Home Ceilings

1. Types of ceilings

Even though you have to look upto them to appreciate them, ceilings form an important part of your home décor. There are two types of residential ceilings. They are the original slabs or the main ceiling and the false ceiling.

The main slab can be straight or in any shape like a dome, a sloping one or pyramidal. If the main slab is a straight RCC slab, you can create a false ceiling below it in any shape to make it look different from inside. False ceilings can be made of materials like Plaster of Paris (POP), wood, gypsum boards, fibre glass, fabrics, etc.

Lights can be used to enhance the look of any ceiling. Lights can be concealed in false ceilings so as to show the glow and not the light fixture itself. Coloured rope lights can be fixed on the inner edges of false ceiling slabs to give out colourful illumination.

2. How to maintain/ clean a ceiling

Ceilings with carved patterns in wood or POP are presentable only if they are clean and free of any dust. So it is important to regularly clean such ceilings. This can be done using a wet cloth. Wooden members of the ceiling should be polished after a period of time to retain their shine. Brass ceiling patterns or cornices can be cleaned by using liquid brass cleaners and a cloth.

3. Fire protection (in case of wood)

Fire retardant and intumescent coatings should be used to treat wood and protect it in case of fire. These coatings can be applied on the wooden ceilings after they are placed in the frame as a ceiling.

4. Installation of ceilings

Usually, false ceilings are suspended over a framework of wood, steel or aluminium. The most preferred material is aluminium as it is comparatively cheaper than the rest and is light weight. The framework is fastened to the main ceiling by screws and the sheets of POP or wood are screwed on to the lower surface of the framework.

5. How to select the right type of ceiling for your house

It is important to consider the height which is available to play with in case of false ceilings. Sometimes the height available is so less that a false ceiling has to be ruled out. Ideally minimum 9 feet height should be made available below the surface of the false ceiling. If the height of the room is less, certain areas like the dining area or the seating space can be highlighted by using a false ceiling only in that much area. You can go for a frosted acrylic false ceiling in your bathroom to conceal any fixtures like the heater on the top. You can also have diffused light through the frosted acrylic.

6. Cost involving on doing a ceiling

A simple flat POP false ceiling on aluminium frame can cost around Rs 55 per square foot. Curved and angular ceilings can go upto Rs 150 per sft in POP. Cost of wooden ceilings depends on the wood used. A teak wood plank false ceiling can cost Rs 350 per sft while the same using rough wood or sleeper wood can be cheaper. Fibre glass or acrylic ceilings can cost around Rs 200 per sft for a flat ceiling.

7. And something about beams

Beams are the horizontal structural members in any framed structure. They cannot be eliminated or tampered with in any circumstances for a better design. But they can be hidden using a false ceiling that covers them. A stepped or curved false ceiling can cover the beam without revealing whats inside.

All about Doors

1. Types of doors available in the market

Doors can be categorized as

· Main Doors

· Safety Doors

· Sliding Doors

· Glass Doors

· Bathroom Doors

2. Materials from which doors are made

Doors can be made of wood, ply or block board, glass, acrylic, metal, etc depending on their use.

Glass doors can be used for kitchens so that there is enough light into the kitchen. The glass can be etched with designs for an aesthetic look. Stained glass can also be used to add colour.

Wooden doors can be decorated with simple grooves to make them look minimalist and classy. This can be done for veneered or laminated doors too.

Safety doors can be made from wood and the grill can be a wrought iron one. Simple patterns on the grill look the best. Wrought iron grills can have coloured stones or stained glass filled in between the grillwork to create a masterpiece. This makes the usually boring safety door a colourful one.

Safety door with coloured stone grill

3. Maintenance of doors

Wooden and ply doors require more maintenance. The doors should have at least 6mm ground clearance. The bathroom doors should be made out of marine ply of a good quality. Make sure that the wood is sealed and well polished to prevent entry of moisture or water into the wood. Bathroom doors can alternatively be made out of acrylic sheets fixed on to an aluminium powder coated frame. Such doors are not that aesthetic but do not require maintenance.

Carved doors wooden should be cleaned regularly by a moist cloth to make them look new and so that the design always stands out. They can be repolished every two years to maintain the shine.

