Tips To Give Your House A Sustainable Makeover

A dash of sustainable or organic goes a long way in reducing carbon footprint. Start small or go the whole hog. Here are some ideas that’ll give your house a new breath of life.

- Khushboo Patodia Gupta

"Go for natural foliage in your living space" - Squarefoot Farmers.

What could be better than having a little square foot of green space within the house? If you have a neglected corner with enough sunlight or an existing outdoor space, call Squarefoot Farmers and they will help you transform the area into a beautiful, living garden. “We do two types of farming— edible gardens and edible along with ornamental. So we would have some flowerpots like that of lavender or anthurium alongside herbs and vegetable plantations. It can be done in your patio, balcony, backyard or terrace,” elaborates Vishwas Makam, 26, co-founder of Squarefoot Farmers. While space may be a constraint, the excellent weather of Bangalore is a strong catalyst in the adaptation of the concept. Makam and his partner Arun Gundmi, 31, feel the initial investment is a concern given that people expect immediate results. But then there are others who have taken the risk and fruitfully so. Like the Balars, a business family living in an apartment in Basavangudi, who wanted to convert the area outside their master bedroom into a garden patio that can be used for private parties or for to simply enjoy a cup of coffee outside. Squarefoot Farmers did just that by first adding a wooden deck in the middle and then creating a cobbled pathway around it. They then arranged edible plants and flowerpots all around. The wall opposite the bedroom has been converted into a vine wall—so that one wakes up to refreshing greenery as soon as the curtains are drawn.

COST Rs 500 to Rs 1,500 for farming on concrete; Rs 300 to Rs 500 for farming on soil

CONTACT squarefootfarmers.in

TOP<3>TIPS !

1 .Convert the area outside your master bedroom into a garden patio.

2 .For a modern look, combine edible gardens along with ornamental.