News
Is you home more shabby than chic? Tips for decorating on a budget
Published: Mar 06, 2005 - 09:46 AM
IS YOUR HOME MORE SHABBY THAN CHIC?
INTERIOR DESIGN TIPS FOR AN A-LIST LOOK ON A B-LIST BUDGET.
INTERIOR DESIGN TIPS FOR AN A-LIST LOOK ON A B-LIST BUDGET.
Magazines and lifestyle TV shows are obsessed with celebrity homes. From Lifestyles of The Rich and Famous in the 80?s to current shows like MTV Cribs, ?regular folks? aspire to decorate their homes like Puff Daddy, Jennifer Lopez, or Donatella Versace. While these celebs have unlimited interior design budgets, how can average men and women create their dream home on a realistic budget? Angela Beach is the President of Beachwood Designs in Southern California. Although her client base is comprised of many of Hollywood?s movers and shakers, Angela lends advice on how to get an A list look on a B list budget.
Angela advises, ?invest in pieces that will last through the years. My design philosophy is to spend your money on one good piece, whether it's a comfortable sofa or an armoire or something that you love. Prioritize your needs and wants. Write down the top ten items you need, then write down the top ten items you want. Put your money toward your needs first, then you can use any extra money for things that you want.? If you want to add architectural interest to your home, visit estate sales, flea markets, and salvage yards to find vintage pieces, which are very popular. Many of these items can be used as stand-alone decorating pieces, garden accents, or planters that will enhance your d?cor.?
Some other tips from Angela include:
Visit Furniture Showrooms:Make notes of styles of furniture you like. Also, take note of colors and fabrics that create a "warm" feeling inside of you. By visiting showrooms you can get an idea of the new trends and styles. Browse Through Decorating Magazines: Magazines are a source of inspirational ideas. Create a scrapbook of magazine clippings and refer to your book when shopping for your home. Shop Second-Hand Stores :One person's trash is another person's treasure can never be so true. One place to look is the classifieds in your local newspaper. I have found great deals on furniture in thrift stores and auctions. Don't worry if an item is not in the best of shape. A coat of paint will work wonders for some furniture. Slipcovers can update an old couch or chair. Color! To create a dramatic, inexpensive change to your home, paint the walls a new color or buy new curtains. Keep in mind the moods that colors can create. For instance, an all white room with a giant red rug and pillows is striking and when you tire of the red change all of the accessories to blue or green.
Add Ambient Lighting: The lighting of a room sets the mood and accents the nicest features. Add canister lighting behind floor plants or corner furniture pieces, put small task lighting under cabinet frames in the kitchen or just add a new lamp to an entry table and don?t forget to use dimmers for extra mood enhancement. Add plants: When used as decorative accent pieces plants add warmth and life to home. They are versatile as they come in many shapes and varieties one giving height while another adds a splash of color. Before purchasing your plant, know where it is that you are planning to use it so you can buy a plant that will do well under the conditions under which it will be placed. Having to line up a roomful of plants on a windowsill because they need more light defeats the purpose. Rearrange furniture: If your room dimensions make it impossible to rearrange the furniture without upsetting the flow of traffic consider moving side tables, adding a side table that might be employed in another room, or removing them all together.
Shop Stone Yards For Materials- These are the places builders go to buy tile and stone and there are some great deals to be had. A fantastic slate will cost $1.25 to $4.00 a foot but totally change the makeup of the room and add elegance that cannot be accomplished with cheap ceramic tile. The will also have broken ends of slabs that make great tables. Their prices on decorative tile are always better than any tile store.
Replace Cabinet Hardware: Changing drawer pulls and cabinet knobs can completely redefine a room. If you are going for a dramatic change shoot for extremes. White cabinets with existing white hardware changed to red pulls would certainly qualify as a kitchen make-over. Create Your Own Art: It could be as simple as collecting leaves when they have turned colors and creating a picture collage. A nice frame makes any work of art look elegant. If you're into black and white photos, but do not want to pay the high price for this type of art, buy a book or calendar of your favorite photographer and frame the pictures.
Paint and More Paint- This is the key element to everything in design. Paint and color can change a room.
