Wishing for a new home?

Changes: The owners needing a make-over.

A simple makeover can make all the difference

MANY of us are proud of our homes for it is our sanctuary and haven. We stay home to relax and entertain our guests.

I was invited to speak on how I made improvements to my home at The Star Property Fair 2012 last December.

I presented a topic close to my heart — home decoration on a budget.

After my session, I met the Lee family, who like many others, had lived in the same house for over 15 years and yearned to move to a new house.

One of the reasons that families are not moving is the shortage in residential units.

According to the National Property Information Centre, there are 6.5 million families but only 4.5 million available residences.

Furthermore, constant demand for housing pushes prices out of reach of many people. Stringent criteria for bank loans, unfamiliar environment and suitability are other reasons they stay put.

Improved: After the make-over.

On the other hand, many of us love our present homes owing to sentiments, familiarity with the neighbourhood, convenience and security.

Buying a property is one of the biggest investments we make in our lifetime, so we have to be very careful.

If you cannot afford to buy a new place or find one that meets your needs, make do with what you have. Refurnish.

Update the look and feel

Your home is an expression of who you are.

Even the trendiest deco of the 1990s needs an update.

Making meaningful changes to your existing home will surely freshen your feel and mood.

The most cost-effective and efficient way is to remove clutter by throwing or giving away unnecessary items.

Seems like an easy task, but understandably, almost every item on display has a sentimental value.

If you do that, you free up valuable space.

Besides, you can make a quick buck by selling your items to second hand stores, hold a yard sale or sell online.

It is easy to make a habit of hoarding — I am trying to stop it myself — so make it a point to give. And if you are giving your belongings to charity, they must be in good condition.

A fresh coat of paint instantly brightens the home.

Colour and lighting enhance the ambience.

As different colours have different effects on rooms, bear in mind that pastel colours give the illusion of spaciousness while striking colours bring out the character of a themed room.

Consider first the feel you desire; Balinese, modern, artistic — be creative.

Involve family members to paint the interior as a family project instead of outsourcing the job. Besides saving RM2,000 to RM5,000, you will feel more secure without strangers in your house.

What to invest in

Set aside a realistic budget for decorating and try to stick to it by prioritising areas that most need the makeover.

Generally, the living room is the top priority as it is the most visible area.

You will find it refreshing in the change of theme in the new colour of the walls, lighting, new sofa set and curtains.

Items that you choose should reflect your personality. Inexpensive items such as rugs, colourful pillows and flowers lend a soothing touch.

You could also retain your furniture and just change the layout.

This will save you a few thousand ringgit. For example, existing sofas can be transferred from the living room to the family room or bedrooms.

The Lee family insisted on prioritising the dining area and they have valid a point.

Malaysians typically bond over a meal or a drink, so getting a new dining set is worth it.

Investing in quality sofa and dining sets will go a long way to keep your family happy living in the same house.

Cost-savinmg easures

Research is the key to cost savings. Before I start to buy, I find out the prices at various stores.

I make high quality products at affordable prices a priority.

After an extensive research, I usually choose to buy most items in a single store as economies of scale will earn me higher discounts and savings on other costs such as transportation, alterations and improvements.

I pointed the Lee family to international furniture outlets such as Ikea and Harvey Norman, which are known for their universally-acceptable themes, and competitively priced local brand Macy.

I had visited Macy’s main showroom in Seri Kembangan and liked its wide array of themes.

Plus, I liked the idea of supporting a home-grown brand.

I shared with the Lee family my buys (new items), a new leather sofa set, a L-shaped sofa, a 5ft tempered-glass dining table with eight leather chairs, a tempered glass and wood shelf, rugs, floral and lace curtains and blinds for the whole house, sofa pillows and artificial flowers.

Including repainting of the whole house, the cost of the make-over came to about RM25,000. I would say I saved over RM10,000 from buying everything from a single manufacturer due to the economies of scale.

This approach enabled me to save time, manpower and transportation costs in addition to the extra discounts on goods.

You can imagine how much more it would have cost the family to move to an altogether brand new place.

Having said that, this is a short-term solution as you work towards a new property.

I wish you success in your home renewal effort! - The Star