Home makeover for Eid

Eid is that special time of the year where you want to celebrate a month of fasting and sacrifice. Your home is the place where you will be having friends and family over to enjoy the Eid festivities.

But imagine a messy and unwelcoming home on Eid day! That would not be appealing at all! So start early with giving your home a makeover with these ten easy steps, as advised by interior decor consultant of Journeyman BD, Nazneen Haque Mimi. 

Touch up walls with paint: There is so much that a simple dab of paint can do! First identify the walls that have become discoloured with time. You can apply fresh paint of the same colour as it is on the wall, or apply a bright contrast colour that would spice up the room.

You do not have to paint all the rooms of the house. Prioritise the living and dining rooms where you will be having guests over. This is a relatively cheap and fast way to give your home a makeover for Eid.

Add wall décor: Bare walls give an empty and negative feel to the house. Often times we think that in order to decorate walls we must buy highly priced paintings. Of course, highly priced paintings have their own way of setting the ambiance of the room, but there are plenty of affordable options that you can use to revitalise your home.

Collect family pictures, or pick your favourite pictures from your Facebook or Instagram. You can also choose postcards, calendar pictures or favourite posters. You can absolutely decorate walls with these relatively inexpensive creative options without having to rip through your wallet.

Wash, repair or recycle upholstery, cushions and curtains: You should start cleaning upholstery, cushions and curtains at least a month before Eid. Start with the living and dining rooms.

If the curtains have an old or torn down feeling, then consider buying new ones. Opt for upcycling and reusing saris, especially gorgeous ones, such as taant or jamdani if you do not want to buy new curtains. Make pleats on the sari, stitch them and hang over the windows. Using a sari as a curtain will give your home a new life, and it will definitely impress your family and guests.

Clean the floors: Wash your floors with floor cleaning agents that you can find at any hardware store. Use a brush to clean the dirt and stain from the joints of tiles or mosaic. Start working on this at least a week beforehand, and give a simple wipe before the day of Eid.

Buy a new rug: Floors take up the majority of space in your home. Invest in some new rugs and spread them out for the special day. You can use rugs as an accent piece. 

It can be of contrast colour, or asymmetrical in shape or of a pattern that breaks the monotone of the room.

Revive the dining table: The dining table is the focal point of the dining room, where most of the day's festivities take place. You can get a local carpenter to give it a varnish. However, you can also opt for waxing the table. You will find the wax and foam at local hardware stores. Then you need to find a table cloth, runners and mats. You can reuse old fabrics such as saris or scarves and get them stitched to make a unique table cloth and runner. Stores such as Aarong and Jatra have a wide variety of locally made table cloths, runners and mats.

Organise and clean dinner accessories: We all have a shelf or cupboard full of crockeries and cutlery we rarely use. We save them for special occasions, such as Eid. Often times we have some missing pieces of cups or saucers. Organise and wash crockeries and cutlery so that they are within reach. It will also save you from frantically looking for a missing cup or saucer while your guests are waiting.

Buy new lamps: Even if you have simple furnishings, effective lighting can transform the mood of your home. You do not need to get pricey chandeliers to add charm to your living space. Shops such as Jatra and Aarong have an ample supply of beautiful yet affordable lamps. You can get floor lamps, hanging paper lamps or table lamps. You will also find lighting shops in Gulshan that have imported lamps in a wide range of prices.

Fix all everyday dysfunctional utilities: You know what these are! Perhaps the toilet flush is not working for weeks, yet you forget to fix it! Or that the living room fan regulator has not been working for a while. It is time to fix these tiny dysfunctional utilities that are so important for us to maintain balance in our homes. You would want your guests to be comfortable as much as possible and just imagine how uncomfortable your guests will feel if they find the toilet flush is not working!

Get indoor plants and flowers:  Adding some greens to your home will bring positivity and peace. You can get some indoor potted plants or water based money plants. Get fresh flowers the night before Eid which would lovingly welcome your guests for a scrumptious feast. Place the flowers as a décor item on the middle of the dining table or in the entryway. These organic additions will add warmth and comfort to your home.

These are simple, practical and useful tips that you can use to revive your home. Start early and plan the steps out so that you do not get stressed while you are fasting. Ramadan is a very special time, and Eid is the day when you get to enjoy the celebration of sacrifice and devotion. Take care of your home from early on so that the celebration is observed with ease and merriment.

 
Photo: Sazzad Ibne Sayed