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Heat wave warning; temperature to rise above 40 degrees; 5 natural ways to help reduce the effects in your home

Simple, practical ways to cool your home naturally using plants, airflow tricks, smart materials, and everyday swaps that actually work.

Published on: Apr 15, 2026, 11:23:15 IST

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A breezy summer home setup with vetiver curtains, indoor plants, and light cotton fabrics creates a calm, naturally cool living space.

By Neha Ravi Khandelwal

Neha Khandelwal
Content Lead, HT Travel | Travel & Lifestyle Journalist
With over 10 years of content writing experience, Neha Khandelwal is a lifestyle journalist and the Content Lead at HT Travel. She specialises in destinations, hotels, aviation, luggage, travel gear, and practical guides that help readers plan smarter and travel better. Her work combines first-hand experience, expert insights, and extensive research to create stories that are informative, useful, and easy to follow.

Career Journey & Experience
Neha began her writing career as a freelance journalist in 2010 before entering mainstream media with The Times of India in 2022. She later joined Hindustan Times, where she has written extensively across travel, lifestyle, home, and consumer trends. Her professional background extends beyond journalism. Before moving into digital media full-time, she spent nearly a decade in interior design, managing residential projects from concept to execution. She also trained in visual merchandising with Shoppers Stop and Pantaloons and worked with women-led startups across design and operations. These experiences continue to shape her storytelling, especially in how she evaluates hotels, design-led stays, hospitality spaces, and travel experiences.

A naturally curious learner, Neha has completed beginner certifications in pottery, scuba diving, baking, creative writing, and other creative pursuits. She has read more than 2,000 books, trained in Bharatanatyam for 8 years, and ghostwritten a book on Ladakh tourism.

Subject Expertise
Travel is at the heart of Neha's work. She covers destinations, hotels, airlines, luggage, packing strategies, travel accessories, and emerging travel trends through a mix of reporting, product testing, and conversations with industry experts. A frequent traveller herself, she approaches every trip with a journalist's curiosity and a planner's mindset, focusing on experiences that readers can realistically recreate. From choosing the right cabin bag to decoding hotel openings and destination trends, her writing prioritises practical advice over promotional claims. Her background in interior design also gives her a distinct perspective on architecture, hospitality design, boutique hotels, luxury stays, and thoughtfully designed spaces.

Education & Professional Background
Neha holds a Master's degree in Interior Design. Her early experience in interior design, visual merchandising, and design operations gives her a unique understanding of aesthetics, functionality, and user experience, adding depth to her coverage of hotels, resorts, and travel spaces.

Editorial Philosophy
"As an avid, research-driven traveller, my goal is simple. To answer the questions you actually have before booking a trip. I cut through the promotional noise with honest reporting and expert insights. Making travel planning seamless, smart, and reliable so you always know where to go next."

Plants can be your green shield

Block heat before it enters. Plants do more than sit pretty.

What to try:

Place tall plants near windows that get harsh sunlight
Use climbers like jasmine on balconies or grills
Add outdoor greens on the west-facing side

Why it works:
Plants release moisture into the air, which cools the surroundings naturally.

Plant	Why it helps
Areca Palm	Adds moisture and cools indoor air
Snake Plant	Low maintenance and great for bedrooms
Money Plant	Works well for balconies and window edges

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Master the science of when to open and close your windows and curtains

Timing is everything when it comes to windows and curtains.

Daytime rules:

Keep windows shut
Draw curtains or blinds
Choose light-coloured fabrics

Evening rules:

Open windows once it cools outside
Create airflow across rooms

Smart Add-ons that you did not know you needed this summer!

Product	Why it helps
Vetiver curtains	Naturally cool incoming air with earthy fragrance
Bamboo blinds	Block heat but still allow airflow
Blackout curtains	Keep rooms noticeably cooler during peak sun

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Airflow and how to make it work for you

Stop pushing hot air around. Move it out.

