There’s no better time to show off your home than a good ol’ fashioned family gathering, and with the Lunar New Year just around the corner, it’s time to dust the paper pineapples off, break out the mahjong tables and perhaps consider a minor renovation to welcome the spring festival.
Don’t be the family that neglects your balcony (or corridor for the matter!) – a precious outdoor enclave that, when well curated, can speak volumes about your relationship with your home. Here are 4 ways to spruce up your little open-air cosy corner.
#1 The Circumstantial Gardener
Whether catching up with cousins you haven’t seen in a year or hiding from interrogative relatives, a warm atmosphere can go a long way in making everyone feel at home. For the occasion, the usual suspects remain: kumquat and marigold can inject little pops of color onto an otherwise drab canvas, and lucky bamboo adds some geometric structure to your landscaping.
For the not-so-green-fingered, choose plants that demand less care, like money plants, cacti, aloe vera and hibiscus. Succulents, while deceptively desert-like in appearance, require more specific conditions to thrive, so do your shopping well-researched.
Feeling ambitious? Make good use of the free seed packets from NParks and assemble your own edible garden! Garnish your pot luck contributions with your own rosemary, Thai basil, mint or curry leaves. Herbs tend to require higher maintenance, but the result is as rewarding (they say) as having a child… in some weird way.
Whichever plants you choose, remember to tie some red ribbons to them for a festive vibe!
#TiqOurWord Certain plants are lighthouses for bugs, who will find very comfortable harbour in your home. Pest problem? We’ve got you covered with Tiq Home Insurance.
#2 The Conversationalist
As anyone can attest, family gets noisy. So take the heart-to-hearts outside when the indoors get too crowded. Prep your balcony for a good chat with comfortable outdoor seats, some small tables for your drinks and an electric fan, because Singapore.
Long after the Lunar New Year is over, your newly makeover balcony will become your favourite spot for breakfast with a view. Did you know that Tiq Home Insurance allows you to choose your preferred coverage for renovation, home contents and more? If you are thinking of conducting a minor home renovation, you may want to consider reviewing your home insurance at the same time. Here’s why.
#3 The Accent Wall
With a wall like that in your balcony, you already know what everyone is going to use as a background for Instagram posts. In interior design, accent walls add diversity by introducing elements absent from the rest of the room. In your Lunar New Year outdoor edition, theme your background for the occasion with a lucky pop of colour.
Being 2021’s Pantone colour of the year, the ultimate gray and illuminating yellow (gasp! Our mother’s brand – Etiqa’s colours!) can add to the festive mood. Meanwhile, the fengshui-derived lucky colours for 2021 are red, orange and green, to be worn in clothing and used in your home for optimal benefit. Why not throw these into your balcony design too?
You can also get the whole family involved in writing the spring couplets (chun lian) or painting a mural – nothing like starting the year with some good quality time!
#4 The Traditionalist
Even after the Marie Kondo mania has passed, a neat house never goes out of fashion, so keep your interior stylish by doing your organising ‘outside’. If your balcony is exposed to the elements, look into weatherproof materials like plastic and stainless steel, and tuck your items neatly away in drawers and shelves in keeping with the minimalist theme.
#TiqOurWord Did you know? Your home insurance includes coverage for your balcony. Don’t be fooled by its size – from clogged drains to faulty railings and damaged furniture, a lot can happen in such a tiny space! For all these emergencies and more, Tiq Home Insurance offers Emergency Home Assistance within 24 hours upon notification of insured mishaps. Read more about our first-in-class service here.
Your home, your rules
What does your balcony say about you? That’s for you to decide. But having good home protection is a sure way to demonstrate how much you care about your abode. Create your dream home balcony on your own terms this Lunar New Year and, who knows? You might inspire a family member or two.
[End]
Information is accurate as at 1 February 2021. This policy is underwritten by Etiqa Insurance Pte. Ltd. (Company Reg. No. 201331905K). Protected up to specified limits by SDIC.
Tiq by Etiqa Insurance Pte. Ltd.
A digital insurance channel that embraces changes to provide simple and convenient protection, Tiq’s mission is to make insurance transparent and accessible, inspiring you today to be prepared for life’s surprises and inevitabilities, while empowering you to “Live Unlimited” and take control of your tomorrow.
With a shared vision to change the paradigm of insurance and reshape customer experience, Etiqa created the strong foundation for Tiq. Because life never stops changing, Etiqa never stops progressing. A licensed life and general insurance company registered in the Republic of Singapore and regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore, Etiqa is governed by the Insurance Act and has been providing insurance solutions since 1961. It is 69% owned by Maybank, Southeast Asia’s fourth largest banking group, with more than 22 million customers in 20 countries; and 31% owned by Ageas, an international insurance group with 33 million customers across 16 countries.
Discover the full range of Tiq online insurance plans here.
