We were trying hard interior designers. We had a budget & it exploded. We researched on brands for months. At the end of the day, we wouldn't have it any other way.
If it were up to me, only me, I'd post a photo of myself sitting on that sofa because I would have bought one. Oh the tiffany blue and cotton candy pink of it all! Unfortunately, or fortunately, I am only half of the decision-making team.
Husband and I have known that the odds of moving in to our new house in September 2017 was a far-fetched idea, despite being promised by Avida. The house was a bare concrete box back then. We were positive we will move in Christmas time, just about the season where all things are on sale. And we were right.
That's a great start for our budget: we'll get better deals compared to when we buy house stuff on regular dates. So for months on, we researched on what appliance brands we will most likely buy and we were on the lookout for December discounts.
Let's just say that buying brooms, dust pans, brushes, trash bins, etc. are not for the faint-hearted.
Just like any recipe for disaster, our initial budget was underestimated. We failed to consider other items apart from the big-ticket ones. I wish I could state figures so you'll have an idea when it's your time for your next house, but I'm hesitant and afraid to be judged, LOL! Let's just say that buying brooms, dust pans, brushes, trash bins, etc. are not for the faint-hearted. You want quality even for unassuming items like toilet rags? Then pay for it! Lol.
Where we ended up buying stuff
1. Appliances
Ansons was a very popular choice among 'budgetarians' as they usually have the lowest prices, on top of the visible discount tags they put on display. Compared to Abensons, Ansons was a no-brainer... at least for people in Metro Manila. Sadly, the nearest branch to Nuvali is Alabang. This branch requires P3,000 delivery charge and a fixed date that is two weeks after Christmas. I was so persistent in spending our 2017 Christmas at the new house that my husband disagreed on the two-week waiting game (not to mention the additional delivery fee hurts, it merely offsets the discounts).
We were offered handsome discounts for the volume of orders we had.
While there are Abensons stores nearer our area, we settled to buying the bulk of our appliances from Walter Mart Makati branch as they have a more complete set of the appliance models and brands we require. They also only charged P500 delivery fee, which according to my brittle memory, was waived anyway. We were offered handsome discounts too for the volume of orders we had.
I think our only Ansons Makati item was the advanced (and heavy) steam iron from Philips that I love to use.
2. Furniture
This was a lot fun than the appliances because they serve as house decors too! We had so much fun planning the color schemes and styles. From the get go, we already knew we wanted a Muji 'feel' in the bedroom, and a modern touch in the living room. Nothing Victorian should ever step foot! No rustics. Never wild colors (except for cotton candy pink which to this day I still negotiate with my husband. I will soon buy a bunch of baby pink throw pillows when I get extra savings!).
Surprisingly, we went for a grey sofa bed. We were always looking for L-shaped grey or blue-grey couches, but we ended up with an even better option. Most sofa beds are hard to the butt (sorry no other realistic description), but our find from All Home Sta Rosa was A-OK comfy! We've slept on the sofa bed a number of times already, mostly because we marathon Netflix shows and we're too tired to go upstairs for an actual bed sleep. Lol.
The TV rack is my favorite living room accent. A photo of the exact Scandi model shines below. Lol. It's so modern and has our favorite colors in it. It's our only buy from SB Furniture. They have really attractive furniture there, but also quite expensive. Honestly, I know that there are other pretty TV racks that cost half of this one, but sorry, the colors just got me. This one's admittedly a splurge.
As for the bed, we kind of splurged too, but with a *good reason*. Lol! But it is definitely Muji feels, including the sliding door closet. Both purchases are from Furniture Republic. If you want to have an idea on how they look like, they are grouped under the "Clover" line designs you can find online.
Haggling
We didn't buy anything from Divisoria, but we were able to haggle. We managed to have delivery fees waived, get more percentage discounts, negotiate delivery dates, and so on. It's all really a matter of asking politely. Branch managers are apparently entitled to provide even more discounts than advertised, so this is a good tip especially if you are buying quite a number of items from one store. Don't be intimidated. You'll not be the first one to ask for these things.
A longer wishlist
Our hunt is not yet done. We still lack so many items for the house. I am still hoping for a Young Living essential oil diffuser (which is damn expensive. You can find cheaper ones in Mia Maison so this is just a 'want'). We also need screens for all eight windows to send a message to insects that they are not welcome, bed side tables (we still haven't seen the right design and honestly, the need for it), lamps, wall clocks for each room, overhead kitchen cabinets, book shelf, etc.
We're taking things slowly this time. As long as the house is comfortable enough to live in, then we have no qualms about it. This phase of one's life is an exciting one, except when you're supposed to pay. Lol. The costs are not a joke -- you can't afford to downgrade it to "parang nagbaba-bahay-bahayan lang."
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