Make your home look lively during rainy season

Shivani Kankaria, Interior Designer at HomeLane.com, and Interior Designer Kavya Puranik have rolled out ideas that could be incorporated in your home during monsoon.

* Roll up and put away those thick carpets and rugs. Damp carpets stink and it's going to be a while before the sun comes out. Same applied for curtains and drapery. Replace thick curtains with light, quick-dry ones.

* Since you're likely to be spending a lot of time indoors, freshen up the air with indoor fragrances. From the traditional dhoop and smoke-free incense to reed sticks soaked in essential oils, there are many options available today.

Experiment with scented candles and oils, use this season as your reason. Try out varied citrus flavours and others like lemongrass and lavender to keep your home fragrant and refreshing.

* Flowers always cheer up a space and nothing can improve the mood during a rainy week like fresh flowers. Remember to change the water every day.

* The shades of black and grey are classic but this monsoon put them away in place of bright colourful hues. Change your cushion covers and get some in brighter shades of yellows, oranges, reds, blues and greens. Choose colours that complement each other and give your home a cheerful aura.

* Designate an area near your entrance for wet raincoats and umbrellas. A tall basket or a stand can be good so that the entrance doesn't look untidy.

* Excessive rains can drown your plants so bring them indoors. This is specially for those that you know don't require too much water.

* Hang wind chimes in the balcony or at a window. Whenever there is a light breeze, the music from the chimes will soothe your ears.

* Avoid using larger rugs in the house, use smaller foot mats, preferably made of bamboo or rubber which can absorb moisture and water easily.

* Get your house interiors and exteriors painted at least once in five years and get the roofs checked for cracks every year.

Protect furniture during monsoon:

* Don't let your home environment get too dry. Excessively dry areas can cause wood furniture to shrink, split or become brittle.

* Ensure there is cross-ventilation (airflow) throughout the house to keep the furniture dry.

* Keep the wardrobes, cupboards and furniture a few inches away from wet or damp wall. Especially during the monsoon months, keep the wardrobe doors half open to allow ventilation and avoid trapping moisture, which encourages mold (fungus) to grow on your clothing and leather goods.

* If you have wooden flooring or wooden furniture at home get it polished with wax so that it doesn't absorb moisture.

* Camphor and Naphthalene balls absorb moisture. These can be kept in the storage furniture so that clothes and the furniture are dry.