Water Features for your Home

By: Sanya Kaushik

Since the time of the Ancient Greeks, Water has been a vital part of our evolution as a species. Every single aspect of our existence- mental, physical, emotional, spiritual- has an elemental connotation. Water is generally associated with emotion and intuition. It is also the propagator of tranquility and peace. 

Since time immemorial, people have been using water to beautify their houses. Whether it was an extravagant fountain placed at the entrance of a mansion, or a simple bird bath on the front lawn, water has always been an integral component of home décor. 

Flowing water is considered to be a spiritual cleanser of sorts. Therefore, using water to emboss your home is an excellent way to create an ambience of subtle beauty and quite elegance within your home. 

For quite some time, the use of water features was limited to independent houses and bungalows that had private lawns or terraces. Today however, a number of apartment dwellers have started embellishing their homes with fountains and other water-oriented décor adornments too.

Here are a few economically feasible and simple ideas on how to introduce a water feature into your home:

TIP 1: Fountains placed at the front door

Place tall (3-4 ft) fountains right outside the front door. These will create a vibrant and lively ambience for anyone walking towards or past your home. 

These fountains can be found at any furniture store and are incredibly easy to maintain. To create a rustic and natural look, you should place some potted green plants around the fountains. 

TIP 2: Tabletop fountains- simple but elegant

Tabletop fountains are pretty and small, therefore easy to repair or replace. Place these in whichever area of the house you think needs a touch of animation. If you have kids or pets, it is advisable to place this particular water feature at a height- on top of a counter or a high table.

TIP 3: Wall-mounted water features

The most appealing aspect of this particular water feature is that it does not consume any floor space. Since the gravitational force acting upon these will increase proportional to the height at which they are placed, make sure you don’t place these fountains at too great a height. 

Wall fountains are visually very striking, therefore they shouldn’t be too bright or too dull. Since they will be the first thing that people will see, devote a little more effort and time than you usually would in choosing a wall-mounted water feature.

TIP 4: Light-effect water cascades make the house more welcoming and warm

Light-effect fountains, contrary to popular belief, are perfectly safe as well as cheap. If you’re hesitant to use electrical lights, you could always use small battery-operated lamps or diyas. Working in tandem with flowing water, these fountains create an enigmatic and warm glow that few other ornaments can achieve. 

TIP 5: Water walls are idyllic for a modern home

If an ultra-chic, A-line look is what you’re looking for, you should definitely go for a water wall. The simplistic beauty of these walls makes for an understated yet perceptible sophistication and grace. These walls, rather than drawing attention away from the charm of the room, enhance it. They do not occupy too much space and are quite reasonably priced. 

Your home will feel much more peaceful and relaxing once these simple and inexpensive water features become a part of your home décor. 

Our physical and mental well-being is ruled, in some way, shape or form, by the five elemental forces. While it cannot be declared conclusively which of these elements is categorically more important for our survival, it can, however, be stated that water is the most calming and tranquil element of them all.