Tags: boho chic interior decorating family home decor home styling ikea interior design Meg Hernandez Meghann Hernandez Metro Mom modern home scandinavian interior spinkie
Looking for something creative to do to fill up your idle hours? Why not pull a Marie Kondo and brush up on your home styling skills?
If you’re staying in a rental property, finding economical and long-term space solutions for your temporary or “meantime” residence can be tricky. Rentals offer little room for alteration and modification, more so when you’re staying in a pre-furnished one. Whatever you add should not only complement and fit the current setup, but also easily transportable when you move to another address. Either that or they’re durable enough to attract future buyers.
It pays to draw up a concrete plan before you go on an online shopping frenzy. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by our “interior motives”, so to speak, with incessant inspo and ads popping on our screens and news feed. But, you can avoid unnecessary purchases by sticking to practical and sustainable options—prioritizing functionality, resources (aka budget) and durability.
Dining area styled by Marj Demerin
To get more tips and ideas on easy styling hacks, I spoke to Margilei “Marj” Demerin, a former hotelier and now a mom of 2. She happily shared how she stepped up her home interior game after years of staying in fully-furnished rentals and settling down for an overseas relocation.
“My family used to live in Cambodia. We stayed in four different fully-furnished apartments, on rental, within a span of 6 years. I know, we moved quite a lot as the kids grew. We didn’t really go all out with home styling until we relocated to Malaysia. It was a bold move to take an unfurnished condo unit. But, we thought it was the right thing to do, considering the money we’ll be able to save in the long run.”
Marj with her kids, Eli and Ema.
Design instinct
The passion for decorating just grew on Marj. “Fixing our home is a welcome intervention in between chores and mothering my 2 little kids, Ema and Eli. I’m no expert in this field—I just learned on my own. I guess my eye for detail got me so drawn to home styling. I plan to take an online course on interior design in the future, to expand my knowledge. Hopefully, someday, I can apply it beyond the corners of our home.”
“My interest in styling started when we were furnishing a bedroom shared by our kids in our 2-bedroom apartment in Cambodia. The process of setting up a sleeping space fitting for both a girl and boy—and one that would double as a play room—really challenged me. There wasn’t anything in the local market that fit my vision and aesthetics. This desperation unleashed my creativity. I got busy with furniture makeovers. I learned to make decorative dolls and mobiles using materials like metal wires, fabrics, yarns, and embroidery threads. I just fell in love with the creative process.”
Boho-Scandi
Marj and her family are happy with their new address in Malaysia. She considers the sleek 3-bedroom condo unit her styling playground, with more window to showcase their personality and a floor area awash with beautiful natural light.
“As much as it’s thrilling to go on furniture hunting, my husband and I found it more convenient to purchase from Ikea. We got all the essential stuff we immediately needed. We set a budget and prioritized buying furniture and electronics. As far as styling and decorating are concerned, I paced myself to complete one room at a time. That way, it didn’t hurt our finances. Anything that needs drilling is always purchased last, because I tend to move things around to see where they look best.”
Bright and airy.
Scrolling through Marj’s posts on Instagram is like flipping through the pages of Kinfolk or Architectural Digest. Every corner of her home looks so inviting and exudes a modern, fresh appeal.
“Looking at our current home and how everything came together, I would say I’m in mainly influenced by the fusion of modern coastal charm and Scandinavian style. I worked around wood and white as the dominant tones. I mixed them up with some pastel pink and blue, as evident in the kids’ rooms and our living area. For the master bedroom, I went for bolder hues. I just added hints of black and a pop of emerald green to inject some warmth and character.”
The master’s bedroom.
Marj also has a penchant for anything handmade. “I love all things rattan, and I spruced up our spaces with cane, wicker baskets and the like.”
Children’s room
When it comes to the junior members of her family, Marj believes that giving kids their personal space teaches them responsibility and a sense of ownership. Their new 3-bedroom residence allowed just that. The kids now have individual rooms fashioned according to their personality and interests.
“To fit our little school girl’s princess personality, I made her a reading nook with a study table and custom-made rattan swing chair. To give it a dreamy effect, I installed a beautiful sheer canopy. This was lovingly handmade in the Philippines and sold by one of my favorite children’s shops, Spinkie. Ema’s room is, by far, the most complete and done. I am now working on the finishing touches for Eli’s room.”
As for children’s furniture and decors, Marj always go for classic, ergonomic pieces. “I love timeless pieces that grow with the child, like extendable beds.”
Cozy reading nook.
Children’s rooms will eventually need a makeover when they develop and discover new interests. Marj clues us in inexpensive mom hacks.
“Decorating doesn’t have to cost you a fortune. Even a cheap washi tape can do wonders! I used it to outline a house on the kids’ wall and this simple hack changed the whole look instantly. Paper crafts are also my go-to options. Paper flowers, stars in varying sizes, or hand-cut buntings made of paper or fabric can make any room look festive.”
Budget considerations
When it comes to spending, Marj suggests that you only splurge on one area where you spend most of your time in. “All of us spend one third of our lifetime sleeping, so I personally think the bedroom shouldn’t be overlooked. There are others who would leave more allowance to fix up the kitchen and living room.”
“Strike a good balance between spending and saving. You can even save a lot of dime with DIY projects, whether by painting the wall yourself or giving an old furniture a makeover. Say, instead of buying cheap furniture that usually don’t last long, go for a second hand that is of great quality and give it a makeover to suit your personal style. Also, consider doing a clean-out sale instead of buying new storage to keep all your stuff. Having moved to several apartments in the past, I’ve learned to let go and monetize the items we can live without. Keep only what you need. You can’t imagine how much space in the house is wasted on items that aren’t really put to good use.”
Styling your rental
“You can still get creative, even if you’re renting a fully-furnished home. Start it off with less permanent accents like a wall art, ready-made prints or photo frames, or indoor plants. There are also high quality removable wallpaper or decals which can instantly breathe new life to your interiors and they won’t damage the wall. It’s worth every dime, because some can even be reused.”
“I you got an unfurnished unit, you can start filling it up with the furniture you need. Just start small and do it one room at a time. You can find inspiration on Pinterest or Instagram, and create a mood board to visualize your styling goals. You can achieve the look using inexpensive or affordable alternatives that aren’t too bulky or complicated for a future move. Make sure to take into account how much it is worth, when the need for a moving out sale arises.”
Hover over @tomarjemaeli on Instagram for more design ideas and inspiration (including photo editing tutorials). You can also check out Marj’s handmade crafts and décor on her other account, @the.mini.creations.