You can also use fabric to refurbish a room. Fabric can be used just like wallpaper to create an attractive effect. It can also be draped or tented over a ceiling. Heavier fabric such as burlap can be placed on the floor and used as an area rug. Or, you can buy a piece of canvas at an art supply store, paint it yourself, and use it as a floor covering. Muslin and printed cottons work well as inexpensive window treatments. When using fabrics try the remnant area. They always have great ?steals? and you can find enough to make great pillows or decorative accessories. Always go the extra mile to find rich feeling fabric for less.
In the bedroom-To change the look of your comforter make an inexpensive "Duvet cover" by sewing together two bed sheets of the size of your old comforter, leave an open end to slip in your comforter and then finish the end with sew-on Velcro. Buy extra coordinating twin sheets and add a touch by making matching pillowcases or shams.
Try to buy larger pieces that have a dual purpose. A daybed/sofa or a wardrobe/audio-visual centre can both save both space and money.
REMODELING ON A BUDGET
What if you want granite countertops and hardwood floors? You want wall-to-wall ceramic tile in the bath? Try alternative materials to give you the look you want for a lot less money. The backsplash in the kitchen or bathroom is a strategic place to put one nice piece of expensive tile surrounded by a less expensive, more sedate tile or stone. This will ?make the money piece pop.?
Do as much of the work as you can yourself. There are plenty of websites on the internet that will give you instructions and tips and your local home improvement store will be happy to advise you.
If possible, try not to knock down walls or make other structural changes. Working with existing plumbing, electrical wiring and walls will dramatically reduce the cost of the project.
Take your time and have a plan. Taking it slow is the remodeling equivalent of "measuring twice and cutting once." Anything you have to re-do just adds to your total cost.
Quick Tricks:
Consider hanging your curtains wider or higher than the actual size of the windows. You'll allow the same light into the room and the generous proportions of the curtains will fool the eye into thinking you have more space.
Rather than trying to fill small rooms with many small pieces of furniture, spend your money on larger-scaled pieces. You'll find your room looks larger because it's less cluttered and you'll save money. One generous sofa costs less than a loveseat and two armchairs.
Don't limit your wall decorations to framed art. Anything grouped together on the wall can be an interesting display for very little money. A row of interesting watches from the thrift store, a collection of vintage embroidered hand towels, a quilt. Look at your belongings as if they were art. See what you have that would make an interesting display and go for it.
Angela does point out that, ?A professional may help you save money in the long run. A designer will help you avoid common mistakes and you'll get better quality furnishings, without having to go back and re-do. She adds that, ?many designers will work on an hourly basis. Don't be impatient. It'll take awhile to get things the way you want them to be. Decorating is an ongoing process."
Angela advises, ?invest in pieces that will last through the years. My design philosophy is to spend your money on one good piece, whether it's a comfortable sofa or an armoire or something that you love. Prioritize your needs and wants. Write down the top ten items you need, then write down the top ten items you want. Put your money toward your needs first, then you can use any extra money for things that you want.? If you want to add architectural interest to your home, visit estate sales, flea markets, and salvage yards to find vintage pieces, which are very popular. Many of these items can be used as stand-alone decorating pieces, garden accents, or planters that will enhance your d?cor.?
Some other tips from Angela include:
Visit Furniture Showrooms:Make notes of styles of furniture you like. Also, take note of colors and fabrics that create a "warm" feeling inside of you. By visiting showrooms you can get an idea of the new trends and styles. Browse Through Decorating Magazines: Magazines are a source of inspirational ideas. Create a scrapbook of magazine clippings and refer to your book when shopping for your home. Shop Second-Hand Stores :One person's trash is another person's treasure can never be so true. One place to look is the classifieds in your local newspaper. I have found great deals on furniture in thrift stores and auctions. Don't worry if an item is not in the best of shape. A coat of paint will work wonders for some furniture. Slipcovers can update an old couch or chair. Color! To create a dramatic, inexpensive change to your home, paint the walls a new color or buy new curtains. Keep in mind the moods that colors can create. For instance, an all white room with a giant red rug and pillows is striking and when you tire of the red change all of the accessories to blue or green.
