Everything you need to know about decorating an apartment in Lagos

Lagos is a beautiful city and owing to the large number of residents, there are so many apartments on lease, most of them small but functional.  With many options available and so many decisions to make regarding moving in and decorating, it’s hard not to feel overwhelmed. The good thing, however, is that though the apartment may be short on space, it doesn’t mean it has to be short on style.

Whether you are starting out or starting over, Jovago.com, Africa’s No.1 online hotel booking service offers tips to help you navigate the difficult process of decorating an apartment in Lagos.

Have a budget

The moment you find your apartment and pay for it, you become obsessed with the idea of making beautiful as well as functional in the best way possible without losing your personal style. Controlled by that strong desire, you find that you might be tempted to spend a lot of money acquiring new decorative items and building new pieces for the apartment, and you end up broke at the end of the day, possibly without money to feed yourself for a while afterward. To avoid falling into this trap, draw up a specific budget for budgeting. The budget helps you figure out how much you can spend and know what to prioritize. Basically, they budget lets you know where to draw the line and actually forces you to get creative with improvising.

Sketch out a plan

Before you start decorating, it is important that you have a plan. Make a sketch of what you want the apartment to look like. Where you want each furniture to be and how you would like each corner to be arranged. The sketch does not have to be professional; you just have to be able to understand it. Fortunately, the internet has a lot of ideas and samples for inspiration. You can also even find floor plan programs online. The sketch also helps you know how well to coordinate your colors.

Go for functional furniture pieces

Of course, you would prefer new furniture, new gadgets and everything fresh, but you need to realize that you would be doing yourself a disservice by giving into that lure…that is if you can afford to. Ensure your largest pieces of furniture are second hand. You can find very good second-hand furniture at Westminster market, Apapa or Alaba market. Also -in the bid to make the apartment pretty- do not clog it with furniture that will not be of actual use.

Hire an interior decorator

If you are totally clueless as to what to do as regard decorating your apartment, hire an interior decorator as a consult to do the entire job for you. Luckily in Lagos, most interior decorators are flexible and willing to work for different budgets. The designer will help you simplify your style, give you tips to acquire the right furnishings and assist in the carrying out your decoration plan.

Take it easy

Before you set out to decorate, remind yourself that Rome was not built in one day. It is okay if your decoration does not come out looking picture-perfect. You can start with decorating one room or space at a time and slowly work your way through the entire house. Your taste might change with time and you maybe not live in that apartment forever. Give yourself time to  learn what you like to live with, not just what you like in a picture.

Ndem Nkem

Travel/Tech Writer Jovago Nigeria

Mobile: +234 7033853356   Skype: live:nkemndemv