They say a house is not a home—and indeed, a bunch of bricks and mortar without fond memories, a cozy atmosphere, and your favorite people doesn't a home make. If a space, no matter how well-constructed, feels devoid of warmth, you can't consider it your home just yet.
Want to make your new house a home, or just spruce up your sanctuary? With a little budget and research, you can make your dream place a reality. Give your rooms a makeover and check out these simple, low-cost Filipino house interior design ideas.
5 Simple, Low-Cost Filipino House Interior Design Ideas to Try
Worried about house renovation costs? You don't have to empty your wallet to revamp your house, thanks to low-priced, simple house design ideas.
But before you get your hammer out, do your research. You don't want to choose the wrong furniture size or paint shade, or hit critical wires by accident—these mistakes could bloat your budget.
If you plan to DIY everything, keep both your strengths and limits in mind. You might end up wasting time and money on a botched DIY job. Remember that while hiring professionals to do the job is more expensive up-front, fixing costly mistakes can set you back even more.
Without further ado, check out the low-cost simple interior design ideas below.
1. Add Indoor Plants
Adding a splash of greenery is a surefire way to make your house appear more vibrant. Use this simple, low-cost interior design trick to liven up any drab room or corner if you're pressed for time or money.
Here are easy ways to do just that:
- Of course, plants do best outdoors, but they can thrive indoors too. Just make sure to use a potting mix that can hold moisture well. Then drill drainage holes in the bottom of the pot, so the plant doesn't swim in too much water. Lastly, position it near a window so it can soak up the sun.
- To reduce your chances of accidentally killing them off, look for low-maintenance house plants, such as a ZZ plant or welcome plant, snake plant, peperomia, philodendron, pothos, dracaena, peace lily, and monstera.[1]
- If you're still worried about your lack of a green thumb, you can go for fake plants instead. Just dust them off from time to time and place them in cute planters.
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2. Switch Up Your Lighting
An old, sputtering light bulb can make any house look like it's straight out of a horror movie set. Proper lighting is more important than you'd think—a room with insufficient lighting can negatively impact your mood, energy, and productivity.
Consider these ideas for using lighting to turn your home from blah to wow:
- To brighten things up, rethink your lighting options. Add warmth to your living area with a chandelier or a multi-armed ceiling light. Both evenly spread light without harshness, creating a cozy atmosphere.
- For smaller living area spaces, consider wall lighting. You can also use them to illuminate an art piece, a mirror, or an ornate shelving display.
- If you can, incorporate dimming technology. With this simple, low-price house design idea, you can customize your lighting for any situation and reduce electricity consumption at the same time.
3. Add Texture
In interior design, texture refers to the varying materials and finishes of each item. Without texture, your house can feel a little bland and flat.
Adding and mixing texture can transform your house and lend depth and dimension to any room. Here's how:
- Add a bit of contrast by layering different textures. Place a fluffy sofa throw on top of a rattan chair. Or hang a patterned wall design behind a plain couch.
- Switch things up with decor and knickknacks. Place glazed ceramic table lamps next to matte-painted ornaments. Or throw in linen pillows with silk cushions. Playing with texture doesn’t always have to involve big pieces of furniture—you can create subtle differences, too.
4. Transform Old Furniture
If you don't have the budget to buy new pieces from online furniture shops, restore old ones to their former glory instead—unless, of course, they're damaged beyond repair. Depending on your plans, keep in mind that restoring furniture can take a bit of time.
Here are some furniture restoration ideas you can try:
- For a simple, low-priced house design idea, just replace your sofa's slipcover or upholster and add new cushions to match. Then get new table runners to replace your raggedy ones.
- Upgrade old furniture with a new finish or paint job. Clean it thoroughly, strip and sand the wood, apply your new stain or paint, then seal everything in with varnish.
5. Hide the Household Eyesores
Sometimes, the most functional items in your house are the biggest eyesores. After all, the best houses are those that feel lived-in, and cables, routers, and other clutter just come with the territory.
But there's a fine line between lived-in and messy. If you find yourself tripping over wires and dirty shoes, it's time to camouflage these eyesores.
These simple, low-cost Filipino house interior design hacks take little to no effort, so don't worry!
- Start by keeping appliance cords out of the way with a cord bundler. Next, remove remote controls strewn all over your coffee table and place them in a caddy. Then hide unsightly TV cables by stacking books in the space between your TV and the console.
- Sick of seeing charging cords trailing everywhere inside the house? Create a DIY charging drawer. Drill a hole in the back of a spare drawer, attach a power strip inside the drawer, thread the cord through the hole, and plug it in.[2]
- Storage is always a concern, even if you live in a big enough house. For low-cost design and storage ideas for a 2-storey house in the Philippines, try multifunctional storage boxes, which can double as chairs or tables.
Related reading:
- Need Kitchen Makeover Ideas? 10 Smart Tips for Homeowners on a Budget
- Build Your Dream Home with These Home Remodeling Steps
Final Thoughts
At the end of a long, tiring day, you deserve a haven you can truly call yours. With a bit of research on simple, low-cost simple Filipino house interior design tips, you can make your house worth coming home to.
For more inspiration on low-cost house designs in the Philippines, check out home improvement shows on Netflix.
Sources:
- [1] 30 Indoor Plants for Low Light (HGTV)
- [2] I’ve Finally Found the Smartest Way to Use a Junk Drawer (Apartment Therapy)