Do this:

Open lower windows for cool air
Open higher windows to release hot air
Place a fan facing outward near a window

Quick cooling hack:

A bowl of ice or a damp cloth in front of a fan

Useful picks that might change the way you cool your spaces

Product	Why it helps
Pedestal fan	Easy to position for airflow direction
Window exhaust fan	Pulls hot air out fast
Air circulator fan	Moves air more efficiently than basic fans

Cut down hidden heat

Your home has silent heat sources. Time to fix that.

Easy swaps:

Replace old bulbs with LEDs
Avoid oven use during the day
Unplug idle electronics

Cooler Choices and why you need them for your home this summer

Product	Why it helps
LED bulbs	Stay cool and save energy
Induction cooktop	Produces less ambient heat
Smart plugs	Cut off unused power easily

Switch to summer textiles

Your fabrics can make or break your comfort.

Upgrade your home:

Use cotton or linen bedsheets
Remove thick rugs
Choose breathable cushion covers

Try this at night:

Lightly damp sheet or towel for instant cooling

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Best picks for cooling options for your bedrooms and home

Product	Why it helps
Linen bedsheets	Breathable and airy
Cotton percale sheets	Crisp and cool feel
Lightweight rugs	Do not trap heat

Cooling your home can be simple and surprisingly effective. A few plants here, smarter airflow there, and the right fabrics can change how your space feels. You do not need to overhaul everything. Start small. Add a vetiver curtain, switch your sheets, or rethink your window routine. The difference shows up quicker than you think.

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The author of this article holds a Master's Degree in Interior Design and has spent over a decade in research, teaching, and designing homes from scratch.

Disclaimer: At Hindustan Times, we help you stay up-to-date with the latest trends and products. Hindustan Times has an affiliate partnership, so we may get a part of the revenue when you make a purchase. We shall not be liable for any claim under applicable laws, including but not limited to the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, concerning the products. The products listed in this article are in no particular order of priority.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Neha Khandelwal
Neha Khandelwal Content Lead, HT Travel | Travel & Lifestyle Journalist With over 10 years of content writing experience, Neha Khandelwal is a lifestyle journalist and the Content Lead at HT Travel. She specialises in destinations, hotels, aviation, luggage, travel gear, and practical guides that help readers plan smarter and travel better. Her work combines first-hand experience, expert insights, and extensive research to create stories that are informative, useful, and easy to follow. Career Journey & Experience Neha began her writing career as a freelance journalist in 2010 before entering mainstream media with The Times of India in 2022. She later joined Hindustan Times, where she has written extensively across travel, lifestyle, home, and consumer trends. Her professional background extends beyond journalism. Before moving into digital media full-time, she spent nearly a decade in interior design, managing residential projects from concept to execution. She also trained in visual merchandising with Shoppers Stop and Pantaloons and worked with women-led startups across design and operations. These experiences continue to shape her storytelling, especially in how she evaluates hotels, design-led stays, hospitality spaces, and travel experiences. A naturally curious learner, Neha has completed beginner certifications in pottery, scuba diving, baking, creative writing, and other creative pursuits. She has read more than 2,000 books, trained in Bharatanatyam for 8 years, and ghostwritten a book on Ladakh tourism. Subject Expertise Travel is at the heart of Neha's work. She covers destinations, hotels, airlines, luggage, packing strategies, travel accessories, and emerging travel trends through a mix of reporting, product testing, and conversations with industry experts. A frequent traveller herself, she approaches every trip with a journalist's curiosity and a planner's mindset, focusing on experiences that readers can realistically recreate. From choosing the right cabin bag to decoding hotel openings and destination trends, her writing prioritises practical advice over promotional claims. Her background in interior design also gives her a distinct perspective on architecture, hospitality design, boutique hotels, luxury stays, and thoughtfully designed spaces. Education & Professional Background Neha holds a Master's degree in Interior Design. Her early experience in interior design, visual merchandising, and design operations gives her a unique understanding of aesthetics, functionality, and user experience, adding depth to her coverage of hotels, resorts, and travel spaces. Editorial Philosophy "As an avid, research-driven traveller, my goal is simple. To answer the questions you actually have before booking a trip. I cut through the promotional noise with honest reporting and expert insights. Making travel planning seamless, smart, and reliable so you always know where to go next."Read More

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