Times are hard in many households and every penny counts when you are working to a budget, but life can’t just grind to a halt while we work our way out of the recession. When your home is in need of a facelift there are many ways that you cut back on your spending without sacrificing the luxurious design that you always dreamed of.
Interior design is the perfect arena to flex those imaginative muscles and experiment with new ideas, so a budget is just another thing for your creativity to work around. There are lots of trade secrets that you can use to save money on your home design without losing the elegance and class that you desire. Here’s a break-down of the main things to consider if you want to add luxury to your home without blowing the budget.
First Things First: Prioritise Your Spending
When money is most definitely an object, you may need to accept a few limitations. Take some time to decide where your main priorities lie in terms of the look that you’re trying to achieve, and then focus on spending your money on the areas that will have the biggest impact. Resist the temptation to simply go for the cheapest version of everything if it will compromise the overall effect; you’re much better off buying fewer items that are genuinely good value.
Furniture
If your furniture has seen better days but you can’t afford to invest in a brand new set, give it a makeover to bring it into line with your new look. Upcycling is really fashionable at the moment, whether you opt for shabby chic or a more vintage look, so buying a few metres of material or a tin of paint can be a cost effective way of getting a few more years out of your furniture. If you really do need to replace something you can still consider buying something second hand that would lend itself to upcycling and save yourself a small fortune.
Flooring
Have you ever noticed the way that a room never looks tidy until you’ve vacuumed? That’s because the floor has a big influence on the overall look of any room, and is a good place to focus some of that precious budget. If you’ve always longed for beautiful wooden flooring but you really can’t stretch to it at the moment, engineered wood offers a great alternative that it much more affordable. With a timeless beauty that is durable enough to last for many years, engineered wood flooring is a great investment for your home.
Accessories
The artwork, ornaments, throws and cushions can go a long way to defining the look of a room and can be replaced fairly regularly when you wish to update your décor. With the right choice of accessories you can transform your living room or bedroom into something reminiscent of the most exclusive hotels in the world, and if you make your own pillows and throws it could save you even more.
Paintwork
As your paintwork fades over time it can really bring down the look of your home, but re-painting regularly can become expensive if it requires new paint each time. By choosing a lighter colour scheme you should only need a single coat to change your colour down the line. If you’re happy to stick with the same colour for the foreseeable future, buy in bulk and store the excess in a cool, dry place so that you can freshen things up without any additional outlay.
This post was written by Nicky Hand. If you’re looking for a way to add wooden flooring to your home without it costing the Earth, I’d recommend the engineered wood flooring available from Luxury Flooring & Furnishings.