Affordable decorations to elevate your home

165

Scandinavian
HDB (BTO)
~1,000 sqft
3 br
Couple Living

Decoration really makes a big difference between a home that only has carpentry and furniture versus one that has your personality sprinkled throughout the home. Simple additions like artificial plants (because I will probably kill any live plants), quirky trinkets, and personal photo frames bring warmth, personality, and a sense of individuality to your home. These items don't have to come with a hefty price tag, especially when you can find a wide variety of beautiful, affordable decor online, particularly through platforms like Taobao, Hipvan or Shopee/Lazada.
By shopping on these platforms, you can access a vast selection of decor items. I have purchased many of my decorations directly from China through Taobao, at much lower prices than you might find in some local stores. For example, a vase may cost between $20-100 in store, while I only purchased this for $10 inclusive of delivery from China to Singapore. However, do take note where you leave your fragile decorations, especially if you have little ones at home or invite little ones over. My little nephew accidentally bumped into this vase and broke it. Thankfully he wasn't hurt and given the low cost, neither did my wallet.
One of the most important things to remember when ordering from overseas is to check the reviews of both the products and the sellers. This helps ensure you're getting good quality and reliability. Also, communicate with the seller about the need for overseas shipping, especially if you're ordering fragile items. I ordered 2 bed-side light from Taobao, at ¼ of the local price. However, 1 came broken. Therefore ,it is really important to request for extra bubble wrapping or protective packaging can help prevent any unfortunate breakages during transit, ensuring your decor arrives in perfect condition. You can and should also reach out to the seller to ask for a replacement piece (FOC). I was inexperienced, and paid for a new order, as well as the delivery fee.
- #taobao
- #lights
- #bedside
- #broken
- #replacement
To complement the decoration, I also believe fragrances help to set the mood. Fragrances can in the form of aerosol spays (aka room perfumes) or candles and diffusers. The latter 2 can also act as a decorative piece, and you can now find many aesthetic fragrance options that smell equally great. I currently use Jo Malone diffusers, Pretty Major Home diffusers and scent sachets and white tea scented candles from Taobao.
- #fragrances
- #mood
- #Scent
- #aesthetic
Oh yes, don’t forget to bring the decoration into your toilet as well. Decoration in the toilet may often be overlooked, but think about it…all your guests will likely visit it at least once! It will also be nice for yourself, to see a neat and well decorated space, regardless of where it is anyway. Having a vase of flower by the sink really help to elevate the look of my toilet from HDB toilet to “is this a Hotel?” toilet.