great texture, color and personality to your living space. Hardwood floors are beautiful and easy to maintain but they lack the comfort that carpeted floors offer, especially in the cooler months. Area rugs can add fun and functionality to your living space. Use several of varying patterns and fabrics together to showcase your character. Or add several rugs of the same pattern and fabric, or different textures but the same color. The possibilities are endless. You can change your area rugs to reflect the seasons using warmer tones and fabrics for cooler months and lighter ones for the warmer days of the year. There are many lovely cotton, washable area rugs which are ideal for those homes with children. There really is no reason why a home with young children cannot also be a stylish one.

The magnificent gateway that welcomes the Arabian Sea at the doorstop of Bombay. The Gateway of India. I am mesmerized by the grandiose structure. For me it is the confluence of the gateway and the Arabian Sea. Their love ever since it was built remains firm. The waves in the sea sometimes ferociously, sometimes gently kiss the Gateway. One can stand for hours to see this immortal affair. The elegant promenade have tourists throughout the year. The witness of this association the sun, the wind, the birds, the people, the hustle and whistle of the boats. The Gateway of India is an arch monument built during the 20th century. The monument was built to commemorate the shoring of King George V and Queen Mary at Apollo Bunder on their visit to India in 1911. The Gateway served as an entry and access to India. The Gateway was opened on 4th December 1924 by the Viceroy (to the public) that makes it 94 year old. For me the love for the place started ever since, I was a child. A very fond memory of my childhood relates totally. I visited the Gateway of India with my maternal grandmother, throughout the visit sitting in the car Naani was singing “Ye hai Bombay Meri jaan “. When you love something you tend to know more about it, hence my indulgence in the history of the place came naturally. The Architectural magnificence of the place really helped me understand it better. The monument design is a combination of Hindu and Muslim Architectural style with that of the English Gothic style. The Architectural style is called Indo-Saracenic and Roman Triumphal Arch Type. Notably George Wittet and John Begg were two men responsible for the evolution and subsequent popularity of the Indo – Saracenic style of Architecture style. Willet is also known to have designed few of Bombay’s monumental landmarks like The Prince of Whales museum, The Institute of Science. The Wadia Maternity Hospital, King Edward Memorial Hospital, the Grand Hotel. The Small Causes court at dhobitalao and the Bombay house which houses the Tata Sons. The Scottish Architect George Wittet was able to sanction his final design in 1914. The structure is made of Yellow Basalt and indissoluble concrete. The Central dome of the monument is about 48 feet (15 meters) in diameter, with a total height of 83 feet (25 meters). The intricate latticework gives the designs a marvelous look. Latticework is openwork framework consisting of a criss – crossed patterns of strips of building material, typically wood or metal. The design is created by crossing the strips to form a grid or weave. The Latticework is carved on stone in The Gate of India .The Prominent Feature of Gateway of India are the 4 turrets’. On each side of the arch, there are large halls with the capacity to hold 600 people. There are steps constructed behind the arch of the gateway that leads to the Arabian Sea. To summarize my appointment with the Gateway of India the song “Ae Dil Hai Jeena Mushkil  Yahan….. Ye hai Bombay Meri Jaan”. Happy or challenging but you can’t live anywhere else once you have lived in the city of dream Bombay.  

 MONSOON ESSENTIALS The scorching heat is travelling farther away from our landmass and the rain is bringing the relief that we have been seeking for over three months now. So here Interior Networkers is back with a new batch of tips to deal with the monsoon blues your home will without a doubt face. Today, we will go about a few essentials that will cover your home services: PAINT IT UPThe first thing that gets affected due to rains is the exteriors of the house. After rains you might notice dullness on the exteriors of the house building. This is because generally the heavy rain washes out the paint. To avoid this, waterproof paints can be used. It is best to use this and is cost effective before the monsoon sets to avoid whitewashing the house frequently.ELECTRICITYA thorough check should be done to the electrical system of n by a trained electrician in the electrical grounding system. Make sure to properly cover the joints and ensure quality wires for the household electrical items. If your electricity box is near the window or at a place where it might get wet, cover it with a plastic and keep it closed at all items.KEEP THOSE BUGS AWAYThe chances of termite attack in homes increases during rainy season. The dampening of walls during rains cause damage to furniture which leads to termites. It is best to get your home tested for termites. Termite control spray should be used in case even a single termite is spotted. It can also be sprayed as a preventive measure. Special care needs to be taken if you have wooden flooring. The floor can be waxed which absorbs moisture.THE ESSENTIAL OTHERSTry to avoid anything made of paper or cardboard during monsoons. If it gets dampened it might retain moisture and due to excessive moisture they easily get spoilt. If at all you have cardboard boxes at home, do not keep them on the floor. Place them at a higher altitude to avoid spoilages.Do not shut the windows! Even though it is advised to shut the windows when it is raining, open the windows to allow daylight inside the room. It reduces humidity and removes dullness inside the home. .  Also, it removes the bad odour from home. Spread Silica gel powders in cupboards and drawers. They are essential moisture absorbers. If you couldn’t get silica gels, a simple alternative for these would be neem leaves. Spread a few leaves in your cupboard to avoid smelly clothes. Use a layer of paper to avoid neem leaves contacting the clothes. Equip yourself greater when Interior Networkers is with you, stay with us to keep yourself updated this rainy season!