Cocktail Garden- Try This Summer!!

We at EXIN Magazine always try to offer you with the trendiest and in-thing for your home- be it for the exteriors or in the interiors.  Therefore, today we present you a new concept of gardening—that too with a flavorful purpose!! The trendsetters and famous gardeners, throughout the globe, are now on to Cocktail gardens. Themed gardens are no more in trend. So what about trying something new?

The cocktail garden is a prediction for the themed garden of the year! Fine craft cocktails have been experiencing quite a rebirth and in 2015 it’s going to be all about the botanicals. The concept is to cultivate everything; cultivating ingredients to make their own bitters, shrubs, tonics and infused spirits — with everything from herbs and spices to roots and shoots!

Drinks made from fresh, hand-picked herbs, vegetables and fruits- with flavors and tastes to toast the party season- every drink will become the signature one! It is not important to mix alcohol in every drink- just enjoy the drink and feel the freshness!!

A cocktail garden does not need much space. Just a 4*4 foot area under the sun is sufficed to make your first experiment.  Fill the place with soil and fertilizer and you are ready to plant your cocktail flavors.

Now just pick and choose the herbs or the plants you want in your garden. We suggest lime and mint as a must. These are two essential flavors that make every drink and desserts made from your garden to give a refreshing and tangy taste. Lavender, one of the most loved herbs, is often absent from the culinary garden. But use its fragrant purple flowers as a garnish or stirring stick for a martini, or use them to impart an intriguing flavor to lemonade. Strawberry is another flavor to use in an endless way in drinks, desserts or simply for garnishing the cocktails. You can also plant basil and tomato to make delicious snacks too.

Decorate your cocktail garden with a cobbled path running straight down the center. Vary the width of the planting beds on either side to add some visual variety, and have pathways merge seamlessly with patio space - use a different material to decorate and visible differences are there. Be practical, however, and avoid the temptation to make the walkway too small.

Decorate the place. Place wooden chairs, folding tea-tables and colorful pots. Use the wall of your house for the creepers and different shapes and sizes of containers.  Varying the height of containers also creates vertical interest. It will add an unusual counterpoint and make your guests captivated.

 

Hydroponics- The Art of Growing Plants in Water!!

It is said that growing plants in the water is easy; so easy that the kids at home also can grow plant in the water at home.  Growing plants in water or hydroponic is interesting. It is an outdoor activity practiced indoor.

If you have a small place and a fetish for gardening, hydroponic is the most interesting thing to involve with. Experts say that one can even plan and make a kitchen garden by growing the plants in water. Few things you need to consider before you start planting weeds in water is of the water friendly plants, the care method for those plants and pick a container that holds water.

At EXIN Magazine we suggest to pick and choose a bottle or container that holds ample water to grow a plant. But don’t pick a metal or brass container as they will corrode as it comes in contact with water. Properly clean the container and put few stones, gravel, pebble or marbles to make the base part look vibrant. Add a piece of coal to keep the water clean.

You can also paint or decorate the outer part to give a more decorated look. Fill the container with three-fourth water and add some fertilizer. Repeat the process of adding fertilizer once in a month. And don’t forget to cut the dead leaves or dead part of the plant.

The advantages of hydroponics are that it is a low maintenance and low cost option to fill the cravings of gardening. Plus you can place the pots anywhere and everywhere in your house you want to.

When it comes to choose the best plant for hydroponics, be careful. Choose plants that grow well in water. Begonias, Chinese evergreen, types of ivy, arrowhead are among the popular plants that grows well in a water environment. Once you have the cutting in the water, Mother Nature takes care of the rest. Roots will soon appear along the submerged stems, followed shortly by sets of new leaves.

Enjoy hydroponics!!

Costal Destinations in India

Beaches or the coastal areas are the most proverbial places we know for refreshment and to be in a vacation. Combined with the perfect proportion of air, water and sky; beach vacation is ideal to get feel you searched for long. A beach is the best to relax and rejuvenate as well- and being in one among the famous yet serene beaches in India is sure to bring back the harmony in your soiled soul and action-packed body.

India, a country with a coastline of 7,517 km (4,671 mi) is bounded by the Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea projects boasting of some incredible and unexplored beach destinations, and earns an appreciation as a popular tourist destination across the globe. India offers some of the most tranquil beaches in the world with an environment so splendid, activities, solitude, fun, frolic, and parties.

So here we present few of the coastal destinations of India that you would die to visit once in your lifetime.

