Monsoon is officially here with gloomy skies, and incessant rain taking over most of India. But the wet months almost always have us on our toes. From damp walls to flooding, getting ready for the monsoon means rainproofing your home, both indoor and outdoors! The last thing you want after the monsoon showers are endless months of repair and renovation. So, we’d suggest avoiding the damage, be it strikes like they always say, prevention is better than cure!
Photo Courtesy: Unsplash
If you have an outdoor space at home, it is essential to ensure you decorate it with garden appropriate furniture, especially using materials that are waterproof. While for a garden and greenery, nothing gets better than fresh rainwater, too much of it isn’t healthy either. On the flip side, if you’ve spent days decorating a balcony or patio that is close to your heart, your guards need to be up just before the monsoon hits!
How to rainproof your patio
Some of the more obvious ways and commonly known ways to rainproof your patio are of course using water-proof fabrics such as cane, rattan and wrought iron, while avoiding the use of leather and wood; retractable awnings to cover your patio and PVC blinds so you can look outside and enjoy the rain. But for a more detailed insight, Luxebook caught up with leading industry experts for more tips to rainproof your patio during the monsoon.
Photo Courtesy: Mi Casa Collective
Akshita Sekhri, Co-founder, Mi Casa collective points out that it is imperative to use correct materials during the monsoon. “You need to pay attention you pick. Pick materials that don’t rust and bloat up. Incorporate stainless steel and marble so your utility factor increases and you don’t have to spend so much time taking care.”
Outdoor covering
“For rain-proofing your patio, you could cover it with awnings, or a covered pergola for a more permanent solution. There are retractable awnings that can be operated using automation, making it easy to use the awning when you need it,” say, Hardesh Chawla and Monica Chawla, Interior Designers and Founders Essentia Environments. Adding further, Akshita warns, “A lot of have awnings that are made of wood that catch moss or bloat up very quickly given the moisturise. A new solution to that is stainless steel sheets. They are very slick and cost-effective and can be placed over wooden awnings that tend to boat up in the monsoon. and season after season you won’t have to change them. Similarly with wooden window panels.” But if you enjoy sitting outdoor, Meenu Agarwal – Founder & Interior Designer, MADS Creations recommends building a gazebo, or a conservatory, with glass windows all around so you can enjoy and entertain outdoors, come rain or shine. She further adds, “If you’re looking at enjoying your patio while it rains, or while it is sunny, you could opt for patio umbrellas or awnings.Covered pargolas are also a good choice.”
Photo Courtesy: Unsplash
Furniture
Coming to the materials that one should use for monsoon furniture Hardesh and Monica recommend using weather-proof (and trendy) materials like natural rattan, and modern woven outdoor furniture, which looks like natural rattan but is made of synthetic materials. With newer materials coming into the market aged ones like wrought iron today are less common given their heavy weight. “Traditionally, wrought iron and wicker furniture have been popular to rain-proof the patio. Today, however, there are a lot many options from synthetic wicker furniture and acrylic chairs, etc. Synthetic wicker mimics the look of natural wicker thus making it an attractive option. Synthetic wicker is absolutely weather-resistant and looks new for a long time to come, as it is also UV-resistant, ensuring the colours remain fresh. The cushions are created using materials that don’t absorb moisture, hence they are very comfortable in all seasons,” said Agarwal.
Photo Courtesy: Pexels
Upholstery
The next question that may come into our mind would be – what about the cushions? Speaking about monsoon-proof upholstery the duo Hardesh and Monica Chawla recommend, “The cushions and upholstery should be made using outdoor textiles like acrylic fibres, or other polyester materials which can withstand all weather. They are also moulded and mildew resistant, as well as UV and colour resistant.”
