Re-fresh the Residence

Monsoon season is over; IFFI (International Film Festival of India) is going on in Goa. The government buildings and the public spaces get a face lift every year. Thanks to IFFI; Panaji looks fresh and sparkling around this time of the year! 

How will it be if the residential buildings too got same refreshing done once a year? How can you refresh your residence, be it a bungalow, a row house or an apartment?

I have listed a few ideas here and will be exploring them individually in the subsequent blogs (hopefully!).

1. Add a small green wall to the facade: 
Green wall can change the facade dramatically; adds freshness, brings a smile to the face. 

2. A new colour scheme: 
If the house is looking rundown and old, it is time a fresh coat of paint. What better than to go for a different and may be bold colour scheme! I notice a lot of folks paint the house in the same (old) colours. Look around, may be new colours / finishes / textures have come into the market. Explore and experiment or take expert advice.

3. Make the much needed repairs:

Once a year at least, take a good look at the building, both interior and exterior. Repair the chipped edges / surfaces, fill the cracks, close the gaps, and replace the tiles, or anything else that needs fixing. The building looks like new, simply because a new building does not have faults.

4. Cover up the faults beautifully:

Since the repairs are happening why not add some aesthetic value to the building! Maybe some beautiful coloured tile cladding where the wall is developing cracks, or a Mangalore tile roof covering over the water tank or staircase, or Chinese Mozaic over the top of compound wall? 

5. Make an feature wall:

Tired of the same old facade? Don’t want alter the elevation? Ok. You can convert an existing wall into a feature wall or accent wall. It is like adding spice to a boring recipe. 

6. Use a water feature:

Adding a water feature is a great way to refresh the residence. Water adds life to the surroundings. It diverts attention from the old. Water is dynamic, transparent, and tranquil.

Where visible from outside, add a water feature such as a fountain, a small waterfall, a shallow pond, a sculpture and a sprout etc. They can be used in the interiors too, in the form of a aquarium, fish pond, or a waterfall.


7. Add a new building feature:

Did you always wanted a pavilion on the terrace or a gazebo in the corner of the front yard or a covered walkway from the gate to the main entrance or a sloping roof instead of an ordinary flat roof? If you think you waited long enough, go for it. It will change the appearance of the building completely!

These are just a few of the ideas that you can use to refresh your residence to make it look new / fresh / lively / attractive!

If you know of some more, please write to me.