If I understand the seasons in India correctly, you have already been through the rainy season. Don't wait until the next rainy season to get the problem with your drainage fixed. Now will probably be the ideal time to get it fixed. Please get someone who will tell you what to do and then have the work done. The paint on that wall in your beautiful home will keep coming off!

Hi Anita. For how many hours roughly are your succulents exposed to sunlight? Perhaps keeping them in the sun but giving them a little more water may help.

Thank you. Point noted. I will remember that while we choose our decor so that i mix and match a little to break the monotony of the theme. I forgot to mention- there is one other reason why we settled for the no-false ceiling decision. I love the height of the ceiling and the ample natural light in the room. We did not want to cut off few inches by adding a false ceiling. We might add a portion of wooden ceiling perhaps if we feel that might be good, in future. But as of now is there no other option to make the room look complete, without the false ceiling I mean? Perhaps solid or textured paints-light reflecting colors on the ceiling or something like that... and getting back to the topic of false ceiling, are there options that can be added without reducing the height of the room? Because the two options that the designers gave me are wooden panels or POP wherein close to 1/2 feet is lost totally.

Hi Shraddha, From the images posted by you it is evident that you already have your under counter storage planned and in place. However, if this is not sufficient for you, there are a number of things you can add to increase storage in your kitchen. Let's take a look - 1] The conventional overheads Pros: Adding overhead units provides you with almost as big a storage space as your under counters. All your additional utensils can be easily accommodated in these cabinets hence making the space clutter free. Also, since the cabinets have shutters, all the mess goes behind them and the kitchen looks neater and cleaner. You may opt for the regular swing shutters or the more modern lift ups. Cons: The overhead cabinets make the kitchen space look smaller. Go for light coloured panels/shutters to give it a spacious look. 2] Ledges Pros: Ledges come very handy for keeping frequently used items such as tea, coffee, salt, sugar etc. They look sleek and can add an aesthetic element to your kitchen space. Cons: Since, the ledges are always exposed to dust, cleaning is a task. Also, one needs to keep the items on the ledges in an organised manner to avoid a crowded and clumsy look. 3] Tall unit Pros: If your kitchen is big enough, you can always add a tall unit. This is big enough to house your grains, pulses and all other kids of items and can hold quite a lot of weight. It occupies somewhere between 1' 6" - 3" of space in the kitchen so opt accordingly. Cons: Tall units are expensive due to their hardware and accessories. It is not advisable to use a tall unit in a small sized kitchen as it requires a reasonable amount of space for operation. 4] Island Counter Pros: An island counter adds a lot of working space in the kitchen. It also serves as a good buffet counter or a breakfast table. You can opt for a regular table to serve as an island or go for a properly designed one with additional storage. Cons: It is suitable for a large kitchen with ample circulation space around it. 5] Accessories such as hooks, rods, baskets and stands Pros: If you want to do more with a limited space and not spend much, opt for accessories like hooks, handing rods, baskets, stands etc. They help you in hanging your spoons etc. and hold a lot of stuff which otherwise cannot be accommodated in your under counter cabinets. Cons: They have to be regularly organized and cleaned to maintain tidiness. Hope these ideas help you. All the best! Regards, RnD Atelier Nagpur