Article By: Vishal Kaul, Lighting Head, Crompton Greaves Consumer Electricals Ltd.
Freshening up the atmosphere with lush greeneries, cooling showers and soothing breeze, the monsoon season has commenced, bringing much-needed relief from the stifling heat. It is this very mood that gets us to take a step back and sip on a warm cup of coffee with hot snacks and wrapped in a blanket. While we enjoy this very picturesque environment and the aroma of the rain, this weather can also be a mood dampener as it casts a gloomy aura into our homes.
Considering how poets have constantly romanticized the rainy season, there is also the downside to it as it brings its very own set of problems. From dirty shoes to musty smells, you have to stay cooped up in a room that is constantly clouded by darkness and dullness. Hence, it’s a given that there needs to be some solution to make our lives as comfortable as possible. And that is where home décor can be the ultimate calling. While we spend much of our time indoors during this particular season, it also gives us the opportunity of illuminating our interiors with the right décor inspired by the seasonal vibes from the outside.
By adding pops of décor and colour to our homes, it can surely bring a cheer to the gloomy insides. This season calls for a bit of experimentation, be it in furnishings or lighting. With dark clouds looming over our homes, it is a natural tendency to turn up the lights to brighten up our space. However this enhances our home, but not our mood. Hence we need a bit of magic with the right room lighting that perfectly reflects our current mood. It is all about playing smart with the right set of tools to elevate our ambience without burning a hole in our pockets.
From tweaking the colours of our interiors, flooding our spaces with the right lighting to ensuring the most essential technologies are utilised the right way, let’s look at some of the best ways to upgrade our homes to eliminate those monsoon blues:
Add Mood to your Lighting:
According to studies, appropriate lighting has an inspiring effect and boosts mood and energy levels, whereas bad lighting not only impacts our energy levels and productivity but also leads to other health issues. Hence look at 3-in-1 Lighting Modes found in ceiling lights. From Cool White (6500K), Warm White (3000K) to Natural White (4000K) you can create the ideal setting of a warm and relaxed atmosphere that goes in line with your mood for the day. Another idea is having a multi-purpose LED lamp , almost like a ‘Night Buddy’ that provides indirect soft lighting which is soothing for the eyes, but at the same time have features like Turbo Charging via USB port, acting as a dual usage within a single product. With home automation bulbs like Immensa are also coming in almost 16 million that can also be operated by an app. They are available easily in an affordable range that make this simple improvement drastically change the way you use the space.
Upgrade the ole’ noisy fans with silence and IoT:
Considering the monsoon season oscillates between hot, humid and cold in India, the fan is our ultimate saviour that keeps us comfortable and ventilates our rooms. While we spend most of our time indoors, monsoon enthusiasts call to relax and listen to the pitter-patter of the rain without having their fans create unnecessary and irritating noises throughout. Hence, having a fan with an aerodynamic design, which assures high performance in silence is one of the best ways to have a blissful moment at home. Moreover, with technology at its peak, you can also have ceiling fans which have IoT based technology enabling you to not move out off of your comfort zone. The IoT-enabled fan allows you to manage speed, modes, timer, integrated lighting and much more. There are also IoT-enabled fans available in the market that are compatible with voice assistants like Google Assistant and Alexa, taking convenience to the next level.
Surround yourself with Greens from the inside of your homes:
In addition to an enhanced Zen-like environment and aesthetic appeal, plants help reduce stress and tension. They can also create a peaceful environment, significantly improving the air quality and overall mental health and well-being. Adding greens in your house helps you enhance your home decor and create a welcoming atmosphere that makes your space feel cozy. Buy house plants or cacti and place them in colourful ceramic pots or vases. You can also paint old flower pots and use them as flower vases. This will help you bring luck, peace as well as refresh yourself every day.
Dressing up the Windows:
Given the gloomy weather, the monsoons bring in, one thing that can cheer up your home is to remove heavy curtains and dress the windows with sheer fabrics. They are also easy to wash, so it helps you save time in their maintenance. Sheer curtains allow sunlight to penetrate the room during the monsoon. These curtains can be complemented by thicker curtains folded and neatly gathered to the side or blinds underneath. Lights can bring colour to our life, especially during the monsoon season. Another idea is to add copper string lights to the curtains which are available in different colours and comes with a USB port so that one doesn’t have to worry about changing batteries in normal string lights. There are multiple colours available out in the market which also helps you make your house look attractive and pleasant.
Go minimalistic this monsoon / Reconstruct your upholstery:
Declutter your homes and reconstruct the layout of your furniture. This very practice will help you stay organised and clean. Considering that the monsoon season will help your furniture collect fungi, bacteria and mildew, its best to move things around thereby giving the illusion of a wider space and allowing access of ventilation across rooms and freedom of movement.
And so enjoy the rainy season with these basic essentials that will help get rid of the gloominess but also keep your home refreshed and ready for you to be all the more comfortable and happy inside.
