Jazz up your kitchen

Discover the beauty of the kitchen, which is otherwise taken as just another functional groove of your haven. Check the benefits of a good design and create the most comfortable and loved spot of the house. Every traditional room of the home, from bedroom, living space to the bathrooms has got a makeover. But it is the traditional kitchen's revamp that is most noticeable and most sought after by modern homes. Revamped! A full-scale kitchen renovation is not out of reach. Here are some sure-fire ways to help you get started within a small budget. As a good rule of thumb, modify and work on the moulding of your kitchen cabinets and cupboards. It comes in various styles such as rope, dentil, et al. It can enhance height and dimension interestingly. Remember to add moulding at the tome of cabinets; bottom of wall cabinets to accent a granite countertop; in vertical places where two cabinets intersect, such as in a corner and on the legs of cabinets to impersonate the furniture look. Pallid hues on the walls and cabinets help open up small spaces. Make sure that the cabinets are darker than the walls to give more emphasis to the walls and make the kitchen look more spacious. You could even mimic spaciousness by opting for glass doors on the upper shelves where you store fancy crockery and collectibles. The best way to make your kitchen look more airy is to create an illusion with lighting. You can artificially light up your kitchen with a combination of halogen track lighting, florescent cove and task lighting, or the traditional incandescent fixtures. For more ease and convenience, consider revolving or pull out shelves, mounts to hold microwaves and save counter space, and wall racks to h old pots. Go for drawer cabinets.These cabinets appear narrow on the surface but roll out to reveal deep storage space. When closed, the cabinet doors are flat against the wall. Add colour to your crockery to spell out high spirits here. The current trend is incorporating bright colours like blue, red, orange and yellow on your dishes and tea sets to preserve a cheerful call. These tips are easy and practical, so use them in your kitchen to spice up things! And remember, there's no end to innovation. Changing kitchen Today the kitchen is more than just a place to cook meals. Most kitchens are turning to the living rooms of the homemakers of the family. These rooms are used minimum three times a day during meal preparation. Since working moms are on the rise the family tends to meet during the meal preparation time to catch up with each other. Hence the kitchen should be designed in such a way that in addition to being the place of food preparation it fulfils other requirements of the people who use. In other words it should be a very efficient space. Kitchen is an ideal for the Indian cooking conditions designed to keep in mind the ergonomics of the Indian woman. It has cabinets designed to cater to the Indian cooking and storage needs. Accessories like Thali kit for keeping thali plates, utensil kit for storing utensils and grocery kit for storing groceries are designed specifically to cater to Indian storage needs. Invest in branded kitchen appliances like chimney Branded home appliances incorporate the key essentials of technology, efficiency, durability and design. Energy efficiency features can lower your utility bills It is wise to check on key parameters like capacity, performance and energy consumption before investing in any kitchen appliance. Although energy efficient kitchen appliances are marginally more expensive than regular kitchen appliances, these products not only reduce the cost of operation but also lower utility bills, besides contributing to environmental protection and conservation of natural resources.

How To Use Wood Chips in a Garden

Wood chips can serve your garden very well. They can work not only to decorate the whole area but can also double as a mulching compound for the flowerbeds. This is not to mention yet that wood chips can prevent weeds from growing around a plant or tree and can even strengthen any fragile root of any plant. Here is a guide to help you in using wood chips in your garden: Take note of the different options of wood chips ready for your use. There are different sizes of wood chips available today such as mini-nuggets, nuggets, and a lot of even finer chips. There are even wood chips made from cedar and cocoa that offers not only a lot better look but also a better aroma. Also, this kind of wood chips is known to prevent insect infestation in the garden. Prepare the soil of the garden first prior to using wood chips. It is important that the soil you will be covering with wood chips is very well ready for the chips. Use a steel rake or a cultivator to start preparing the soil. Then, make sure you clean it off with dirt, weeds, branches, rocks, and other debris. Make sure that the soil is smooth and even. The secret towards the smooth distribution of the wood chips is the level of the soil underneath them. Hence, after cleaning up the area, make sure you smooth down the soil using a tool or your hand. You can also consider layering out landscape fabric on top of the soil prior to covering it with wood chips. The landscape fabric can very well prevent weeds from growing. Pour the wood chips on the soil. Cover the ground with wood chips and make sure they are evenly distributed. It is important that you observe covering the soil with only enough chips. If there are too many on the soil, the oxygen reaching the roots can be limited. In most cases, it is best and enough to have around three inches or even four of wood chips on the soil. Observe the plant or tree that is surrounded by the chips. There are times that you will see cankers around the plant or tree after you have covered it with wood chips. If this happens, it means that there is not enough oxygen reaching the roots. Hence, you must reduce the layer of wood chips on the soil. You can also compensate this by adding fertilizer on the wood chips. Maintain the freshness of the appearance of the wood chips on the soil. Stir the wood chips during spring so the fresh appearance of the chips can be maintained. If needed, you can add a new layer of newer wood chips. Take note that it is not practical to change all the wood chips on the soil year after year as this will just be a waste of money.

