A houzz contributor, not too long ago, had made a wine rack out of 4'x4' wooden pallets, that are used in the US to move a load of goods with a fork-lift truck. Perhaps they have them in your country. He cut them in half so they were only two feet deep and stacked them up to high counter height. The wood would be a nice contrast with your concrete, might add a little warmth to the space. cascio.offsite@gmail.com

Hi Ni, I just thought of something....did you say you planned to do the stencil motifs on the window wall? If so, I am thinking they will be mostly hidden by the curtains. I wonder if it might be better to stencil the long wall that is on the right side of the room when looking toward the window. I could see this being a pretty backdrop to the prayer box (I think that’s what you called it?) and your wood cuttings. Then maybe the opposite wall (the one with the kitchen doorway) could hold a large piece of art?

Have you ever thought about floating shelves? I think pairing a few floating shelves together would look great and would free up space in your living room. I really like the Eugene floating shelf from Bryght and I think it would compliment your existing pieces. http://www.bryght.com/product/160/eugene-cocoa-shelf

Hi Princey, Windows bring in ample light and provide ventilation to a room and at the same time bring the outsides visually in. Hence, it is necessary to determine their not only their size but also their location in a room. Deciding the lintel and sill level of the windows may depend on the overall look of the building or a home as they alter the elevation to a great extent. A standard 3' sill and 7' lintel gives you a 4' height to work with. You may then increase or decrease its width to your requirement. Anything between 4'-6' is a good window width. If possible you may decrease the sill level to 2' to increase the window size where you want. Avoid doing this where the bed would be as its headboard will cover a large part of the window. Alternatively you may go for french windows/doors for living rooms. As far as the design of the window is concerned, it largely depends on the functionality. Accordingly, the windows may be side hung, sliding, louvered, top hung, fixed etc. These days mostly we go for sliding or side hung ones. How they look will depend a lot on their mechanism. However, their style may be changed as per the aesthetics of the room and overall building elevation. Here are some examples - These go well with classic, colonial and Indian styles. These go well with minimalist, modern and contemporary styles. Bay windows create an interesting corner in you living and bedroom and bring in ample light for the same size of opening due to their angular windows. The wall behind the bed may have a window like this, its fixed glass that filters in light and accommodates the bed as well. French doors and windows are a great option for both bedroom and living areas if you have the privilege of a balcony. The living room may have small or large windows depending on the area at our disposal as well as the floor where we reside. Ground floor with ample greenery around calls for large picture windows. But if there is no particularly pleasant view we may go for regular or even slit windows to solve our purpose. All these are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to discussing windows. It is highly recommended to consult with your architect while deciding on the requirement, size, placement, design, material and aesthetics of the windows in your home. All the best! Regards, RnD Atelier Nagpur