Home Made Nasi Goreng.....

So after ages of continuous studying and exams, I've finally got a vacation time to catch up with my blogging. "Designing is not an easy job and it definitely is not for light hearted people" that's what I learnt after two years of design work. Yes, it's very refreshing and interesting but all the same can be very stressful as well. While having all the fun with designing and planning, I occasionally find time to de-stress as well. My way of releasing stress is culinary art. Thank god, I had a blissful childhood with my grandmother who excelled in many cuisine around the world and I miss her dearly and her awesome, simple delicacies which inspired me to explore my takes on different dishes, meals and cuisines from around the world.... Oh, and please excuse for the quality of the picture. (Too hungry to take proper pictures, I guess... :P )

Design & I (Experiencing Design My Way.....)

Apologies for not being in contact or posting as frequent as I was used to. But no worries though because I am free for a while now and hope to pop in occasionally from now on. Nevertheless, I thought of having a series of posts that would help my learning as well as my readers regarding designs, specially focusing on Interiors. As a young designer student, I found peace through my work and my studies and I'm looking forward to share those ideas and concepts with you. Here's my story to you..... ( Apologies ahead if it sounds too boring or waste)

What is DESIGN?

I must say, this is totally my idea so please do not take this a definition. In many people's point of view, design doesn't have a specific definition for design is like art. For me, design is a totally unique way of expressing oneself that is neither perfect nor imperfect. Design is both science and creativity. Every person born to this world is a designer in one way or another. Some identify it through their passion, work, family or even through oneself. I found it through my passion for creating things like greeting cards, costumes & flower arrangements. Design is basically how you see yourself, how you want others to see yourself....

Handles..... Little Somethings For Home.... Part 5

Handles are very very important when it comes to selecting what type of a door or drawer set you want. There are many type of door knobs, handles and pulls ranging from ancient to modern high tech looking fashionable ones. A handle or finger grip is often formed as an integral part of door or drawer. However, there are numerous ready made fittings to choose from. Although they are essentially functional pieces of hardware, handles can enhance or spoil the appearance of storage furniture, so select them carefully to suit the style and scale of the work piece.

Curtain Designs.. Little Somethings For Home Part 4

Among many things that add up life to your living space, a simple thing like curtains hold a major role. Curtains can nullify the total effect of a mystified room or just add a bit dramatic effect to a colourful room. And also apart from the colours you intend to use on them, their patterns and prints also matter.  

Firstly in choosing a curtain design, consider the place of the house such as whether it is living room, tv room or bedroom etc. If we think of bed room, go for a colour matching with the wall paint and as well as the bed sheet colour. If it is a room fully painted in white, you can always select the option for more brighter coloured curtains which will add up a ripple of colours to your bed room. A living room is the place we get to spend time, meet outsiders so it's nothing wrong with a bit of show off in there. You can always choose something simple but attractive. What is the point of a curtain if it not eye catching???? For bathrooms and kitchens, go for lighter shades to blend in with the walls so that there is not much of a difference. 

Applying Finishes... Little Somethings For Home Part 3

In our earlier chapter of Little Somethings For Home, we discussed about the finishes and their different types. Today our article will be on applying finishes. None of the wood finishes are difficult to apply but it helps if you work in a relatively dust free environment and use clean brushes or applicators.

Preparing wood for finishing

No surface finishes, especially clear varnishes, lacquers and polishes will disguise a poorly prepared surface. Holes, dents and cracks should be filled and the wood sanded smooth. It is essential that you work in good light, preferably daylight. Some finishes exude quite unpleasant fumes so ventilate your workplace and wear a respirator.

Cellulose filler

Before applying an opaque finish, use ordinary decorator's cellulose filler to prepare the surface. Mix the powdered filler with water to a smooth ceramy paste and apply it to the surface with a flexible filling knife. Let the filler dry, then sand with medium grade garnet paper.

Finishes...... Little Somethings For Home Part 2

Finishing is very very important because it is the finality in our work and what that tells us how exactly well it is done. A surface finish is primarily intended to protect wood from staining and prevent it becoming dirty. To most people, however the way a finish enhances the appearance of a work piece is perhaps the prime consideration.

Paint, Varnish and Lacquer

Paint, varnish and lacquer are similar in many ways, not the least being that they are being sprayed or more commonly brushed onto the surface of the work piece. Certain varnishes and paints are almost identical in composition, the main difference being that paint contains pigments that make it opaque and colourful.

