How to Furnish Your Simple and Elegant Bucharest Apartment on a Budget

Often, in a design project, the budget is our biggest enemy and we are reminded of the old Romanian saying "the calculation at home doesn't match the one at the market". And among you, our readers, who have gone through a design or renovation process, know this feeling well.

Recently, I met architect Mariana Bercu who presented us with a project featuring 4 apartments, each furnished within a budget of 3500 Euros. We were eager to see the images and learn more about them.

We mention that the apartments (2-bedroom with a surface area of 60 square meters) are part of a residential complex and are intended for rental. They include finishes and furniture with kitchen appliances. However, they deserve our attention because they can show us how we can compile a beautiful interior design on a friendly budget.

The furniture and accessories were purchased from IKEA, while the wall decorations (stickers) are from the talented girls at cai verzi pe pereti.

Mariana tells us she chose a simple yet personal design. The apartments include all necessary functions, each one well-presented. As you will see in the photographs, each décor is unique, with its own personality (the wonderful decorative stickers contribute greatly to this).

The decor is not overly detailed; the living area focuses around a sofa and a library piece intended for a television or storage. There's even a reading nook in each of the four apartments.Statement armchair and a floor lamp; the rug with its various geometric motifs visually unites these elements while simultaneously separating the conversation area from the dining space.

The cooking space is small, featuring compact furniture and necessary appliances: a stove and refrigerator. As mentioned, these were already present in the apartments; Mariana simply gave them a fresh look by changing the handles.

The bedrooms maintain this minimalist design line, focusing on the functionality of the spaces. Paintings, lighting fixtures, rugs, and drapes pleasantly decorate these relaxation areas.

In the gallery you will find detailed photographs of the four apartments and can analyze how the elements were compiled and the effect created. Which one do you identify with best?