Innovative Design Concepts for This Monsoon

Ar. Nikita Pathak, Founder at Design 21

Love it or hate it, the dripping water from your mat, the permanent mud marks on the floor, the darkness of indoor spaces, and the inability of your clothes to dry, are here to stay this season.

It's time to spend sombre evenings on your balcony while sipping delicious, hot coffee and taking in the nighttime sky. Overcome the gloomy and drab weather outside and welcome this monsoon with some vibrant modifications to your home decor. Making these small but meaningful alterations will help you handle the impact of the rain and bring you happiness.

Here's a list of monsoon guidelines from Architect Nikita Bajaj Pathak that will inspire you.

Minimalist Monsoon Decor

Give your property a monsoon-ready appearance by turning the interior bright and pleasant. While it is inconvenient to repaint the house every season, a set of vibrant bed sheets, lively curtains, and welcoming doormats can give the home a new aspect while the exterior is dingy. You can also add crimson velvet-upholstered furniture for a stunning contrast. The bold colours will definitely add a cheerful touch to the décor.

When experimenting with monsoon design ideas in your home, try to implement light curtains as they will provide a pleasing aesthetic while allowing adequate light to reach the interior. After all, sunlight is the essence of life, and the monsoon decor is no exception.

A Scent Of Freshness Indoor

The monsoon season is the ideal time to indulge your inner plant parent by cultivating your assortment of fresh greens, whether indoors or outdoors. Monsoon plants can boost the volume of oxygen in your home. Many of us appreciate having plants in our homes and getting a whiff of fresh air now and again. Therefore, don't hesitate to introduce a breath of freshness inside. Succulents, hanging planters, tall potted plants, and other greenery can transform your house into a tropical haven. These are simple to maintain and bring positive energy into the environment.

Warm Illumination

The appropriate lighting may significantly alter a setting. Make sure your house is well illuminated. For a cosier ambience switch from white to yellow lights to create the ideal rainy season decoration you desire. Fairy lights are no longer limited to events and festivals, they can be a glamorous addition to your monsoon décor which embellish brightness during dark rainy nights.

Awnings

Awnings by their nature are not designed for heavy rainfall but can withstand some light rain. Most awnings are fitted with wind sensors as standard which help provide added protection from bad weather. A herringbone or chevron pattern should be unique enough to be part of your exteriors for all seasons.

Safeguard Furniture

Wooden items in the home are sensitive to humidity and moisture, which are prevalent during the rainy season. These conditions would not only cause your valuable pieces of furniture to lose shape and form, but they would also make them prone to termites and vermin.

Don't forget to preserve furniture from moisture and humidity. To accomplish this, you can treat the wood with a new coat of varnish or lacquer to control swelling. Maintain a few inches between wooden furniture and the wall. Purchase a humidifier to control the temperature and humidity. Refrain from using a moist cloth to clean the furniture.

Outdoor Furniture

Ensure to prepare the outdoor for the monsoon because no material is immortal and the season can challenge even the finest and most natural products. If there is any bamboo or cane outdoor furniture, give it a waterproof coating to extend its lifespan. Give the metal furniture a coat of varnish to prevent rusting.

Also Read - A Bespoke Bathroom Design that Combines Aesthetics with Optimal Functionality.

Waterproofing The Open Areas

Consider installing a temporary or permanent shade from above to cover any patio or open balconies you may have. In addition to protecting the outdoor furniture and landscape, it will make the perfect space where you can lounge and soak in the cool breeze when it's not raining.

Furthermore, it's crucial to make sure the rainwater drains effectively. The initial step in waterproofing a roof and terrace is to ensure that it is clean and that rainwater does not collect anywhere.

Now that you are ready to cherish the monsoon, all you need is a cosy spot to relish the rain. Visualise yourself - sitting in a cosy corner, with some hot beverage and snacks in your hand, listening to soothing music and enjoying the raindrops fall graciously.

About Author

Nikita Bajaj Pathak

Celebrated for her epistolary and flowing design style, Ar. Nikita Bajaj Pathak is renowned for her distinct and unique architectural style. Spearheaded and co-founded by Ar. Nikita Bajaj Pathak, Design21, serves as a model inspiration for fellow architects and firms. Their quality of work reflects years of hard work honing the art of architecture.

