Month / Nov 2019

by Aman Sharma

Before you Travel.

‘Travel’- by only listening to this word we all feel so much energized and adventurous. By only thinking about travel there are thousands of thoughts running in our mind- where we will be going, how to go, stay etc. And as the holiday season is almost on the corner, so it is obvious that many people might be or might already have planned where they are heading to. Before going on the vacation there are several things to do and packing stuff which is quite obvious. But most of the times we forget to pack the small but yet the most important items back at our homes. In the excitement of the travelling we pack the things that are not required or the clothes that are not comfortable. In this blog, I will write down about some of the things to watch out for while going on a vacation so that you can enjoy and relax there without any bother.

Comfortable jeans- Wearing tight fitting jeans during travelling can invite a lot of problems, it makes difficult for you to sit steady for a long period of time and moreover it also hinders in the flow of blood in your legs. Leather pants should also be avoided, they might look good but would create a issue in long run. Also try to avoid ripped jeans if you are going for a trek in the forest or similar areas. Try to wear loose or comfortable jeans during travelling.

High heels- During travelling it is natural that at some point you may need to walk at a quick pace or even run. Heels make it difficult to walk or run on uneven grounds. So try to wear the flat shoes or sandals, floaters etc. Wear comfortable sports shoes if you are going on uneven surfaces. If you are going to place where you need to wear and remove shoes again and again try wearing sneakers without lace.

Plain White- I absolutely love plain white cloths and I love to take white cloths during my travel. But this always cost me so much to make them white again after travelling. They get dirt so quickly even by touching them. So I would suggest to not to take plain white clothes along with you when going for a travel, but if you still want to wear white you can opt for printed white clothes. That’s my substitute for the travel purposes.

Big bags- Don’t carry your big/trolley bags with you. They will only become burden to carry around especially if you are travelling solo. Try to carry Travel Backpacks and cross-body bags. They also have a good space for the necessary items and also are easy and comfortable to carry through the journey.

Strong perfumes/Deodorants- Some people love to use strong perfumes everyday but trust me they only smell good on occasions. Don’t apply strong perfumes during the travelling because it might create a problem for your fellow passengers. Moreover some people are allergic to the strong smell of perfumes. Go with a regular one. We should take care of ourselves and also our fellow travelers, or at least they shouldn’t be bothered by us.

Contact lens- Avoid wearing contact lenses on the journeys. Wearing spectacles are much more easy and comfortable during long travelling period. You might also find it difficult to wear lenses outdoor at the time of howling wind or sand storm etc.

Heavy jewelry-Big earrings, Heavy necklace etc. are some things you should never be wearing on a vacation or travelling. This might create issue for yourself, it might be difficult to keep them in a safe place or you will always have to look for it. There is always a possibility of getting robbed. Try avoiding this things for a peaceful and relaxing vacation. 

by Aman Sharma

Okinawa, Japan- A perfect place spend your days off

As the year is coming to an end so why not end with a smile and cheers to new beginnings. This is the time when you have a plenty of holidays to recharge yourself before taking on new challenges in the coming year. If you were planning a trip abroad, than this might be for you. Recently I was going through different destinations to go and I found this one really interesting, close to nature and value for money. This is none other than the Okinawa, Japan. Let’s get to know about it.

Okinawa is a Japanese prefecture comprising more than 160 islands in the East China Sea between Taiwan and Japan’s mainland. It’s known for its tropical climate, broad beaches and coral reefs, as well as World War II sites. On the largest island (also named Okinawa) is Okinawa Prefectural Peace Memorial Museum, commemorating a massive 1945 Allied invasion, and Churaumi Aquarium, home to whale sharks and manta rays.

Beach life of Okinawa-

Tropical beaches of Okinawa attract tourists from around the world every year. Japan is a land of culture and is also famous for its architecture and has lots of tourist attractions. But Okinawa has a separate fan base. As soon as you keep your first feet on land you will feel like you have landed in heaven. Sitting on the attractive beaches alongside the blue ocean with your better half, family, friends etc. would be great experience for the lifetime. It absolutely relaxes your mind and soul.

Flower valley-

Okinawa is also famous for some rare species of colorful flowers that grows here throughout the year. These flowers can also be found alongside the beaches. Sunshine falling on the white glittering sand enhances the beauty of these flowers and also your travel leisure.

Aquarium-

Churaumi Aquarium is situated in the in Okinawa city. It was considered as the largest aquarium till 2005 before Georgia Aquarium. Tourists can visit this amazing aquarium and can see a lot of species of the fish and so on.

Top attractions for the tourists-

Okinawa consists of 160 small-big attractive beaches. From which Miyakojima, Ishigaki and Onna are few beaches where you will feel more relaxed.

Hiking and canoeing are some of the activities you can experience here. Apart from this you can simply look around and find out a lot of birds of different species.

If you love Scuba diving, than this place is a bonus for you. Miyako  island is famous for scuba diving.

Shuri castle and City gate are also two historic monuments to watch out for.

How to Reach-

You can get a flight from New Delhi to Okinawa. On average it may cost you upto 60k. (The prices and routes are entitled according to Indian timings and currency. Please check your local listening before booking.)

