Take care of your furniture in monsoon season

The monsoon season brings with it a dual feel when the exterior feels fresh and renewed but the interiors feel clogged with moisture. While there is a constant call for the warm daylight and wide-open windows at one time of the day, but at the same time there is a strong urge to shut down the door and windows at the other. The entire shell of the space looks out for a fresh aesthetic that delves into practical, reimagined layouts, along with an indulgent choice of décor that speaks for the vibe of the season.

The mood awakens our inner self to go in search of new design elements in the space. It offers an increased indoor time that only gives us more opportunities to revive the look of our space, preferably with colourful palettes and tidier statements that help us enjoy the slow, self-reflecting time we get. It’s the perfect time to sit back and fade into the ambience and make nothing but effortless ways to go with the flow of the season.

While it moves around leaving its hints of the humid air, it calls for exclusive care for our statement pieces. The unreliable weather and its take on the interior ambience may land us to make hasty decisions for our beloved pieces, especially the climate-sensitive finishes—for which we need to prepare ourselves with a material care routine. From quick fixes to smart spatial alterations, here are a number of things you can do to keep your material palettes well protected.

Looking out for the wooden elements

Wood, being a naturally-sourced material, tends to absorb moisture and swell up—changing the aesthetic picture of wood which endears us to the material. There is a high chance for the wood statements to show up with visible cracks and cuts that make them further prone to termite attacks. As a counter to these cases, you can seal the wooden floors, give a pesticide control measure to the built-in furnishings and add a layer of coatings and sealants to retain the originality of the wood. Much of this treatment should ideally be done before the monsoon season hits.

Making changes in the layout

Walls become the gateway for every material damage that can come your way. Wooden installations turn dull and worn-out, wrought iron furnishings turn red with rust, copper accessories turn green and every other material has its own way of falling into the ill effects of moisture when they share close proximity to the easily-moistened walls creating damp corners and surfaces. Changing the layout of the space by introducing ample clearance between the walls and the furniture can save the day in such a situation. Try bringing more of island furniture setups that create a point of focus—the sofas, tea tables and floor lamps can come together as the central elements and create a stage for your best pieces. Well ventilated rooms can further help in moisture build up inside the house.

Retaining the fresh look in the fabrics

The interior textiles owe their radiance and freshness to the air around them. The still air of the season gets heavy with dampness and simply refuses to flow through the fabric, making more room for trapped air. This particularly affects the denser fur rugs, heavier velvet drapes and others that have rigid layers of weaves that are known to be fungi-favourites. While the easier way is to replace these fabrics with fresh breathable ones like sheer cotton, you can still choose to retain their fresh face with regular vacuuming rituals, linen spray routines and other that help them stay dry. You can also take the upholstered pieces closer to the window, balcony or any other space that invites good sunlight to keep them warmer and tidier. To exaggerate the warmth, more of white can be brought in the handloom door curtains, tasselled macrame décor and other light-hued elements that reflect light and make the most of every ounce of warm light you get.

Monsoon gloom is something no one wants to fall into. You can escape it by keeping the space bright and open to natural light. Try going lighter with the curtains and drapes—drop your valences and other layers and go for neat trims of sheer cotton or organza silk that come with a beauty of their own as it lends a breath of fresh air in the spaces.

Add a dose of fragrance to the still air

The petrichor of the seasons can be ethereal and overwhelming at the same time. The changing nature of the interior materials and the mere absence of regular airflow can affect the sense of smell and bring the interior game down a notch. This is where the scented candles in vintage candle stands and reed diffusers in exquisite glassware come into play. You can also go straight for a dehumidifier to counter the dampness or take the green route with moisture-absorbing houseplants like a flowering peace lily or a scented purple orchid in textured ceramic planters.

Sink into the mood with relaxing furniture

Monsoon time is a reminder of comfort. Embrace it with relaxing furniture pieces that make a statement with their ergonomic backrests and inclined silhouettes. You are free to include more of hefty recliners, cocoon swings and more that give a cosy vibe without being loud and characterful. You can also go for bean bags, floor cushions, fluffy beddings and more that adapt to your posture and keep you snug inside out. Try accessorizing these with windchimes or dreamcatchers that sway with the wind and keep the hygge vibe alive.

Make a minimal, spruced-up statement

The season is all about going light with everything. You would want to go back to minimalism styles that celebrate the voids and make more room for the air to flow through. It is time to bring boxy statement seaters, sleek line-profile tables, freestanding wireframe lamps, floating open shelves and more that show off their lean profiles and seamlessly blend into the space.

Prioritise your shades

Indian monsoons are seen as beauty and rage, all in one frame. This is the time when the windows call for all those outdoor shades, indoor blinds, multi-layered curtains and sheer shutters designed to watch over your space. The cloudburst and drizzles are cloaked in all different forms—intricate finespun drapery, clean-lined bamboo louvres, woven jute rollers and quilted curtains have a unique take on the interior persona. The sheer choices befit the spaces overlooking good vistas and lighter shower, while opaque alternatives become the first choice for a rougher micro climate. With an aesthetic overlay of motifs, botanical prints or chintz patterns, these shades are everything we need on a rainy day.