Guides

Get access to our latest news by signing up for our newsletter.

Black oval rubber door mat with a scrollwork border on a pale stone-tiled porch beside potted flowers
advertorial

Mopped yesterday, dusty today

Most house dust starts outside and gets in by two routes, air and feet. What a door mat does about the second route, and what it cannot touch.

buying guideCream curtains with a rust and brown leaf print hanging to the floor on steel eyelets beside a beige sofa

Door curtains for Indian homes: what the 7 ft and 9 ft sizes cover

A standard Indian door takes a 7 ft curtain. 9 ft is for balcony and full-height doors. Sizes, panel counts and fabrics for every doorway in the house.

buying guideRound chindi rag rug, pink and red fabric strips flecked with green and orange, braided in rings

Rugs for the living room: what size actually works in an Indian home

Why the 8 by 10 foot rug rule fails here, how to size a round rug from the table it sits under, and what separates a chindi rug from a cotton one.

curtainsSage floral print curtains hung on a plain steel rod at a living-room window, sofa and side lamp beside it

How to hang curtains: rod height, bracket width and the order of work

Rod height, bracket extension and the right order for eyelet and rod-pocket curtains, written for plastered brick walls, rented flats and Indian doorways.

apronsCoral and white striped cotton apron worn over a white eyelet blouse and cream trousers

Oil and haldi stains on clothes: what comes out and what stays

A fresh oil mark on cotton usually washes out. Turmeric riding in on it often doesn't. What stain removal can and can't do, and the simpler fix.

buying guideOrange juice and cranberry juice glasses on off-white cotton coasters on a pale whitewashed plank table

Tea coasters and coaster sets: materials, sizes and what they actually protect

What a tea coaster protects, what it misses, and how cotton, jute, cork, wood and silicone compare on an Indian laminate or glass dining table.

guidesHandwoven beige grass table mats with cutlery, wine glasses and a bowl of pomegranates on a wooden table

Table mats for the dining table: sizes, materials and how many to buy

How to size table mats to your dining table, how many you need for a 4, 6 or 8 seater, and what cotton, natural grass and rattan each handle.

comparisonTaupe cotton canvas curtain panel hanging from a dark rod on silver eyelets beside a sunlit window

Types of fabric for the home: which fibre suits which room

Natural, synthetic and regenerated fabric types explained by room, with standard moisture regain figures and honest picks for curtains, cushions and bath.

buying guideOff-white square cotton floor cushion with a teal handle on a grey floor, open magazine on it, red mug on books

Floor cushions for Indian living rooms: sizes, shapes and how to use them

What size floor cushion suits an adult, round or square, where they go in a baithak, and why these are wipe-clean rather than machine wash.

bathmatsDark grey and white patterned bath mat on white tile outside a glass shower cubicle

Anti-slip bath mats: what actually stops a mat sliding on wet tiles

A backed bath mat grips only while its underside can touch clean, dry tile. The backing types, the four ways grip fails, and what to check before buying.

bathLight grey polyester shower curtain hanging on a rail above a white tub in a dark grey tiled bathroom

Why shower curtain mould starts at the hem

Mould does not eat your shower curtain. It eats the soap film on it, and it starts where the hem stays wet. The mechanism, and the honest fix.

buying guideFour charcoal grey cotton chair pads stacked, showing the tufted top and the long fabric ties

Dining chair pads: sizes, ties and fabrics for Indian dining sets

What size chair cushion fits an Indian dining chair, where the ties should sit, and why a 6 cm pad can quietly eat the legroom under your table.

buying-guideBlue hand block print cotton table cover laid on a wooden dining table

Table cover for dining table: sizes, fabrics and when you need one

Which size table cover fits your 4, 6 or 8-seater dining table, plus an honest plastic vs cotton cloth comparison for Indian homes.

bathGrey and teal patterned polyester bath mat laid on a pale wood floor

Bath mat sizes for Indian bathrooms, and how many you actually need

Encasa's real bath mat sizes, mapped to Indian bathroom spots, outside the shower, at the basin, by the door, so you know what to buy and how many.

care guideEmbossed maroon velvet table runner styled on a wedding-season dining table

Wedding-season table and kitchen linen that survives haldi

Why haldi stains are so stubborn, what actually gets them out, and how to pick table and kitchen linen that hides and survives them this wedding season.

comparisonCotton ticking navy blue apron with adjustable neck and waist ties

Cotton vs linen aprons: which fabric holds up in an Indian kitchen

Cotton and linen aprons handle oil, turmeric and the wash cycle differently. A fibre-by-fibre, wash-by-wash comparison for Indian kitchens.

fabricBeige ribbed cotton placemats laid on a wooden dining table with cutlery

Recycled cotton fabric: how it feels, what it saves, and why there is polyester in it

Recycled cotton feels like cotton because it is cotton. What the water figures really say, and why the fibre gets blended with polyester.

buying guideBlack quilted cotton oven glove and matching pot holder laid on a wood table

Oven gloves: a buying guide for Indian kitchens

How to choose oven gloves for an Indian kitchen: material, coverage and grip, how they differ from a potholder, and what actually stops the heat.

care how-toHeavy cotton grey kitchen apron laid flat, showing the tight weave and front pocket

The apron for cooking Indian food that survives oil splatter and haldi

What hot oil and turmeric actually do to apron fabric, and the first ten minutes that decide whether a splash washes out or sets for good.

buying guidePrinted cotton terrazzo mint kitchen apron with adjustable neck and waist ties

Kitchen aprons for women: fit, coverage and styles that actually work

A practical guide to picking a kitchen apron as a woman buyer, from getting the fit right with adjustable ties to coverage, prints and gifting.

cushionsGrey, charcoal and black cushion covers layered at different heights on a white two-seater sofa

How many cushions for a 3-seater and an L-shaped sofa

How many cushion covers a 3-seater or L-shaped sofa needs, with real backrest widths, size mixes in inches, and where the corner cushion goes.

guidesEmbossed velvet maroon table runner laid along a wooden dining table

Diwali table setting: getting the layering order right when diyas are involved

A Diwali table setting guide: the order the layers go down in, how close a diya can safely sit, and festive linen that still reads well under warm light.

checklistCoir welcome mat with a printed leaf design on wood flooring at a glass front door

The griha pravesh home textile checklist, room by room

A griha pravesh home textile checklist ordered by what the ritual and arriving guests actually touch first: entry, living room, table, kitchen and bath.

curtainsBlackout polyester curtain panel with a beige twig print hanging across a window

What curtain GSM actually tells you about light and drape

Curtain GSM ranges for sheer, regular and blackout panels, how weight changes light and drape, and which one suits each room.