Coming to the beaches of Goa, it is among the most popular destinations attracting visitors across the globe.  Palolem, Agonda, Mandrem, Arambol, Cavelossim and the beautiful Dona Paula are the deserted beaches that might not be able to offer an exotic restaurant but are at their best with sea and sky.

Kerala, ‘God’s own country’ is blessed with the green and warm coastline combined with the tranquility that lets you revitalize in its relaxing atmosphere. Verkala, Kovalam or Kappad are the beaches to easily unwind or have the best in class relaxation in the spas.

The naturally exotic Andaman and Nicobar Islands are counted among the few deserted and unexplored beaches packed with silvery white sand and lustrous greenery. Radhanagar beach and Corbyn’s Cove & Chirya Tapu Beach are known and visited by people around the world to experience the serene and remote atmosphere.

Lakshadweep and Odisha have a set of charming, popular and gorgeous option to get the best of costal adventure. Plus, Lakshadweep is the only beach in India that is ready to present a beautiful coral reef and the Palm Beach.

Many of the beaches in India are largely spoiled by human activities while others in the list are only the place habituated by local fishermen. The second type is the most coveted with miles of sands, lovely weather, water and the endless sky!!  These are the breathtaking beaches to get countless choices and play with the hidden bohemian feel in you.

Exterior Designing Ideas for This Summer

Summer is approaching and so is the heat, the humidity and the irritation. A spectacular home with excellent exteriors is not only soothing, it is also essential to have a cool surrounding if you choose to design your home exteriors properly.

We admit that designing exteriors are not easy and that is not a job for novice designers. EXIN Magazine therefore presents you a proper combination to design the exteriors of a home with materials, color choices, shapes, lines and textures.  However as it comes to make the house summer friendly we have great ideas to lure you with green luster, monochromatic furniture, blend of vibrant and pale shades and many more.

Had you ever wondered that what makes a house exterior look appealing? It is definitely the perfect balance of color, shapes, materials, colors of windows and doors, lighting and landscaping, according to experts designers.  Like in all types of design, balance and symmetry play an important role in achieving a well-designed space. The facade of every home needs some semblance of balance and symmetry in order to appear pleasing to the eye and properly designed,” says Louis Sullivan, a distinguished exterior designer.

Coming to the point of landscaping, lighting the exteriors and choosing the prefect color- these aspects are the perfect blend of methods to overcome the flaws. Playing with lighter and darker shades of the same color is imperative for having an aesthetic exterior for your house.

Designing your exteriors with monochromatic palette is obvious to pull off a polished look without spending much. On the contrary, picking bright and vibrant color accents and blending with grey, white or other pastel shades will add the touch of fun to the exteriors. If you got some space, try to use that as a private place. Enclose the place with a wooden fence, little green and minimal furniture—and see the magic!!

Do you have a tight budget? Don’t go for a total makeover. Focus on few decorative elements, like color techniques, textures of the cushions, colorful glass lanterns are staples to get you dream home exteriors.

Five Tips To Make Smaller Rooms Look Bigger

Small apartments are easier to buy and decorate because of space constraints. But if decorated in the right manner it can make constricted spaces appear larger and more spacious. The perfect color combination, lighting, and furniture can make the interiors appear larger and breath-taking.

Lighter shades and clever contrasts

Optical illusion is the secret to making the rooms appear larger and more spacious. Light colors help you do the trick by reflecting the shades and making the space appear bigger and airy. Dark colors make rooms look clumsy and smaller. For best results try using soft tones of blue, green, and white. You can also use contrasting shades which will make the walls appear slimmer.

Use the right kind of lights

Light tends to open up a space. Whether it’s natural or hung from light fixtures they can make a huge difference to your apartment. Larger windows are a good idea but if the space is limited pull the shades to allow maximum light to enter the rooms.

Uncluttered rooms increase space

An organized and tidy room in all probability will make the space seem larger than it is. Stack all the magazines and remove the pillows from the sofas and beds. The walls ideally should not contain too many pictures or paintings. It allows the lights to play up the wall colors and increase the amount of illumination. Create a focal point which will draw attention everyone’s attention by keeping the décor in the rest of the room to a minimum.

Mirrors make the rooms look larger

Mirrors are extremely useful for reflecting light and thereby making the rooms seem spacious. Place them strategically on walls or tabletops for optimum reflection.

Multifunctional furniture

Well-designed furniture can create place for more than one item. A chest that can double as a coffee table and a book cabinet is a good choice because it will not block the pathway in your room. Paint the furniture in a shade resembling the wall color to allow it to blend in thereby enhancing the amount of space.

Interior decoration is child’s play for the creative ones but others can rely on EXIN Projects to decorate their homes.