Concept of Vaastu in House Doors

Most of the people use the term vaastu at the time of their new house construction or redesigning of their house. However, many of us might not know the essence of this term. The basic purpose behind vaastu is to actually structure your house in total conformity with the utilization of five basic things that humans are made off, which is Earth, Sky, Air, water and Sun. Therefore, it’s very necessary to design your home in such a way that it satisfies all the essential criteria’s. Before getting this concept done, you first need to understand the in and out of the property. By this we mean that all directions and shapes have to be considered well and then accordingly one can apply vaastu strategies on that. Many of us may not know that even doors play a very important role in vaastu. Our home doors and windows need great attention from this point as they form a very vital part of our house. Moreover, the entrance door of your house has to be given utmost importance, while the application of vaastu to your house. It says that the main entrance door should either be placed in North, East or North East part of the house. This positioning of the entrance door is because of the fact that the god of wealth resides in the north. Similarly, the northeast position is for the god of righteousness. However, the doors in west and south are not auspicious and are not recommend by vaastu. In addition to this the entrance door of your house should always be larger than all the other doors of the house.
This ancient Vedic philosophy of planning and architecture has great significant in our lives. If everything is done properly, it has positive effects on our lives and brings good luck as well. If we go by this method of structuring our house we have to give importance to the doors as well. As per this philosophy the doors and windows in a house should always be in even numbers. For instance the total doors in the house should be either 2, 4…..etc. As far as placing of the doors is concerned, they should always be placed off centered. Vaastu is a very broad term in itself and if we talk about doors then again there are many points that are to be considered. If we talk about the shape the doors then irregular shaped doors are not recommended by vaastu. These kinds of doors are considered inauspicious for the house.
One vital strategy recommended by vaastu especially, for doors is that the main door should always have a threshold. The basic reason behind this is that the threshold is said to protect your house from diseases and other hazards. Furthermore, if you have more than one door in the house then its arrangement is equally imperative from the vaastu point of view. Some of you might need your doors to look good and auspicious. For that matter some of us inscribe images of gods however; this should not be done on the outer side of the house as it may lead to problems. Thus; it’s very necessary to keep all these things in mind. So, if you are planning to restructure your house then this is the best time to get things done as per vaastu so that you bring good luck to your home.

Feng Shui for Your Doors

Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese practice that aids in making life positive by cleaning the energy flow (Qi) of anything living or lifeless. It literally translates to ‘wind-water’ in English. Feng Shui has become a novel influence on architecture and design and more and more people have started to refer to it when building their homes. It propounds the correct placement of objects, doors, windows and everything to create a peaceful and worry free living environment. Doors are of prime importance in Feng shui as they are considered the gateways for positive energy into the house.

The front door of a house is what connects you to the outside world and tells the visitor who you are. It is of major significance in Feng Shui and it calls for some guidelines which will guide abundance and blessings into your home.

•    The porch and the front door itself should be in proportion with the structure of the home itself.
•    Do not keep furniture or any obstructions near the front door. After all the front door is the gateway for the Qi to come in.
•    The entry should not be too big as this will invite more energy into the house. If the inner space is not big enough this much energy might give negative vibes.
•    The front door should not lead to a corridor or face a T junction point as in both cases it will bring more Qi into the dwelling than required. Hanging a crystal outside the front door can reduce the rushing stream.
•    If your front door leads into a hall keep a crystal on the wall opposite to it. Some people keep a mirror which is wrong as it only reflects back the Qi to the outside.
•    Keep crystals on each door leading directly from the front door as it will regulate the energy flow to and from the house.
•    The pathway to the front door should not be linear. Also never build two front doors. There should only be one major access way.
•    The colour of the front door should be bright possibly red and the porch in front of it should be well lit. Furthermore the front door should be frequently used rather than using the garage door or back door as an alternative.

Other than the front door the other doors and entrances in the house also need to be built according to some guidelines.
•    Doors should open opposite each other. If they are offset then a mirror remedy should lessen the negative energy.
•    Make sure that your doors open and close easily and there is no rusting in the hinges and locks.
•    The doors should also not be too small as it would restrict the flow of Qi throughout the rooms.
•    Doors also need to be painted according to the direction they are facing. For example a west facing door can be painted in yellow, white, gold, magenta or silver.

Feng Shui can bring happiness and prosperity into your lives if you follow its principles. It has time tested solutions and the Chinese have surged ahead with its sanctity.

Curtains- Dress Your Windows Right

Curtains, the traditional way to drape your windows, can make a lot of difference to the interiors of a room. You can add opulence and elegance to any room simply by using quality fabrics and the correct type of curtains. There is a whole range of curtain types to choose from like modern, themed, contemporary or traditional style curtains. No home, however humble, can be complete without curtains. It provides an air of comfort for both the occupant within and the spectator outside.