Ways to increase positivity in home

Here are some tips from a Vastu and Feng Shui expert for a life full of harmony. In the present complex scenario, we do not find time for ourselves to analyse the various reasons that lead us to failures in health, wealth or relationships. Most of these problems are connected to major Vastu and Feng Shui defects. Dr Snehal S Deshpande lists some commandments which may help you to increase positive energy in your home: - Always stand in the centre of your house with a compass in your hand to find out the directions of your house. The main entrance is the mouth of a house which brings in the energy. Avoid a property which has a door facing south-west, as it is the entry of the devil energy and brings in struggle and misfortunes. If your house already has one, fix two Hanumanji tiles outside the door and see the difference. - Mandir or altar is the king of all Vastu rules — place it in the North-East and everything will start falling in place. Also, face the East while praying. - Kitchen is the symbol of prosperity and should be ideally placed in the southeast. Kitchen in the North or North-East may bring financial and health problems. In this case, hang three bronze bowls upside down on the ceiling but do not hang over the stove. - Master bedroom is the key to enter the door of stability and it must be in the South-West. You should sleep with your head in the South or West. But a breadwinner must never sleep in the North-East . - Bathrooms and toilets have the energy of 'hell' which are best in West or South. But should never be in North and North-East or they bring financial, health and educational problems. - Centre is the nose of your house from where your house breathes. It must be open and clutter-free. A wall here gives stomach and financial problems so fix a zero watt blue bulb on this wall and keep it on 24x7 . - Cuts in any direction make a house paralyzed, mainly cuts in South-West, North, North-East and South-East give serious problems. There are many mysteries and secrets regarding the cuts and their cures. Now, a rapid-fire round of cures - Never use too much of bright colours such as red and purple for decorating your house or they may enhance sickness energy in the house, if any. - Do not keep pictures of water or a fountain in your bedroom. It might adversely affect you. - Do not keep your mandir/temple under any beam or cupboard or you will be always under stress. - Do not keep heavy objects in the North East and North or it may block your finances. - Do not keep bonsais in the house or they will hamper the growth in the respective area of your life. - Mopping the floor twice a week with sea salt water will help you clean your house of negative energy. - If arguments are the main ruling energy in your house, play a musical CD four-five times in a day and experience the calmness in the house.