Glass doors should be wiped clean regularly to maintain them. If the glass door has a larger area, insist on a toughened glass to prevent the glass from falling apart in case of breakage

4. Everything about veneers, laminates, intricate designs on the doors

Veneer finish consists of thin slices of real wood, which are adhered to a surface to give it the glowing appearance of real wood. This also allows each piece to have the same grain direction and colouring. Veneer can be polished to give it a glossy or matt look or to change the shade of its existing colour of wood.

Laminate is layers of wood, plastic, or other materials bound together, usually having heat and pressure simultaneously applied. Laminates are available in many colours and textures. They are usually referred to as Sunmica or Formica which are actually brands of laminate. The laminated door does not require polishing and is easy on maintenance. But the veneer look is richer and warmer than the laminate one.

Wooden carved doors add a touch of ethnic grandeur to your home. Readymade carved panels can be stuck on to a wooden door to make it look beautiful. This can be done by making a niche in the door and filling it up with a ready carved pattern.

5. Tips

Things like letter boxes and name boards should be incorporated with the entrance door to make it look like a complete design. There should be continuity or a flow between the door design and the name board to make it look unified.

The same theme can be carried to include the name board in the doorway. Now days people insist on having a Ganesh idol in their doorway. This can be incorporated in the door design itself by making a wooden panel for the idol and treating it with the same laminate or veneer.

Measurements:

Main doors are usually 3’x7’. The width should be such that big pieces of furniture and appliances an easily come through the opening. The room doors can be 2’6” wide and 7’ high. The bathroom doors can be 2’ wide is the space is less.

Framing:

Main door frames are best in teak wood. Wooden frames enhance the character of the door. If the existing wooden frame has deteriorated, it can be cladded with veneer or laminate matching the door. Internal and bathroom doors can either have wooden frame or a stone frame. Granite and green marble frames are commonly used.

Colours:

Colours can be used to brighten up a door and the room. Laminates can be used to do so. Kids room doors could have a collage of bright colours like red, yellow and blue. Just a strip of silver laminate on one side of a dark coloured door can make it stand out. Colour of the door can be matched with the colour of the furniture or the walls in the room. A combination of two contrasting colours also looks dramatic.

To check out more door designs visit www.dimensionsarchitects.in

Kitchen Design made easy

Kitchen is an important space in your house. Like your living room and bedroom, the kitchen also needs to be trendy. But many homes today have less kitchen area and the storage that goes into it is enormous. A space saving modular kitchen is a good option to fulfill your storage needs and also make your kitchen look great. A few points listed below should be considered while designing kitchens.

Colour:

The colour of your kitchen cabinets and the wall tiles usually depends on your personality. You may have bright colours like yellow and red or light shades in cream or white. It is best not to use more than two different colours for the cabinets. For example go for red and yellow or cream and brown. Metallic colours can be used as accents to give your kitchen a trendy look. If the kitchen is too small, it is better to go for light colours as they reflect light and make the kitchen look larger. The overhead cabinets which touch the ceiling can be painted in the colour of the walls to make the kitchen look less bulky.

Ventilation:

It is very important to have a window in the kitchen which gives you fresh air and ample light. Invest in a good quality chimney even if the window is of a fairly large size. Chimney makes the kitchen less suffocating and keeps it fresh.

Layouts:

Decide the layout of your kitchen depending upon the size. If the kitchen area is very small, a compact C-Shaped layout would work well. This way you can utilize maximum space for storage. An L- Shaped or a parallel layout would work well for an elongated kitchen. If your kitchen is large or you plan an open kitchen, go for the island concept. You can have colourful lamps hanging over the island counter to add a zing to the kitchen.

Storage:

Try to keep most of your appliances inside the cabinets. This would make the kitchen look neat. Plan for storing your toasters, blenders and food processors inside the cabinets to keep the counter free. You can have a separate shelf above the counter for your microwave. Use the corners below the platform effectively by placing magic corners or revolving units. Use pull outs for storage of vessels and grains to avoid the task of bending to reach these things after you open the shutters.

Lighting:

As mentioned above, it is important to have natural lighting in the kitchen. Besides, have ceiling mounted fixtures which will illuminate the kitchen well. Use pelmet lights below overhead storage to light up your kitchen platform. You can have spot lights to illuminate crockery units or cabinets with glass shutters.

With a little bit of your imagination you can make your kitchen functional and trendy. So go ahead and design it to make it the best part of your house!