Go the Garden Way!

        We are in the season of bountiful rains and with lots of water comes lots of greenery. The kaleidoscope of nature's colors around me symbolizing new life makes me want to get my hands dirty and take part in this renewal of nature's vows. So if you have even a little scope for a garden around your home join me in adding a little bit to the natural landscape!

        Here are a few tips to keep in mind before donning the green thumb:

• Make a plan!

               The first thing you want to do is make a plan. You don't want to be mud deep and then realize you have no idea what you're doing! Decide what kind of plants you want to grow, how many plants and where you want to grow them.

• Pick a spot

              Be sure of which place in or around your house is perfect for your green friends. Be aware of the sunlight, wind and distance from a water source the spot you've picked has. Also very importantly make sure that you've chosen a place wherein you can enjoy the plants because I'm sure nature wants us have fun with it.

   

 

• Prepare the base

                Remember the lesson you learned at your first dance class or at the lecture on rockets in science class  in this case. For anything to go up, the base needs to be strong. Clear off the ground from sod (surface of the ground covered with grass), weed and other rubbish. Dig the soil thoroughly (can be very meditative too) and layer in compost as much as you can. If you aren't going to plant in the soil directly, don't make a hurried decision and pick a random earthen pot. Not that I'm against good ol' mud pots, but trust me you'd want to take a look at the the variety of planters out there before you make a choice!

 

• Pick your plants and Research them

                   Make sure you know everything there is to know about your plants before you start planting them. Do they grow in your country's climate? How much water they need? What kind of special care they require? These and more are questions you would want to find the answers to!

                  

                         

   Now you can get ready to dig, sow, water and repeat! Watch this space next week to find out how you can add some non living accessories to your garden to enhance the beauty of the living ones.

Look at your Skies, Look how they Shine for you!

      We buy wall paper for our walls, decorative tiles for our floors and yards of beautiful cloth for our upholstered furniture, but we somehow seem to leave our ceilings out of the style equation. We accessorise it with the most beautiful lights or border its edges with finely carved panels, but the entire ceiling face most often is left untouched with a coat of white paint over it.

      Maybe the ceiling isn't viewed that much in the living room or in the kitchen, but in our bedrooms it's seen a little more often. Wouldn't you like a galaxy of stars or a calming design be the last thing you see before you go to sleep?

    Whether it be interesting wooden panelling in the kitchen or intricate carved work in the dining room, don't overlook the ceiling's potential to be the most talked about aspect at your home! Here's a round up of the most fun ceilings in homes across the globe:

     You can paint an interesting pattern, paint it a striking color, add a structural element or change the outer material, the range of choices is infinite! It's a bold look to experiment with, but one that's definitely worth the risk :)

Make Walls that tell your Story!

        The way we dress speaks volumes about who we are as a person. Remember first impressions? They start right from the pair of shoes you've picked to the way you've tied your hair. A person can know so much about you just from the color of your dress! And like the color of your outfit, the color of your sofa can be a sneak peek into you. My point being as much as fashion style defines a person, so does the way he or she decorates her home.

        Now, while pairing those particular jeans to that particular top maybe our personal decision, it's not so easy in a house considering we share it with a few people in most cases. So why not pick a spot, a corner, a space and let it be just you!


       A perfect place to start with is your dressing table at home or your desk at home or work. From the way you organize your essentials to the extra items you add for flair (or not), let the space include items needed and added by just you.

        If you enjoy home activities like reading or painting or doodling, find a tiny space in your home to do just that and decorate that space to serve your activity. A space for your hobbies styled by you is like setting your character in stone!

       If nature inspires you, take your styling with you outdoors and create a safe space for yourself. It can be a simple garden bench surrounded by your favorite plants or as shown below a revamped trampoline swing!

      Whether your spot is the bathroom or the kitchen, the attic or by the window, spend time imagining it before bringing it to reality. Add in accents and items that you like, pick your favorite color scheme and keep in mind the activities you plan to do in there while setting it up.

      Now you've got yourself a space to be nothing but yourself in, and in this world I think that's a truly beautiful thing!

    

Away with Mold & Mildew this Monsoon!

         For the last few weeks or so, we've been waking up to pitter patter, fresh mud smells and gloomy skies. It's a great phenomenon-the rains! But along with the beauty accompanying it, it tows along excess humidity which might prove to be a discomfort in certain areas. All that extra water in the atmosphere settles down on our sofas, curtains and carpets making them perfect breeding grounds for a host of mold and fungi species. Not something you want happening to your plush sofa set or delicate curtains!

                So we at Sanctum thought we'd round up some tips on how to get rid and mostly, prevent this from occurring at all our homes.

Let's get informed: What is Mold & Mildew?

       Mold is a type of fungus that develops from airborne spores. It grows in humid areas that lack ventilation. Though mostly an occurrence of the monsoons, this fungus can develop due to a leaky pipe or badly insulated walls. So keep an eye out throughout the year! Untreated mold turns into a dark patch called mildew.

  Not very pretty is it?

                                 

     And what's more is it can have toxic and allergic effects on humans, implying we don't just want to get rid of it because its a sore sight for eyes.

How to get rid of Mold: Six Simple Steps!

       Found some mold on your wall or sofa? Read on to find out how to do away with this nuisance:

• Safety first! Don on a pair of rubber gloves, goggles and a mask. Now you're ready to take mold on!
• First lightly dry brush the area using a bristled brush.
• Make anti-mold solution by mixing one part chlorine bleach with  three parts water. You can use any detergent having bleach if you can't access chlorine bleach. Another kitchen friendly option is to mix one part vinegar with one part water. Apply this solution on the area.
• Repeat brushing action till darkness of area fades.
• Rinse thoroughly using a damp cloth.
• Air dry. Voila!

Prevention is better than cure: Here's how!

     Simple practices can help you keep the mold at bay:

• Keep a silica gel sachet or any other product that helps absorb extra moisture, in different corners around your house.
• Try to use an anti-mildew paint in moisture prone areas and keep an anti-microbial spray ready at hand.
• Use an electric dehumidifier in a very badly affected area. 
• However, the sun is the best mold killer. So make sure you catch those fleeting moments of sunshine and dry everything out!

          Now that you've got all of that smelly mold out, it's time to enjoy your home again. And 'tis the season to enjoy being indoors. So grab your favorite novel, a hot cuppa chai and let the outdoors get wet while you stay warm and dry inside.:)