Go ahead, brighten up your bedroom

After a long stressful day at work, most of us can't wait to get home. That's because our home is our sanctuary. A physical space we can call our own. Our bedroom, especially, is that one personal space which offers maximum solace, serenity and happiness. Nobody likes returning to a place that is cluttered or untidy. So here's how you can liven it up without spending too much money or time. Chuck the mess: Get rid of all those old newspapers and magazines that have been piling up regularly. Sell them to a scrap dealer and you will earn a bit of money too. Keep the necessary reading material neatly stacked in a basket or tray. Decorate the walls: If you don't wish to spend a lot of money painting them, re-decorate it. Hang picture frames containing photos of your family and friends. Another option is to mount paintings and art work. Switch to good lighting: Change those boring lights in your room to some new ones. Go for softer lighting as this will help create the mood. Get new sheets: Using the same old white bedsheets that have become discoloured is not good. Purchase new sheets in colourful shades with elegant floral or geometrical prints. Fluffy pillows: Chuck those old pillows that have begun to lose their fluffiness. Buy yourself some new ones that are comfortable to use. Flowers: Another good option to liven your room is to keep some fresh colourful flowers in a beautiful vase. The sight of beautiful colourful and their fragrance are sure to uplift your spirit. But if you find it too cumbersome to change flowers and the water every few days, you can opt for artificial ones. Rearrange your furniture: If variety is the spice of life, then why not bring it to your bedroom, to add that extra zing? Rearranging your furniture once in a while, is a great way to give your room a diverse look. Aromatic candles: Doesn't a room wafting with the aroma of scented candles make it more inviting and relaxing? Place colourful scented candles in your room, on the table or shelves. These are available in a variety of aromas, colours, shapes and don't cost much. Memorabilia: Instead of dumping memorabilia in a cupboard or a chest, place them on the table or shelves. It adds a nice touch to your living space and constantly reminds you of loved ones simply by looking at the souvenirs.

Lighting can indeed make a big difference to the look and atmosphere of your home. It is usually ceiling-mounted, wall-mounted or freestanding. Most conventional lighting is directed downwards, but uplighters can diffuse light, creating a more subtle effect, without glare or dazzle. If you don't want lighting to be confined solely to the perimeter of the room, use free-standing lamps. Floor lamps also called as standard lamps are available as uplighters, down lighters or spotlights, in both modern and traditional styles. There is an even greater variety of table lamps available. Some have touch-sensitive bases, which allow you to adjust the light level and save energy. How to get maximum effect Use down lit lamps, which cast a shadow on the floor, and keep the ceiling dark or use uplighters to reflect light of the ceiling and light up the whole room. For a feeling of space use wall sconces that don't take up much space and can be the same colour as the wall to blend in. For practical reasons some rooms like the kitchen and living room may have several lights. For easy control on all the lights use a lighting circuit so that you can turn them off in one go, and switch them on individually. However with a little know-how you can easily get maximum lighting effect in every single room: Kitchen: Separately highlight work areas with halogen downlighters or clip on lights for a clean, clear beam over areas such as the sink and islands. If your kitchen is also a dining room, for an occasional touch of ambient lighting choose a functional chandelier or pendant light on dimmers for your main light. Dining room: Take care to avoid or reduce lighting glare to fall on the eyes of the diner. Ensure downlighters are aimed straight onto the table surface. Place chandeliers where they create sparkle as opposed to distracting light. Wall sconces placed above eye-level can be very effective too. TV room: Do you watch TV in the dark? Apparently it's not good as it strains the eyes. To reduce the effect, position a light near the TV in such a way that it needs to shade from the viewer's eyes and shouldn't reflect on the screen. Do this and you'll still be able to view in relative darkness but with less strain on your eyes. Bathroom: To avoid splashes, ceiling downlighters are most practical. For a relaxing candle light effect have these on a dimmer but remember the safety of children and older folk who need to see clearly when they bathe. Outside: Don't forget about your garden or outside porch. Light up your porch or door to make it welcoming and safe. Place lights below walls and plants you wish to feature. You could even light your garden path. Bedroom: Don't have downlighters above the bed as they create glare. Instead try a wall sconce slightly above your head and over your shoulder to avoid shadows. Or have a table lamp placed slightly behind you. Wardrobes: To find clothes quickly, light up the wardrobe interior for a clear view. Shop around, you might see something you never knew existed. These days there are lots of lighting shops offering different looks. From Italian lighting to art nouveau and art deco reproduction, hand-forged iron, iron chandeliers, candle holder designs, glass shades, period lighting, strobe, halogen and different shaped light bulbs. Get the proportions right. The lamp base and shade fittings should be in proportion with the room. Small lamps could look odd in a large room. With lampshades, pick colours that suit your soft furnishings, curtains and carpets. They should be in contrast with the walls, instead of being the same colour or they might just get lost in the ambience. Use a downlighter over a vase of flowers. Highlight architectural features. Recessed downlighters can look great in built-in shelves or alcoves. Get creative, go ahead and bring warmth, drama and sheer elegance to your home with lighting techniques.