Add Ambient Lighting: The lighting of a room sets the mood and accents the nicest features. Add canister lighting behind floor plants or corner furniture pieces, put small task lighting under cabinet frames in the kitchen or just add a new lamp to an entry table and don?t forget to use dimmers for extra mood enhancement. Add plants: When used as decorative accent pieces plants add warmth and life to home. They are versatile as they come in many shapes and varieties one giving height while another adds a splash of color. Before purchasing your plant, know where it is that you are planning to use it so you can buy a plant that will do well under the conditions under which it will be placed. Having to line up a roomful of plants on a windowsill because they need more light defeats the purpose. Rearrange furniture: If your room dimensions make it impossible to rearrange the furniture without upsetting the flow of traffic consider moving side tables, adding a side table that might be employed in another room, or removing them all together.
Shop Stone Yards For Materials- These are the places builders go to buy tile and stone and there are some great deals to be had. A fantastic slate will cost $1.25 to $4.00 a foot but totally change the makeup of the room and add elegance that cannot be accomplished with cheap ceramic tile. The will also have broken ends of slabs that make great tables. Their prices on decorative tile are always better than any tile store.
Replace Cabinet Hardware: Changing drawer pulls and cabinet knobs can completely redefine a room. If you are going for a dramatic change shoot for extremes. White cabinets with existing white hardware changed to red pulls would certainly qualify as a kitchen make-over. Create Your Own Art: It could be as simple as collecting leaves when they have turned colors and creating a picture collage. A nice frame makes any work of art look elegant. If you're into black and white photos, but do not want to pay the high price for this type of art, buy a book or calendar of your favorite photographer and frame the pictures.
Paint and More Paint- This is the key element to everything in design. Paint and color can change a room.
You can also use fabric to refurbish a room. Fabric can be used just like wallpaper to create an attractive effect. It can also be draped or tented over a ceiling. Heavier fabric such as burlap can be placed on the floor and used as an area rug. Or, you can buy a piece of canvas at an art supply store, paint it yourself, and use it as a floor covering. Muslin and printed cottons work well as inexpensive window treatments. When using fabrics try the remnant area. They always have great ?steals? and you can find enough to make great pillows or decorative accessories. Always go the extra mile to find rich feeling fabric for less.
In the bedroom-To change the look of your comforter make an inexpensive "Duvet cover" by sewing together two bed sheets of the size of your old comforter, leave an open end to slip in your comforter and then finish the end with sew-on Velcro. Buy extra coordinating twin sheets and add a touch by making matching pillowcases or shams.
Try to buy larger pieces that have a dual purpose. A daybed/sofa or a wardrobe/audio-visual centre can both save both space and money.
REMODELING ON A BUDGET
What if you want granite countertops and hardwood floors? You want wall-to-wall ceramic tile in the bath? Try alternative materials to give you the look you want for a lot less money. The backsplash in the kitchen or bathroom is a strategic place to put one nice piece of expensive tile surrounded by a less expensive, more sedate tile or stone. This will ?make the money piece pop.?
Do as much of the work as you can yourself. There are plenty of websites on the internet that will give you instructions and tips and your local home improvement store will be happy to advise you.
If possible, try not to knock down walls or make other structural changes. Working with existing plumbing, electrical wiring and walls will dramatically reduce the cost of the project.
Take your time and have a plan. Taking it slow is the remodeling equivalent of "measuring twice and cutting once." Anything you have to re-do just adds to your total cost.
Quick Tricks:
Consider hanging your curtains wider or higher than the actual size of the windows. You'll allow the same light into the room and the generous proportions of the curtains will fool the eye into thinking you have more space.
Rather than trying to fill small rooms with many small pieces of furniture, spend your money on larger-scaled pieces. You'll find your room looks larger because it's less cluttered and you'll save money. One generous sofa costs less than a loveseat and two armchairs.
Don't limit your wall decorations to framed art. Anything grouped together on the wall can be an interesting display for very little money. A row of interesting watches from the thrift store, a collection of vintage embroidered hand towels, a quilt. Look at your belongings as if they were art. See what you have that would make an interesting display and go for it.
Angela does point out that, ?A professional may help you save money in the long run. A designer will help you avoid common mistakes and you'll get better quality furnishings, without having to go back and re-do. She adds that, ?many designers will work on an hourly basis. Don't be impatient. It'll take awhile to get things the way you want them to be. Decorating is an ongoing process."
