I’ve always been an avid fan of interior design and architecture. It could be because I have uncles who are engineers and architects, and we really make a living out of designing stuff like houses and buildings. Or maybe, it’s just really me. In fact, on tumblr, I follow a few blogs that showcase different pictures of room layouts and the like, as contributed by people from around the world of course.
It fascinates me, all these different themes and designs and ideas. So last June 23, when fellow blogger Fran Haw-Ang invited us to the launching of Real Living magazine’s Real Home Ideas5: Small Space Solutions, I was beyond thrilled. You see, our home is like a mini-dump (to some extent). It’s not messy-messy, but it could be cleaner if you know what I mean. My family, we’re a bunch of pack rats, we find it really difficult to throw away things, which leads to clutter of old things around the house that don’t really get used but take up loads of space. Also, my “moving” to Beijing for my studies means that I’ll live in a dorm or an apartment which is smaller than what I’m used to, so knowing how to layout and organize my belongings will be a big plus.
Back to the event.
The launching of the event included displays of 3 different room situations, making use of small spaces for productive layout-ing. The idea of the book launch was how to make the most out of small spaces, especially for people who live in apartments and condominiums and don’t have much space to work with. With over 200 pictures and over 100 decor ideas, the magazine gave tips to readers about how to arrange their living spaces. As the press release states:
“The book is divided into three parts. The first chapter deals with different kinds of small homes and allows the reader to identify which type is most identical to the one he or she owns. The second chapter is all about small space tricks, which gives storage and furniture layout ideas. The third and last chapter gives tips on how a homeowner can go about renovating a small space and what to remember before retouching a small space home.”
Real Home Ideas 5 (picture c/o Real Living/Summit Media)
With various themes and ideas in the book, readers can be inspired to re-design their own living spaces, whether or not they live in small or big spaces. During the event, the various interior designers who presented their ideas for various living spaces also answered some questions regarding personal living space issues.
At the event, 3 different designers presented their own small design concepts. The first was a living room concept with an Asian feel. A combination of various Asian pieces. The next was a dining room concept with simple colors that give the space a somewhat distinguished feel. It’s amazing how the simple pieces make the space look so classic. Lastly, the last space which was for the bedroom, allowed attendees to see how a bed can be made from just about anything. In order to allow room for more creativity, the designer didn’t use a frame but used a mirror instead, which is creative since mirrors allow for rooms to look much larger than they actually are. Also, large pillows made the bed look some like posh bachelorette’s pad. [See pictures below]
Living Room
Dining Room
Bedroom
Overall, it was definitely a wonderful event. As I browsed through the magazine, I was able to catch sight of some things I might want to look for at SM HomeWorld, since the event was sponsored by SM HomeWorld. I never knew they had such items. Time to consider getting some of those things and replacing some stuff at home. For when I come back from Beijing of course. Who knows how soon or how far away that is.
