Amid the busy life and noise of the city, if you have a small balcony, make it your own little heaven. Without spending much, you can make it comfortable and attractive in desi style. Here are five simple tips.

• Bring in a green army in pots. Plants are the soul of a balcony: crotons, money plant, tulsi or the local basak plant, whatever you find, build a green kingdom. You can also paint old clay pots to use as planters.
• A mat and mora stools. No chairs is no problem. A jute mat and two bamboo moras are enough for an evening chat or a cup of tea.
• Make the evening colourful. Hang string lights or a desi kupi lamp to create a different mood. You can add handmade lanterns or chandeliers of coloured paper.
• Old things, new uses. Paint an old wooden newspaper rack or a broken stool and turn it into a plant stand. Desi style means seeing old things in a new way.
• Add some personality. Hang lines of your favourite poem on the wall, or your own paintings if you like to paint, so this little space is entirely yours.

A balcony is not just a place to dry clothes. With a little care, a little imagination and some desi style, it can become your favourite corner at the end of the day. A relaxing afternoon with tea in hand is not far away.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.