A Studio Unit Makeover by a Real Living Reader

It’s not surprising why many invest in a condo unit nowadays. While some turn it into a rental unit, there are those who spruce it up to be used as a home away home. For one of our readers, purchasing a unit served these two purposes. “It was a bare unit with beige walls, a small corner kitchen, one bathroom, and a light wood vinyl flooring. I plan to have the space for rent or use it for staycation purposes since I live in Sta. Rosa, Laguna,” she shares. With her interior design background and job as a furniture and product designer, renovating the unit on her own became easier. The owner made a list of changes she wants to work on and set a budget for the project. “I really love the Scandinavian theme and that’s what I would like to achieve. The unit needs to look spacious and must be able to accommodate at least three people,” she adds.

Knowing where to shop and what needs to be done to improve the space helped the owner keep within her budget. One of the drastic changes done to complete the transformation concerns the unit’s lighting. Given that renovating a condo has limitations, they are not allowed to add extra outlets and lighting. “In the living area, I added a dropped ceiling with cove lighting, then added a pendant lamp above the dining area. The connection comes from the center so the wiring was hidden by the dropped ceiling. To save on costs, just about one panel of gypsum board was used for the dropped ceiling,” the owner explains. After a month of hard work, the once dull unit became a bright and welcoming space that will surely entice possible renters.

Kitchen