A cooler home – The New Indian Express

By Express News Service

With no relief from the rising mercury levels any time soon, interior designers, architects and others, share ways to keep our humble abodes cool this summer

Declutter: Declutter unnecessary items in your room to make the space airy and free-flowing

Water elements: Add elements like a small zen fountain in the corner of the room or near a window that would cool down the air blowing in. Consider adding water table centrepieces to add moisture to the air inside

Block out the sun: Change to light coloured, gauzy curtains that allow air circulation but dont let in too much light. Sun protective films can also be added to glass windows to reduce heat

Ditch warm lights: Change into cooler-toned lighting instead of warm yellow lights and candles that were cosy for winters

Cooler tones: Cooler hues for painting the walls like icy mint, pale blues and lilacs would do great in summers

Window seating: Create a nice seating where the windows are open and the nice breeze comes in

Merlyn Maladicta, principal architect, Sycamore Design Studio, Secunderabad

High SRI paint: Those living right under the roof in apartments and independent house can use high SRI (solar reflective index) paint on their roofs to keep their homes cool

China mosaic tiles: These High SRI tiles ensure the interiors of the topmost floors are kept cool

Shade: Chajjas or temporary shading devices give you the power to block and allow just enough sunlight into your rooms

Greenery: Get some houseplants for the interior spaces. The soils help in humidifying the air and tall plants near windows block sunlight and keep the room comfortable

Water features: Water pots, wetted blinds, etc. help with evaporative cooling that takes advantage of the cool breeze

Cross ventilation: Keep your windows open, in the evening, use meshes to keep flies and mosquitoes at bay

Snehitha Sharon, sustainable architect

Houseplants: Baby aloe vera, baby rubber plant, Boston plant, Chinese evergreen, etc., are great at bringing the temperatures down

Exhaust: Use exhaust fans in your bathrooms and kitchens to keep hot air out

Fragrance: Refreshing home fragrances are also a great way to give a cool makeover to your home this summer. Aromas such as Kaffir lime, lemongrass, and eucalyptus are apt for the season Apart from traditional sprays and sacks, there are also a host of products such as diffusers, burners, potpourri, etc to give a constant supply of fresh aroma

Ridhima Kansal, director, Rosemoore

Space: Use as minimal furniture as possible. Use multifunctional furniture items to create space inside. Examples can be sofa-cum bed. Opt for small-sized coffee tables to substitute for large tables

Blinds: Bring in bamboo blinds and don them over your windows. This will help in filtering out the sunlight and keeping your place comparatively cooler

Raghunandan Saraf,founder-CEO, Saraf Furniture, Cyberhills Colony

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A cooler home - The New Indian Express