In the olden days a fully draped window used to consist of a cornice, valance and one or more curtains.  The look of a curtain largely depends on the fabric of the curtain and the manner in which it is draped. For example, a simple linen curtain suffices during summers. But it would not work during other seasons. So choosing the fabric is a very important part of while buying curtains.

Difference between curtains and draperies

One of the chief differences between curtains and draperies is that curtains are usually not lined, while draperies are lined. In curtains, the fabric is the same in the front as well as back. In draperies, there is decorative fabric in the front, and lining on the back. Other than for decorative purposes, curtains are used for privacy and to control light.

Types of Curtains and fabrics

The curtains are made with a pocket at the top through which a rod is placed. You can also gather the fabric to the fullness you want through this. In most cases, a stationary rod is used. Curtains in all cases soften, create an atmosphere of warmth and richness and add a lot of character to the room. 

The types of curtains and the types of curtain fabrics recommended by experts are listed below:

• Bishop Sleeves: These are basically rod pocket curtains that have extra length allowed for blousing. It enables the sides to be gathered with tiebacks back to the window frame. Multiple poufs are created and they often puddle on the ground. The best type of curtain fabric for this is anything that would make a soft, draping fold.
• Casement Curtains: These are a form of decorative curtains used to add colour and texture to a room and not necessarily functional. It is also known as panel curtain, pole top curtain etc. because it doesn’t use hooks, head tape, or expensive curtain tracks. They are a low cost form of curtain.
• French Pleat: regular spaced triple pleats are formed by a tape that pulls through the cords to create pleats. The pleats are tied together at the bottom so that the cloth fans out towards the top.
• Table top curtains: These curtains can’t be moved easily over the poles and hence they should be used where they are not drawn frequently. They are also known as café curtains. Among all types of fabric cotton, lace and chenille are the best choices.
• Tie Top Curtains: When small strips of fabric are attached to the head of a fabric to tie over a curtain rod, they are known as tie top curtains. It creates an informal look. Sheers and lightweight fabrics will best go with it.

Hottest Colour Trends of 2008!

Come autumn, and people the world over get ready to give their homes a face lift. Giving the house a makeover during autumns is a universal phenomenon. The change in temperature sort of signals you to get all geared up for the winters. In many places, autumn is the ideal time to get your home look spic and span for the array of festivities to follow, like Christmas, Diwali, autumn foliage or koyo in Japan and so on. This is also the busiest season for interior decorators. Let’s have a look at what will work for our beautiful homes the coming season.

Usually, the colours that we see outside like orange, brown, red, olive green have  a great appeal on our senses and recreate nature’s brilliant colour palette inside your home. One of the first and easiest things to do when you start with your redecorating is the painting. Once you are through with it, you can go on to the rest. The colour forecast for this year is incredibly vibrant, but with considerable versatility. More and more designers are recommending hues inspired from the daily life. From adding accents to a room, new themes and styles or simply redecorating from scratch, colours have an extensive option. Homeowners should be aware of the latest trends before splashing around their home.

Paint companies spend hundreds of thousand of money to watch, research and then manufacture keeping in terms with upcoming trends. This year’s top themes are

 Technology- Hybrid Colors
 Fashion- Nautical Movement, Rich Earth
 Cultural awareness- Brazil, Russia, India, China, and Egypt
 Travel- Coastal Living
 Technology- Hybrid Colors
 Demographics- Being aware of who you are appealing to
 Pop Culture- Think Pink
  Nature- Bright Rainforest hues and contrasting colors
 Environment- environmental concerns and Green Design (may not be the colour green itself).

Yellow is a hot colour this season. This positive and optimistic colour is ideal in all its forms. The rich gold of Indian curries and spices is popular. Designers have also introduced a culinary palette inspired by the brightly coloured cuisines which stimulates the senses.

The Travel palette is unique because it takes its cue from faraway lands and past memories. You can bring your journey experiences back as you can display your travel treasures against richly coloured walls. Some hot choices are Deep reds like Russia’s earthy beetroot, tropical reds which will remind you of the rainforests of Brazil, and even terracotta reds like that of roof tiles. You can bring the coast home with splashes of blue. Mediterranean blue, primary blue, delicate sea glass and navy blue are the colours to look out for.

The beauty and wonder of the natural world can serve to be a great inspiration. You can recreate nature’s scenic landscape in the comfort of your home by using the brilliant hues of nature.

Among individual colours, pink and white stand out. Pink is no longer a girl’s domain, as it has gone beyond to encompass all sections. Bubble gum pink, deep saturated pink and all has a foreseeable future. White has been taking the market by storm for quite some time. It can serve to be both soft and soothing as well as make strong statements. White mixed with fleshy pinks, pecan or nutmeg will give you a tranquil and peaceful escape from the outside din. While, if white is teamed with a splash of red then it can surely be enlivening.