FROM repurposing old knick-knacks to handcrafting personalized home décor, an interior design expert shares her budget-friendly tips and tricks on how to restyle rooms and studio apartments.
“Nowadays, because of the pandemic, 90% of our time is spent at home. It made us assess what is missing or what needs to be done,” interior designer Katherine Anne Correa, the Chairperson of the Interior Design Program of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde School of Design and Arts, explained.
According to Ms. Correa, first on the to-do list is to declutter. Identify which items can be disposed of or can be upcycled and reused. “When you rearrange and fix your space, it feels rejuvenating,” she said. “Somehow we feel like we enhanced some parts of our lives. This is actually therapeutic.”
1 of 4
FROM creating an illusion of a bigger room to incorporating built-in furniture designs, industry experts revealed some points to consider, as well as tips and tricks to make the most out of limited areas, most specially in studio-type condominiums and one-room units.
Interior designer Katherine Anne Correa, MArch, Interior Design Program Chairperson and architect Harvey Vasquez, MArch, UAP (United Architects of the Philippines), Architecture Program Chairperson, both from the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde from the School of Design and Arts, noted the importance to identify the purpose of a given space.
“We Filipinos are very ingenious when it comes to maximizing small spaces. It is part of our culture,” Ms. Correa stated. “Ask yourself: What do you intend to do in that small space during daytime and night time? Can we compartmentalize those specific functions within the available space or make it flexible that we can convert any time?”