Taking inspiration from both her parents, Ar. Nikita Bajaj Pathak was able to develop her creativity through constant encouragement from her mother. She has always been close to nature, art, and craft, giving her a refreshing perspective on architecture and interior design. Ms. Pathak has her home covered in brilliant works of arts and crafts and credits her mother in helping her realize and develop her art skills. Her father is an engineer and was always handy with tools, fixing up things around the house. Nothing was out of his reach – from electrical fixtures to leaky pipes, he fixed everything. Ms. Pathak was his little helper who assisted him with all his projects which gave her confidence in her problem-solving abilities. Being exposed to art as well as hardware problems at a young age, she was able to hone in on both these teaching and further her abilities.

Both the arts and science helped her realize her passion for architecture. In her high school years, she took up science, but she never underestimated the role arts played in the development of her professional skills. She smartly combines both arts and science in order to come up with new and fascinating projects each time she gets back to the drawing board. Even in college, she tended to give equal importance to form and function, taking inspiration from renowned architects like Zaha Hadid and Daniel Libeskind. Right from the get-go, Ms. Pathak has been practicing her art even through her first project, which she took up when she was in college itself. She created an abstract tulip that was backlit in a duplex house bought by her father. However, due to the lack of technology in the metalworks area, she had to supervise a blacksmith and customize the design that still sits in that location to date. Her bosses also played a pivotal role in fine-tuning her skills. They helped her strike a fine balance between work culture and personal life – something that she still practices to date. One of her major influences would be Ms. Meena Mani from her previous employment at Mani Chowfla Architects. Additionally being inspired by the other female colleagues, Ms. Pathak was able to continuously work on her skills to make each project better than her last.

Back in 2009, one of the first projects she had worked on was a renovation project in New York. Subsequently, it led to another great opportunity where she was able to get a full Penthouse Project in DLF Magnolias. Ms. Pathak says that the best part about working on this project was the free reign the client gave them. Ultimately, this was a 10,000 sq ft project in a modern style that soon became the talk of the town. She had also gotten the chance to assist in designing large-scale institutional projects like Delhi Metros and IIPH. Such projects helped Ms. Pathak get some real-life perspective into how the industry worked while allowing her to put her senses of space making and perspective to good use in a very hands-on manner. All these projects culminated in her getting the confidence to start her own firm, and the rest is history. For Ms. Pathak, while balancing form and function has always been important, she also places a lot of emphasis on detail. Through details, she is able to connect to her work on a deeper level, opening up a lot of new avenues for her. Moreover, she also loves working on designs inspired by nature and typographic elements. Making sure that all her designs are user-centric and accessible to all, she designs her projects with a certain panache that cannot be beat by anyone else.

Ar. Nikita Pathak has been featured by various esteemed publications and newspapers like Ace Update, Architect & Interiors India, India Today Homes, IFJ, Realty Plus, Seema Magazine, Good Homes, Deccan Herald, Pioneer India, Interiors & Decor, Architecture & Builders, etc. Design21 has a lot of accolades to their name, some of them being -“Eldrok Award 2021: Excellence in redesigning existing Educational spaces,” “Attended Dialogues 2019: Umaid Bhawan Palace,” Elle Décor launched and covered Obeetee Flagship retail store in 2019, a luxury rug company based off Delhi. The principal architects are the Guest Lecturers at Deshbandhu Chhotu Ram University of Science and Technology. They were part of the Murthal on Energy Conservation Building Code Seminar in 2018. They also Mentor at JSID since 2020 for Retail Design. Ar. Nikita Pathank was the Moderator and Participant at RK Marbles Women of Stone Event – 2021, and attended Inauguration ceremony at Deen Dayal Hastkala Sankul, Banaras in 2019. This was inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi, Smita Irani, and Yogi Aditya Nath Ji. This firm also attended the Carpet Museum in the complex as it was designed by Design21. Ar. Pathak was also featured in the ACE magazine in October of 2021. Ar. Nikita Bajaj Pathak has been frequently invited as a guest lecturer at Kunskapsskolan School, Gurgaon and Shiv Nadar School, Gurgaon on Architecture and Green buildings.