Written by: Guo Zhenhao
Having trouble coming up with a good present this Father’s Day? How about sprucing up the space where family time is shared? Now that we are spending more time with our fathers at home, a quick interior makeover could just be the most practical and heartwarming gift.
Here are some ideas to get you started!
Five Brilliant Ways to Reinvent the Home for Festivities This Father’s Day
1. Rearrange the furniture
Whether it’s an office room or the bedroom, chances are your Dad has settled into a favourite spot to spend his office hours during quarantine. Why not make it as comfortable and homey as possible?
The cheapest and easiest way to go about this is to simply rearrange furniture. First, stop to think. What is the main purpose of the room that you are redecorating? From there, the focal point becomes clear.
If you’ve always find your Dad sitting at a table typing away, rearrange furniture with that particular table in mind. Same goes with a couch. When rearranging, be sure to keep these principles in mind:
Float furniture
Where possible, keep furniture a couple of inches away from the wall. Leaving spaces creates an illusion that a wall is further than it actually is, which makes the room look bigger.
Keep traffic flowing
Before rearranging, close your eyes and carefully walk through the room. Where do your feet instinctively take you? This route should not be blocked as much as possible. This allows for easy access in and out of the room.
Have a symmetrical layout
This look is achieved by splitting a room’s elements into two halves that mirror each other. You can easily achieve this by using other furniture as a divider. For example, a long table can be divided by a portrait hung in the middle, or a chair.
The symmetric look adds balance to the room, helping a person quickly settle down and center their attention into the task at hand. However, it is easy to go overboard with symmetry by being too strict and rigid. It is ok to offset symmetry a little with one or two unique elements that are special to your father, such as a picture or ornament. A symmetric layout pulled off well can quickly elevate a room by making it look classier, or tidy up a previously cluttered room.
Asymmetrical layout
This layout can be used for recreational areas, such as the living room or the bedroom. A more casual vibe will be inviting for your Dad to unwind after a long day of work. This style is preferred for the fun-loving Dads. Or if you think that your Dad needs that extra push to loosen up a little, this option might be a great choice, too.
2. Give Dad the gift of saved space
Understandably, homes in Singapore tend to be on the smaller end. Carrying out massive arrangement overhauls or bringing in new furniture additions can prove to be a real hassle when you’re working with very limited space.
This is where innovative, resourceful furniture comes in. Whether it’s a convertible Murphy bed or a modular storage desk, watch previously cluttered rooms be swept clean in a blink. Store your Dad’s belongings neatly into compartmentalised spaces that are conveniently placed to be just within reach when you need them.
Don’t be limited to space below eye level. Look up! Installing overhead shelves can be a great way to create new spaces within your home. This tip applies for other small scale decorations too, including photo frames, toys, and other items that could be cluttering your Dad’s work and living space.
Can’t afford to do this for the entire house? You can reserve these changes to your father’s favourite spot at home.
3. Bring the outdoors into your home
It’s been a good few months since we were relegated to life indoors. Why not bring a piece of the outdoors into your home to liven up the place? By placing a few succulents on a kitchen counter, window sill or tabletop, you can do wonders to transform the overall vibe of a room.
Don’t have enough space? Overhanging plants work too!
And if your home is too dim for real house plants, go for artificial versions.
You can also add a mini fountain, a framed photograph of a natural landscape, or even pebbles. All these features go a long way in softening the overall aesthetic of a room. Think about the places that your Dad loves to go, and take a piece of that outdoors and incorporate it into his living space.
4. Support your Dad’s hobby
If your Dad is fond of doing DIY renovation works around the house during this quarantine period, chances are that he’s been having to work with a set of incomplete, blunt, and rusty old tools. That can be one of the most frustrating things in the world.
Purchasing a brand-new, universal set of screwdriver heads can make DIY renovation works that much easier, and also maintain the tools that you already have. Your Dad will thank you each time he fixes the house with his shiny new set of tools bought specially by you.
What other hobbies does your Dad have? Does he collect model cars, hardbound books, or vintage toys? Make room on the shelves for his collection. Does he love watching movies? Set up a home cinema, The possibilities are endless!
5. Whip up or order your Dad’s favourite treat
There’s no better way to celebrate the end of a day than a hearty meal. Many often overlook the joy that a simple meal can bring. With in-dining options limited to five people, this year’s Father’s Day dinner can be made even more scrumptious with the right decor and ambience at home.
Simply spruce up your balcony with succulents or candles, or pop a fancy bottle of champagne to complement delicacies that your taste buds have forgotten. If you’re handy in the kitchen, why not try to whip up your very own meal? After all, Father’s Day falls on a Sunday, so you’ll have ample time to do all the necessary prep work before the big night.
Hopefully, this article has gotten your creative juices flowing. The possibilities are still as limitless as ever this Father’s Day.
Sources: Elle Decor, The Spruce, Resource Furniture
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