Present day Filipino homes make use of concrete, stucco, and cinder block, which is in contrast to the traditional Filipino homes that used wood for majority of its construction. However, one thing that has not changed is their size, as many of the Filipino homes even today are small in size, which means you need to be very cautious while decorating them, as even the slightest over decoration might make it appear too messy. Here are some tips you must consider while decorating your Filipino home without making it appear cluttered or claustrophobic.
Kitchens and bathrooms
Kitchens and bathrooms are usually too small in Filipino homes, so you need to put in some efforts to make these two spaces appear bigger than they actually are. Following some clever tactics, you can easily do so. The first thing you need to focus on is the color of the walls.
Make sure the walls of your tiny kitchen and bathroom is painted in light colors such as off white, beige, or white. Darker the color, the smaller and claustrophobic a room appears to be.
There has to be a window in a bathroom and kitchen, especially if they are too small. If having a window is not possible then you can at least create an illusion by hanging a large mirror on the wall. Mirrors reflect light and make the space appear bigger.
Go for light colored drapes
Hanging dark colored drapes in a small room is a big mistake you can make. What happens is, when you have a glance of a room, the dark colored curtains restrict your view and a small room appears even smaller.
On the other hand, light colored curtains that match the wall colors present a view wherein your eyes pass seamlessly from walls to curtains, then again to walls, thus, making a room appear bigger than it actually is. This is why dark colored curtains look ultimate in grand rooms.
Spare the walls
If you are someone who likes to hang many things on the interior walls and you own a Filipino home, then there cannot be any bigger mismatch than this. Too much on the walls, such as photo frames, bookshelves, and other knickknacks makes small rooms appear too messy. Bare the walls and only display a few photo frames here or there, or a bookshelf or two sparsely displayed, nothing else.
One more thing you must remember is the level of photo frames you hang in your small home. You should always hang them at your eye level because the higher you hang them; the closer they get to the ceiling. The closer they are to the ceiling, the more cramped up feel they give to your home.
Watch that piece of furniture!
Furniture is yet another thing to consider while decorating your small home. You cannot have huge and tall pieces of furniture in your Filipino home unless you want to give it a cramped up feel. Buy smaller pieces and try to mix and match different styles. Different styled furniture pieces that belong to different times look ideal in small sized homes. Try placing a modern couch amongst Victorian style chairs, looks fantastic.
Stripes work best
Horizontal stripe is a pattern that adds length to a room, which works best to make a small room look bigger and wider. You can use a horizontal stripe pattern on curtains, carpet, wallpapers, and flooring. Go for broad stripes, as broader the stripes the better is the effect.
Using some easy yet clever tips, you can give your small sized home an illusion of a bigger space.
