The look and feel of our homes say a lot about the way we live, as well as our style and personal taste. But as tempting as it might be to spend up big on furniture, homewares, soft furnishings and other decorative touches that add personality to our living space, the good news is that clever interior decorating can be done on a tight budget too.
To help you know when to splurge and when it’s okay to save, try these tips:
Invest in exceptional art
Choosing an exceptional artwork is, according to experts, always a good
investment – especially if it has a new home in a room that has the right lighting and mood to show off the artwork in the best possible way.
Great artwork, bought well, is a lifelong investment that grows in value and can be transported to any home you own in the future.
Save money on finishes and fixtures
When it comes to making your bathroom look beautiful, making a choice to buy good-looking tiles that don’t break the bank is a sensible saving. With so many other ways to catch the eye of anyone using your bathroom – from decorative candles, to luxuriously soft towels and baths mats – buying affordable tiles is a smart way to save lots of money, without skimping on style.
Affordable couches can be comfortable
Cheap couches can make your entire décor look cheap but with some careful shopping, you can choose an affordable couch that still looks and feels good.
Once kids with sticky fingers are grown up and less messy, choosing to invest in a more expensive statement couch can have a big impact on the way your home looks but, until then, saving money on something less fancy is a smart move.
While some interior decorators recommend that couches should be items you splurge on, other experts say that spending more money on quality decorative touches, such as lamps, vases and other décor pieces is a smarter use of your money and can have a powerful layering effect that enhances your interior space. Comfort, of course, is key, so do give your budget-friendly couch a test sit, before buying. It’s a piece of furniture that gets a lot of use and, even if it is bought at a good price, comfort is always a worthwhile investment.
Door handles don’t need to cost a fortune
With so much choice at Bunnings and similar stores, there are lots of options available to choose budget-friendly fixtures, such as door handles and door-knobs, while still maintaining a stylish look. Choose affordable options that have the strength to withstand wear and tear and choose from white, black, bronze or chrome to match your home’s style.
Great lighting makes your home shine
Statement lighting can be an important spend – and one that has an obvious impact.
By investing in stunning lighting design, you can enhance the best attributes of your home and create a unique look that showcases your personality.
With quality lighting, other investment pieces, such as art works and key decorative pieces, can be showcased in style and, quality lighting fixtures can be re-sold, if you do decide to redecorate in the future.
Budget bookshelves are a smart buy
If the books, photographs, vases and other items being displayed on them are great quality, the shelves themselves do not have to cost a fortune.
With so many opportunities for stunning items to cover almost every part of a bookshelf’s surface, spending money on what’s on the shelves, rather than the shelves themselves, will most likely give you much more satisfaction.
As a general rule, focusing on timeless taste, rather than trends that will come and go, you can spend your interior design budget carefully and choose items that are more likely to hold, or increase their value.
To find out more about applying for a home loan that could see you buy and decorate your own dream home or investment property, talk to our mortgage brokers at Lending Specialists today.
