The real estate industry is at its peak with a lot of condos on the rise that opt the citizens to choose condo living especially in the urban areas. After acquiring a new condo unit, condo owners are now planning to decorate their new spaces. Getting ready to decorate the unit but running low on the budget, here are some tips that are not only limited to living room designs for your condo but also for the whole unit.
1. Maximize Walls
When getting your unit for the first time, you usually have to work with what you have. For example, you may not be allowed to repaint walls nor hanging things with nails. You can use plastic hooks with double-sided tapes to hang well decors like pictures, mirrors, and other things. A cheap wall decor idea is to do a photo collage. Simply buy a blank canvas that is around 100 - 700 PHP, depending on the size that you are going to get. Hang your photos on the dining and kitchen area. Mirrors could also be used as wall decors to give the illusion that a small room is bigger.
2. Let the Light In
Save money by simply opening the windows instead of buying lamps. Make the room seem brighter without repainting the unit. Create brighter rooms by painting furniture with colors that can radiate the light from the outside. It also costs a lot less in terms of money and effort to get mirrors. Wall mirrors range from 80 - 400 PHP, depending on their size. These design ideas are perfect for small spaces because it can create the illusion that the room is bigger.
3. Mount Them on the Wall
With the recent earthquakes in Asia, condominiums in the Philippines are now earthquake-resistant structures. With this, tenants are now finding ways to make their unit earthquake-proof as well without drilling holes in their units. Floating shelves or baskets are good ideas for earthquake-proofing the unit as well as maximizing the space. These items are very affordable, ranging from 650 - 800 PHP.
4. Cover it Up
Decorate floors with patterned rugs. Choose a pattern that goes well with the room that can emphasize the decorations on your walls as well as your furniture. This is especially ideal if the unit already has a carpet but is not up to your style. Get a patterned rug that will compliment the provided carpet. There is no use getting annoyed with what you have especially in acquiring a new unit. Some policies will not allow you to do much renovating so get to improving your unit by decorating it with cheap rugs that starts at 400 PHP.
5. Have to Make it on Your Own
If you are running out of ideas for the designs of your apartment, you can always turn to the things that you have on-hand. Old tattered dresses can be patched up together to make small patterned curtains that can be hooked up beside the kitchen or bathroom sinks to keep the area from being dull. You can also repurpose furniture like old garden stools to become coffee tables or side tables. These pieces of furniture are perfect for your summer condo look that are easier to maneuver in living spaces since they are smaller and lighter than an actual coffee table.
6. Curtain Call
Adding curtains not just for windows are great for furnishing barren walls. It is also a good way of covering up electrical fixtures or unattractive plumbing. It is a good way of decorating walls if you are not allowed to apply wallpaper in your unit or repaint the walls. Get patterned drapes to compliment solid-colored or plain curtains. Curtains can also give any house a sophisticated look. This is a cheap way of decorating with 400 - 1,600 PHP. Just make sure that before you hang your curtains, their color is not against the condo policy.
7. Dual Purpose
For condo units with small spaces, optimizing the space is the key. Don’t over-decorate and get furniture that have dual purposes like a daybed that costs around 4,000 - 9,000 PHP, which can shift from a couch to a bed in one go. The daybed must be pushed up to the wall to make a back end for the couch and replace pillows for sleeping with throw pillows. Keep a basket under it for the linens.
8. Nooks and Cranny
Done with all the furnishings but there is that small space left that you think can be still filled out by something, or you simply want to use that remaining space just for the sake of using it. Push thin bookcases up to the walls that are around 800 - 1,600 PHP to get that side behind your door or any small vertical space that you want to use to add color and personality to your living space. More storing place is a bonus.
You do not need to be fancy with redecorating residences. It is also a good tip to plan ahead and get a picture of what you want your unit to look like. These tips will help you to stay in the budget of around 20,000 PHP. Always canvas for cheaper materials but do not sacrifice the quality. If you have some spare from your budget, that is the only time you can choose a more expensive item or you can save the change for future redecoration.
