You can definitely say many things were discovered during this extended home quarantine. Some people unlocked a love for cooking and baking, while others built their own home-based online businesses. My discovery was a little different. I found the perfect place where I can connect with likeminded and uplifting people—Home Buddies: a Facebook community of home enthusiasts sharing their beautiful spaces, inspirations, tips, and anything and everything home-related. It’s a great community that offers a helping hand to those who need advice and a resource for real reviews of general household items. Did I mention the community also likes to share their “budol” finds and alerts on the latest sales? What’s not to love! Whether you’re on #TeamKahoy or #TeamPuti, keep reading to find out 6 helpful lessons I picked up from the Home Buddies community. Good luck with your personal home improvement projects, mga kapitbahay!
Whether you’re renting your place or you’re a proud home owner, you deserve to live in a space that reflects your personal style and reminds you of the things you’re grateful for. That can mean a lot of different things to different people—framed family photos on the wall, a growing collection of potted plants, or a display of mementos saved from traveling all over the world. Display pieces you love and make room for your interests. You’ll find it much easier to be inspired by your surroundings and to relax at the end of a long work day.
If you can afford the big house, then that’s great, but if you’re just starting out and a smaller space is what’s in the cards, then there’s no need to fret. There are ways to make smaller spaces appear bigger than they actually are. High ceilings and open area layouts are a good start. You can also follow a minimalist design and keep your organized to make it look even larger. “Wag basta magpabudol,” shares one kapitbahay. It’s important to ensure every item in your space serves a purpose to maintain a clean and organized aesthetic, which will in turn make your space look and feel a lot larger.
Don’t underestimate the power of proper lighting. Whether you’re incorporating more natural light to the design of a room or shopping for a stylish bedside lamp, take it as an opportunity to breathe new life into your space. Lighting is more than just the design of the fixture, stand, or shade, it’s also about the warmth and color of the light you choose. One kapitbahay shares how she was able to create an accent piece by placing a spotlight on a branch she picked up in her garden. The result? A unique shadow cast on her white wall that doubled as an interesting design element to her space.
Just like your taste in fashion or in music, it’s completely normal for your preferences to change over time. How you look like will definitely change. Your interests may change. Even some of your closest friends change. So it’s only natural that you want the space you spend the most time in to reflect your current interests and style. This is something to consider when choosing pieces to decorate your space. Is it something timeless or something trendy that speaks only of where you are this point in your life?
Research, creativity, and a little patience that is. Don’t be discouraged by the designer items and hefty price tags you see attached to your home pegs and inspirations. Nobody says you need to replicate; instead, recreate. Once you have a clear vision for your space, research and plan accordingly. Browse Lazada, Shopee, and other online shops that sell locally-made, affordable, and good quality items. You can also check pre-loved communities and and scan the selection diligently. Remember that it’s only normal to slowly complete furnishing your space. Prioritize, save, shop, and repeat.
For the couples who are currently building their first, second, or fifth home together, know that it will be a journey filled with disagreements and challenges. If your partner is contributing more financially, maybe lighten up his or her load by footing the bill for date night or offering to take care of a few of their errands. If you are the one contributing more, make sure to always value your partner’s opinions when disagreements arise. It will be both your homes after all, so all decisions, big and small, should be ones you make together. You can expect some mistakes will be made along the way, especially the first time around, and just see them as opportunity to learn and know better the next time.
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