Where to stay-

Okinawa have many luxurious hotels. On an average you will get a well maintained room between 3k to 15k. Sea beach resorts are also a good option to stay.

by Aman Sharma

Home Mandir designs

It doesn’t matter how big or small is your Pooja room, it can be a small shelf or a big room. Whatever the size is but it must look attractive and also be positive at the same time, so that when you worship there you should feel peace and joyful. Your Pooja room is most holy part of your house, so it must be taken care of. In some houses they built a separate space for Pooja rooms but it is not possible to do this in every house, so if you don’t have a large space for Pooja room you can still built one that is attractive and spiritual too.

1- Converting a table into Pooja room- Usually in small homes, they worship the lord by placing their idols on a wooden table or hang a wooden box on the wall. By making a few changes you can convert your table into your new Pooja room. You can also use your old table for this. For this keep your table in front of the wall you want to use. Try that the color of the table matches the interior color, don’t use too vibrant or dull colors. For the wall backdrop you can use a textured wall paper or paint it. If you want more- Try hanging the temple bells on the walls. This will do it.

2- Dividing the room- This works best when you have a slider in between the balcony and the room. If you have the same situation than use a divider to divide the room in two parts. Keep a passage enough for the walkway. Hang curtains on the passage side to stop the unwanted light to come in.  You can keep the Pooja area open so it gets light most of the time.

3- Converting the closet- Have a closet that you know don’t use? You can convert that into your next Worship space. If your almirah is big and have shelves in it, you can use the upper shelves as a Pooja space and use the lower shelves as a storage space for the mandir. It also works in small closets too.

4- Mdf cuttings for Pooja room- If you already have a Pooja room but want to re-décor it, you can go for mdf cutting in the mandir. These are also cost friendly and provides an elegant look to the Pooja space. To make it more Attractive, you can apply wallpaper at the background wall. Try to choose some royal texture or pattern wallpapers.

5- Use partition walls or sliders- If you want to have a mandir in the particular room than you can go for it by using partition wall or sliders. There are various designs trending in partition wall these days. These will not only provide you the space for Pooja room, but the room will also stand out with this design. You can also re-décor the ceiling and floor.  

by Aman Sharma

Balcony- Peace belongs here.

With millions and millions of houses built every year, the average open space in a normal house has shrinked to its minimum in the past years. Few years back, the concept of building a home was to provide more rooms and use every inch of space to accommodate it for living, as there were more joint families than the single family. But overtime this thing has changed, mostly in the urban areas. Now with limited members in a family and changing concept of design, everyone wants a small lawn/garden in their homes. But with an average budget and a decent location, it become nearly impossible to buy a big piece of land in India where you can have a separate garden or a relaxing zone in your home. Apartments and flats also have a very minimum space to get your type of relaxing zone. As an Interior designer I would personally recommend to convert your balcony into your relaxation and comfort zone. Balcony is a space where you come for a sip of tea or coffee after a hectic working day, so why don’t we give it a makeover so it becomes the best part of your home. You even don’t require large balcony for this, even a small one will work. So below down are some of the ideas which you can use to convert your ordinary balcony into the most peaceful and relaxing zone of the house.

1- Vertical garden- One of the most adapted design today. The use of vertical garden has increased overtime, not only they look but also are good for environment. Buy a few pots and choose the planters of your choice. If possible try to use plants like ferns, succulents, Crotons etc. Build a wooden frame for it as it enhances the beauty of the vertical garden. This also looks good and even don’t cover much of the space.

2-Portable table- Most people like drinking tea or coffee in their balconies. But due to lack of space either they drink it while standing or don’t do it at all. So to overcome this hurdle, you can go for the portable balcony table. You only need to hang this on the railing of the balcony and that’s it. You can easily have your drink and also work or read here. It can be hanged or removed very easily and thus it becomes the best choice for a table in the balcony.

3- A table for two with a view- We call it by this name because this concept is originally designed for the flats balcony. These days the balcony of flats are only for name, literally so little space. So for this the best thing is a folding table and chairs. You can easily fit them there and fold them when not required, in this way they will also not cover much space inside. Also you can make a wooden frame and hang on the ceiling of balcony and hang planters or dream catchers there. Wrap a strip of light on the frame. If you live at a higher floor in the building this can be your perfect spot for a romantic dinner too.

4- Cozy sitting- If you have a big balcony than you can definitely do a lot with it, but my favorite thing is to convert it into a cozy or relaxed sitting area. For this you can opt various designs as per your suitability. To give it a look of private sitting area increase the height by using wooden fencing over railings. Don’t cover too much space just for sitting, put just 2 or 3 small couches according to the space. Put 7-8 cushions and cover the area using different planters and lights. Try to use the old couches if you have at your home.

5- Use Art piece- If you have a blank wall in your balcony you can show your creativity on it or if not, than you can decor it with various paintings or art piece. You can use vertical painting if wall is too long. You can also use various lamps or create a pattern with mosaic tiles and lot of other things. The only thing to care about this, you really need to look after these things once you put them on the wall. Remove the paintings in too much direct contact of sunlight or in case of rain.

These were some of my ideas for your balcony makeover. I hope this might help if you are thinking of giving your balcony a new look. You can write down below if you have any ideas regarding the same, I know you have tons of stuff apart from this. Thank you people- keep reading,  keep sharing.