The “Don’t” s.... Interior of a Your home

A complete one hour before you are actually getting ready to leave for office, you must have made up your in mind about what not to wear, instead of what to wear for the office. May be it was a routine casual day for office, yet you have your own rules and conditions by which you set aside few of your wardrobe which are to be discarded for that purpose. Take another occasion, when you are invited to a special meeting and you know that the wardrobe you have suddenly shrink and your choice is limited. Compare this to your bedroom and drawing room and the dining room – and without any second thought you will discard things from drawing room and shift them to bed room, remove few things from bed room and shift them to store room and one or two things lying in store room for ages will be shifted to bed room or drawing room or dining room.

That is how you start thinking and planning about decorating your house.  Let’s start now about the “Don’t” in interior decoration of your own house.

What Is Laminate?

Plastic laminate has been part of our surroundings for decades, yet most people don't know much about the product that is found virtually everywhere – in homes, restaurants, hospitals and even bowling alleys! The name itself – "plastic laminate" – can lead to misunderstandings.

High pressure decorative laminate (HPDL) is made by saturating sheets of decorative and core paper with resins, then pressing them under high heat, fusing the layers into a single sheet. Surprisingly, a sheet of laminate is only 18% plastic resin; the rest is paper!

Laminate sheets are bonded, using special adhesives, to "substrates" made of plywood, fiberboard or particle board which give the final product its strength and substance. The laminate surface provides resistance from wear and impact.

Selecting the color:

This is one aspect which is getting out of hand – when these so called consultants and experts start teaching you about the patterns and naturals etc.,  Unless you are a professional in color business, better you don’t try learning the color techniques.  The interior designers – like software experts speaks their own language.  And mind you that it is not your shirt or blouse – it is your home where your spouse and children as well as your close friends visit and stay with you for a long time. 

But then every man is equipped with a percentage of innovation capability.  Use that to an extent possible without getting into the trap of the color experts.  One thing is sure, what color is excellent to the seller need not give you the same moods or create excellence. Never mix the color in single room – better study other houses and hotels and some shopping malls to have an idea.

Important issue is that selection of the brand of color – always go for the reputed brand.  And ask the company representative about whether he can recommend a suitable color for you.  And express your likes and dislikes so that he can come up with some suggestions.

Vaasthu

This is becoming a great money spinner for the unemployed cheats! Wear a classic dress and maintain a good office address and drop few big names in the conversation – and you will be getting ready like a fish.  Here is a story which was told by a friend to me. He purchased a small land and wanted to build a house there.  So, having heard about the Vaasthu he went to a “specialist” and asked for his recommendations about how to build a house as per the right Vaasthu.  He was shocked and came back to me after hearing the reply.  The “specialist” informed him to go ahead with the construction and once it is completed, then he will suggest what is to be demolished and where it can be extended or deleted!

Following Vaasthu or Feng Shui or I Ching is okay but then consulting the right person is always important.  And changing the house and walls as per their suggestion and then having the toilet at the entrance and kitchen at the corner and drawing room in the portico will ruin the objective of having a house of your own. Better – rent a flat and stay there!

Just like accountants – invariably what one specialist is talked about will be contradicted by another specialist.  If one says that the street opposite your main door was very bad, the other one recommends it.  There was a reputed scholar in Sanskrit grammar and his house was facing a small street and if you see from that street into the house you will be looking at the well which is directly visible from the main door.  The scholar was rewarded with many awards by the Government, but the house was reputed with widows and divorced women and there was no function for about 50 years at a stretch.  After his death the house was sold and then the well was closed, the door was changed – and as the house was on the main road, it was given to a business house which is now doing excellent business.

Vaasthu is to be taken and treated along with your right horoscope.  Then it will give right results.  And whenever the owner changes – the changes may be required – but it is to be consulted.

On the whole, for a good house – which is according to the general Vaasthu – if the plot is in favorable position and construction of the   house is according to that – then better make no consultations. Never try to bring the unexpected windfall just by making changes in the wall or removing the main gate or adding another room at the rear end.  If intentions are good, then the end result will be good!

Ask yourself about whether there is any furniture or any accessory that doesn’t really ‘belong’ here? If so, remove the culprits and save them for another room. This was given in a web site on furnishings.

There is no color scheme for your MOOD!

Do you think – let’s talk between you and me -  that you get no love making mood in the drawing room and you only get that mood in the bed room?   That means the back seats of Automobiles in the US and other western countries are perfectly matched with furnishings and accessories as well as color scheme to create a mood for love making?

