HANOI – A few days ago, Ms. Hoai Thu sewed the last curtain, ending a series of days of DIY furniture for the couple’s apartment, at a cost of 15 million VND.
The idea for this job came from the time she pulled out a 10-year-old sewing machine and sewed an apron for her husband on the occasion of moving into a new apartment. Since May 2020, the Covid-19 epidemic has caused both her and her husband, Brett (South Africa), who are both teachers to teach life skills to children, significantly reduce their income. They decided to rent an unfurnished apartment to save money.
Holding the apron in her hand, Ms. Thu told her husband: “Or do I do all the furniture myself?”. Brett gave a thumbs up in agreement.
The newly rented apartment in Bac Tu Liem is 76 m2 wide, including two bedrooms, a living room, 5 million VND cheaper than the old place. On the first day of their stay, the couple put a temporary mattress on the floor, just put a few clothes and some necessary things to use. The house is only two people, they spend one bedroom as a workshop.
Her husband accepted to do carpentry and heavy work in the house, while she sewed curtains, sheets, pillows, cushions… No experience, they went online to self-study. Hoai Thu often searches on Printerest with some keywords such as: “Rustic interior/décor” – “Scandinavian interior/décor” – Nordic interior/decoration, “Pallet bedroom/living” room idea” – Bedroom, living room with wooden pallets…
Initially, the two planned to just make some of the most basic household items. In the afternoon or in their free time, they travel around Hanoi to find what they need. Sometimes I ask or find more chairs or have a friend give a wooden board to make a tea table….
They buy all raw wood and cut and process it themselves. When the wife sews the curtain, the husband makes the frame. The sofa he framed, and she sewed cushions. Hoai Thu uses D40 foam, in the middle, there is a tube spring, the back of the chair is stretched with ligaments and then covered with natural rubber. All cushions and pillows have a lock for the cover, making it easy to wash the cover.
See more furniture in Hoai Thu and her husband’s apartment:
When the epidemic subsided, they went back to work, only taking advantage of work in the evening or on holidays. There are times when Ms. Thu herself also feels tired and hopeless, especially when coming home from work tired, looking at the messy, dusty furniture in the house, not knowing when it will be finished. Brettt comforted his wife and since then, every time he finishes work early or knows his wife is coming home, he cleans up.
To complete the essential items (beds, cabinets, kitchen shelves, shoe shelves, sofa frames…) it took more than two months for Mrs. Thu and her husband. But the schedule changes according to the epidemic, a few days ago, she finished the last curtain.
In the living room, the legs of the tea table were picked up from the landfill, and the top was taken from a broken table. The chair was also picked up, adjusted the ligaments, and sewed a new cover. Liquidation lights, hats are begging to temporarily cover the excess wires that are exposed.
The Papasan reading chair was placed in the corner of the bedroom she asked for from a foreign friend who had returned home. Hoai Thu removed the mattress to get cotton and then used the leftover curtain fabric to make another mattress.
“For me, when I make an item by myself, then it’s no longer an inanimate object. Although rented, the apartment is now the couple’s favorite home. Wherever I go, I look forward to returning home. home,” the wife said.
Brett loves her brainchild so much that she sometimes sits and talks to logs or caresses them. He says he loves all the details on the homemade slats, even the imperfections.
Determined to stick with the rental apartment for a long time, but the young couple’s dream is still to build a rustic house in the Vietnamese countryside. Brett will do carpentry again, and his wife will still clutter and sew other small items in the house.