Solvent based paint

Virtually all solvent based house hold paints are suitable for storage furniture. They are made by suspending solid pigment in a synthetic resin such as vinyl, acrylic or polyurethane. Most paint finishes are built up in layers; a primer coat, two undercoats and a glossy, matt or semi matt top coat. However, some heavily pigmented paints are designed to cover a work piece with only one coat.

Little Somethings For Home.... Part 1

Man made boards

The development of man made baords has profoundly influenced the design and construction of storage furniture. Previously only solid timber was available and considerable skill was required to make and assemble wide flat boards of even thickness that would not suffer from wrapping and splitting with changes in humidity. But stable man made boards change all that. In just a few hours, you can now make a cabinet that would have aken days of painstaking work to produce before the advent of factory made preveneered boards. Below are some of the more common boards that you will find at any good timber merchant.

• Plywood 

Plywood is a laminated material made by gluing thin sheets of wood together in layers to form boards of various thicknesses. The grain of alternate sheets are set at right angles to one another to reduce the tendancy for wood to move as it shrinks or swells. Normally plywood is made with an odd number of piles for balanced construction. Decorative veeners are often used for the surface or face piles. To reduce manufacturing costs, a slightly inferior surface veneer may be used on the back. It is a relatively cheap board comprising three birch piles only, is often used for drawer bottoms. Being flexible, it can also be nailed or glued over a curved frame, forming a tough rigid skin. 

Enlarge Your Home Space Volume....

Land is becoming quite an expensive as well as a rare commodity which is fighting a battle with the numbers of the rising population world wide. In this context, every single inch in your home is of importance and should be put to maximum use. Enlarging existing spaces therefore becomes a necessity especially for the urban dweller. A good architectural design also becomes quite necessary so that the space is maximized in the design that is created for the proposed structure in the available land. Currently, architects are turning out unbelievable living spaces in extremely limited land areas using modern technology and implements that are available in the market.
Yet, once you start to live in the house, as time goes by, you may want additional space, for storage, for living and for various other needs, and then you want to think of improve the existing design. Spaces can be enlarged physically by adding or taking away certain elements from the areas. Many are the spaces in a house, which are not used efficiently.


To add space:

• Clear away all objects that you do not use everyday. Store them in closed boxes securely. May be you could mark on the outside of the box, what is inside them.

World's Most Beautiful Building Designs | Part 2

Manchester Square Interior                                       Go to part 1

World's Most Beautiful Building Designs | Part 1

Bastard Store

Colours say it all........... to feel home sweet home..!!!!!!!!!

 
         Psychiatrists say by applying appropriate colours in homes, we can enhance the attraction of the building it self and also that it will have a greater effect on the mental and physical activity of the inhabitants. But our lack of knowledge on its effect restrain us from making the best use of it.
     Some time our bed room needs a bit of a cozy and a comfortable touch and also a bit of romantic touch too.Nevertheless our study room should motivate us on more and more studies ( not paint can be that effective for me personally on STUDYING (; ). Even the colour of our hall has a greater effect on our temper during conversations but we barely notice that.

Lets get to know what feelings and expressions do colours elaborate...and also our choice on those colours may secretly reveal our personal way of behavior or rather I'd say our personality.

YELLOW 

Though yellow  is a very popular colour in wall painting it is a well known fact that its a hard choice for the painter. To get the exact colour expected most of the time we have to do a few coatings .BUT it is all worth it.Yellow gives the room a chance to highlight its furniture and all the artifacts kept there.Also it is an awakening colour.Which makes you feel active n fully energetic! A must say is yellow always make you feel fully equipped and ready.

ORANGE

The colour of internal energy. but not that every shade of orange is very appealing to the eye but few of those appealing shades, it says it makes you feel homey .But this is a colour which make you feel a bit hot inside.Mainly suitable to open air spaces and on walls where the direct sunlight falls. So that the sunlight could bring out the appealing shade out.

BLUE

Blue colour spreads in a vast varity thus we will have to go on talking for days bu majorly it has few common effects.

 Blue calls to mind feelings of calmness or serenity. It is often described as peaceful, tranquil, secure, and orderly. BUT  Blue can also create feelings of sadness or aloofness too.

Blue colour is also said to have healing effects n a create a soothing mental status. Blue is often used to decorate offices because research has shown that people are more productive in blue rooms. 

When talking about the mostly used shade of blue when decorating homes TURQUOISE BLUE

It is said to create a fantasied dreamy effect or a completely lively feeling depending on the way how you use the colour.turquoise or the sky blue can give a ancient and hestoric touch to the room as well ,Also the use of it on a wall that has direct sunlight can make the room look spacious at the same time.