In many Indian homes, Diwali cleaning is a yearly ritual that starts weeks before the festival. Walls are repainted, kitchens are refreshed and every corner gets attention before the lamps are lit. This year, the ritual comes with a new consideration: the cost of materials.

Costs Rise, Priorities Shift

A sheet of plywood or a tin of paint now costs more than it did last Diwali. Prices of plywood, laminate and MDF have climbed by as much as 15% this year, and paint by up to 8%, industry reports show. Yet the festive urge to refresh the home has not faded. More than one in five urban households plan to renovate this season, according to a LocalCircles survey of over 67,000 people.

With budgets stretched, families are asking different questions. Beyond how a finish looks on day one, they want to know how long it will last and how much care it needs. Two parts of the home show this shift most clearly: the exterior walls and the kitchen.

Outside Walls: Built to Last, Designed to Stand Out

Now that the monsoon has passed, many homeowners are noticing exterior walls where the paint has begun to bubble or flake as moisture seeps behind it through rain, hairline cracks or condensation. A fresh coat fixes the surface for a season or two, but aluminium composite panel (ACP) facades offer a longer-lasting answer. Fixed slightly away from the wall, the panels act as a shield against rain, while the air gap behind them lets moisture and heat escape. Their coated surface also holds its colour for years.

Durability is only half the story. A home’s exterior is the first thing neighbours and guests see, and many families want it to say something about them. ACP lets homeowners redesign the front elevation without rebuilding it, with marble-look finishes for a premium feel or wood grains for warmth. Newer 3D-shaped, perforated panels add depth and cast patterns of light and shadow. This festive season, they may light up the neighbourhood as much as the diyas do.

Fins give balconies and duct areas a rich look while letting in air and filtered light, and louvers add rhythm and texture. The lightweight panels go up with a dry fixing system, and premium coatings carry warranties of up to 10 years.

The Kitchen: Easy Care, Lasting Looks

The kitchen deals with heat, steam and grease every day. Wood-based materials remain a familiar choice but need regular polishing and protection from dampness. Homeowners who prefer a lighter routine are now looking at aluminium composite panels, which resist corrosion, rot, warping and moisture, wipe clean easily and come in a wide range of colours and finishes. Aluminium honeycomb panels go further: they are lighter still, exceptionally strong for their weight and fire retardant.

Because ACP can be bent and shaped, it is also used for ceilings, partitions, counters and wardrobes, and architects & designers specify it for offices, showrooms and other commercial & residential spaces.

“Diwali is the one time of year when almost every family looks at their home as a whole, from the kitchen to the front wall,” said Divyam Shah, Whole Time Director and CFO, Euro Panel Products Limited. “Families want a home that lasts and reflects their personality. That is why, at Eurobond, we offer a wide design library and back our panels with long-term warranties. We test our panels in our NABL-accredited laboratory, and that accreditation is like the hallmark sign is for gold: an authorised body assuring consumers of the quality we promise.”

What to Check Before Choosing

A few questions can help at the buying stage. Has an accredited laboratory tested the product? Does the range offer the finishes you want, from marble and wood to metallic and 3D-shaped panels? Does the contractor have experience working with ACP? With these answers in hand, a Diwali refresh can become an upgrade that keeps paying off long after the decorations come down.