Just imagine coming back home after a long day outside. In this in-between season, the humidity feels clingy, and the scorching sun leaves you drained. Your home should feel like a respite, a breath of fresh air. But that comfort vanishes when the space feels stuffy. Stuffiness does not always mean a lack of space or limited square footage.
ALSO READ: Want prettier windows? 5 ideas to make your home feel brighter and bigger
It can also come from visual clutter, like heavy decor choices and design elements that make a room feel less open. When your interiors feel crowded, your home can start to feel closed-in and overwhelming, almost like you are trapped in your own space.
In a conversation with HT Lifestyle, Tushar Verma, executive vice president at REHAU India and Subcon, shared his insights on how to make summer homes feel less stuffy. He said, “It is less about decoration and more about clarity. Edit whatever is unnecessary. Choose tones that calm rather than crowd. Invest in materials that withstand heat and humidity without complaint. Integrate storage that simplifies living. A well-considered summer home feels open, composed and a lot more dependable.”
Here’s his set of recommendations on how to make your room less stuffy:
1. Light tones
- Warm whites, pale greys, mineral greens and sand-inspired shades reflect light rather than absorbing it. This gives the illusion of a bigger space.
- Matte laminates reduce glare during harsh afternoons, while subtle satin finishes can lift darker corners.
- Roller shutter cabinets are useful as they slide away neatly, covering up the clutter as well as creating a clean vertical plane without the visual interruption of swinging doors.
- In compact homes, they make movement easier while maintaining a refined finish.
- A compact apartment kitchen where upper cabinets dominate the sightline, replacing traditional hinged shutters with a vertically gliding roller system instantly clears visual bulk.
4. Don’t overdo layering
- Go for selective layering.
- Summer interiors should feel light, open and easy on the eyes.
- Natural fibres such as cotton, alongside linen, add seasonal relevance without excess ornamentation.
- Use them for cushion covers, throws, table runners or light curtains.
- Avoid piling up heavy rugs, thick upholstery, bulky cushions or too many accent pieces.
- Choose one or two soft textures and stick to them.
In the end, Tushar shared an example, “Take a south-facing kitchen as an example. When cabinetry is finished in a softly shaded matte laminate, the space reflects daylight gently through the afternoon without creating glare. The surface remains calm to the eye, even after repeated cleaning during peak summer cooking.”
This means choose materials which are functional in nature. Every day life does not work on aesthetics. So, in a sun-facing kitchen, glossy or dark surfaces, which may look good on your Pinterest feed, can make the space feel harsher, hotter and more visually tiring in reality.
When you choose wisely, your space also breathes easily!
