My best friend and I have always been complete opposites, but I was honored that she asked for my help to create the Jungle Sala of her dreams. The style of her home had been the same for the past decade and she was ready for a change.
We’ve been drooling over #JungalowStyle posts on Instagram and Pinned so many pegs on Pinterest!
THE FIRST STEP IS ALWAYS TO REDUCE & DECLUTTER
“Having my kids at 21 and unprepared had my apartment populated with hand me downs and the cheapest cobbled together crap you can imagine. Needless to say, though I remain grateful for everyone’s help, my living room was not my favorite place to hang out. ”
READ: THE REST OF JENN’S Testimonial
MINIMALUXE TIP: Purchasing a large open storage that maximizes the wall space, will give your room a sense of permanence. Small storage solutions feel temporary and don’t look put-together,
Jenn’s and her family love books and movies like Star Wars and Avatar. The best interiors are the ones that reflect the personality of those who live in it. But there is always a way to do this in a fun and put together way.
The secret? Creating VIGNETTES with books, decor and collectibles, so they create interest in each shelf.
BEFORE
AFTER: Beautiful open storage from LRI Plaza
Living in Berlin, I loved how all flats were painted totally white - even the cornices - because it made rooms feel large and grand, but not boring. Different colored cornices are dated, but paint them the same color as your walls and they feel more modern, yet not plain. So I recommended to Jenn to paint the whole room white, to emphasize the high ceilings and show off the old building’s details. They don’t make condos like this anymore.
The Philippines is a warm tropical country, yet I see a lot of people decorating their homes in warm colors like red, orange and brown. These colors make interiors feel warm and smaller than it is. So I say go for cooler colors that reflect light like base color white - no need to mix and always easy to buy - then combine with cool greens.
VIGNETTES! VIGNETTES! VIGNETTES!
This is the secret to a put together, tidy looking home. Consider each angle you see as a vignette and arrange furniture, decor and artwork accordingly. It makes each corner look more interesting and neat or streamlined. Can you see the difference in this before an after?
The after in my opinion is not just tidy, but shows the interest and quirky humor of the owner of the space.
BEFORE
AFTER
Surfaces have a tendency to get messy. So again create vignettes on your surfaces, to make it look put together and fun.
BEFORE
Say thank you to your hand me down furniture for how it has helped you over the years especially when you were starting out. Then you can either 1) offer it to staff, who might want to refurbish it 2) or places that might recycle the materials.
WORK IN PROGRESS
I love white interiors and advocate white living, but I promised Jenn that the result of her interiors would reflect her personality and her Pinterest pegs. We just needed a good clean, cool white base.
MINIMALUXE TIPE: I love the idea of wall-papering nooks, or even interiors of closets, to make it much more interesting than a different color of paint. It’s as if you are stepping into a different world and add’s that touch of whimsy and bold personality, without overwhelming the space.
The only other thing was the ugly brown shelving for electronics. It was the perfect size - compact yet hardworking - so I didn’t want to just get rid of it or paint it white. I told Jenn to wall-paper it in the same wall paper for the nook. And I thought it came out rather beautifully, don’t you think?
When we work with clients on their space, we try to use what is already there, but just make it better.
AFTER
The wall papered shelving added so much interest and depth to the TV nook. I’m really so proud of this project. It really went from blah to Pinterest-worthy in one afternoon of wall-papering.
DECLUTTER MNL also sourced these powder coated steel shelves that would do well with plants because moisture can damage wooden shelving. And an accent chair to replace the old one seater couch is airy and well-loved by the kids.
What do you think of Jenn’s #JungalowStyle Sala? In the future, I would love to share with you some more parts of Jenn’s home that we helped transform using color, some well-chosen furniture pieces and a photo wall.
For us it’s not just about decluttering and organizing, we help clients look for organizers, furniture, decor and home items, that will help them visually declutter their space and beautify it while fitting within their budget and making their dream spaces come true.