Remember – that mood is like sweating!  If you are happy, free, casual, carefree and is thinking about the girl who came to your office in the afternoon – mood start coming on its own!  You need no accessories.

But then, the bedroom is bed room and drawing room is drawing room.  If the bed room is full of wardrobe of wife and husband as well as children – gives a feeling that it is like show room.  When your teenage boy wanted a shirt, he has to tap the door and enter.  If you want to spend some time on a book before sleeping, you have to go to the drawing room and get it.  Think these occasions, think innovatively and make it as YOUR room – instead of a room recommended by others or copied from Internet.  You feel that you are special and you have your own ideas and why discuss the same with your spouse and make it a special room.  And here the size is important before you decide the amenities.  If the size is large, you can include many things.  So never follow or take opinion about what is to be included or what is to be excluded from Bed room.  There was an young boy who was working for a BPO company who spends night times in the offices and day time in the house.  Again he will be in the house on weekends. His requirements are unique, may be simple but unique.  So lighting was changed, heavy curtains were included, night lightings was improved, Apart from the bed, there is a provision for a sofa, book case, computer table and dining cart – and a visitor’s chair!  He doesn’t want to move out from there!  Another feature he insisted that as he returns from office in the early  morning he has the habit of throwing away the cell, files, lock and keys, wrist watch, shoes and socks and trousers and shirts – all in different places! The problem was that when he was going to office in the evening, he has to spend a considerable time to search and locate these essentials. So the idea was invented after consulting him was that – a box with cushion seat was made next to the door and then a small rack case was specially erected near the toilet and inside the toilet!

Keep in mind that less general amenities and more actual accessories is the important issue.

Repeat again that “Ask yourself about whether there is any furniture or any accessory that doesn’t really ‘belong’ here? If so, remove the culprits and save them for another room. This was given in a web site on furnishings.

Affordability and ambience

These two things are if perfectly or evenly matched, then you create a great interior. You were told about some beautiful plants and garden accessories – and as you can pay for them, you will get them to home.  But then do your have the nice garden – if yes, whether that garden maintained properly is the question.  The matching of color with plants and the furniture is another big question.  And when your spouse is not so creative, then whatever you do, go waste as at every stage he or she will discourage you from going further.

If the ceilings are high – and the furniture is small, if the room is vast and large but there is only one sofa and few chairs – and on the contrary, there may be two different large sofas and beautiful sets of chairs but the room is limited and it is an apartment – Then the equation is not acceptable.

The mirrors, Artwork and other statues and indoor plants – all these things follow one rule – that is if the room size is big, bring more accessories in large sizes and if the room size is small – then select only the essential things in small sizes. One aspect is that try changing the seating pattern – instead of maintaining the set or old pattern.  

You might have seen in some houses – and even in the automobiles – the seats, sofas and other new furniture is covered with plastic sheets.  And when asked about it, they say that they are covering it to save the furniture from the bad weather or from the dust which is coming from outside.  The madness is that, the covers are being kept there even after the dust is settled and changed the color of the plastic sheet!  And any visitor will automatically choose a chair or table to sit instead of that sofa.  May be the owners are informing the visitors not to use the sofas as these furniture is meant for special and specific visitors.  Then it’s better if these sets are kept in a garage and bring out when the occasional visitor visits your house.

Postpone furnishing shopping – first get acquainted with the new house.

Whenever you start constructing a new house or remodeling a house or buying a new or old house (whether it is an apartment or individual house) the agents of furniture and furnishing retailers will come and canvas for the products.  The designer or the interior specialist may also chip in to recommend the variety of furniture and aesthetic color scheme for your different rooms.

After observing many house owners and office managers – in different locations and regions, it is noted that one has to take the note of the environment and its natural effects on the house for few days – so that you will know which side gives you the good natural light and from which side the breeze is cool etc.,

An industrialist had taken a palatial penthouse on rent for a large deposit plus monthly rent.  Entire family and their attachments were shifted and after a few days there was  a small get together at their house in the evening – and all doors were opened and atmosphere was very excellent and every one was appreciating the choice of selection. After an hour there was a commotion and everyone wanted to get in inside the room or wanted to leave the place and get out!  Near by swamp was the breeding place for powerful mosquitoes, they also came along with their kith and kin – Just within 20 minutes the place was empty and the house was vacated next month.

By spending in the house – once the construction is completed – there will be new demands and earlier assumptions will become null and void and entire concept of decorating will change.  That will be the long lasting rather than imagining the space and its requirements.