One of the biggest struggles you might have when designing and decorating your home is your budget. And if that’s true for you, know you’re not alone. In this post, we’ll talk about how to design beautiful spaces on a budget and specific design tips to stretch your dollars. Keep reading or listen to the audio above. Are you ready? Let’s get started!
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Invest in Neutral Basics
When you’re designing your home on a budget, I recommend sticking with something more neutral and timeless for your larger upholstery furniture. Why? Because it will last longer, and you won’t tire of it and want to change it as often. Additionally, you aren’t going to spend as much money over the life of that item.
Even if you love color, you’ll still have plenty of options to add color in your home with accessories, art, and decor. But stick with a neutral solid, if possible, for all your larger upholstery.
Now, if a new sofa isn’t in your budget right now, go look on Amazon or Wayfair for neutral slipcovers for your existing sofa. It’ll freshen things up while you save for something new.
What to Save Money On
When I want to save money in a room, rugs is a great place to start. I personally don’t invest in high-end rugs. Given that I have a busy family and dogs, I’ll stick with more durable, affordable polypropylene rugs because they are durable and inexpensive. You can put a good-quality rug pad underneath it to add a little more softness. If you opt for a larger, thicker wool rug or one made from a more expensive materials that’s hand-knotted, you could spend thousands of dollars.
Another place to save on is your decor and accessories. While I believe that investing in one nice high-end piece can accentuate and elevate the entire room, not every single vase, decor item, or lamp needs to be expensive. You can find great deals on those online or at places like HomeGoods. It might take a little extra time and patience to find the right piece, but it’s worth it when you’re keeping costs down.
Shop for Looks for Less
When you’re shopping and designing on a budget, you likely have to go with more affordable items. And luckily, that is so much easier to do these days thanks to knockoffs and looks for less. It’s a great way to get a designer look on a budget.
In our investment property in Florida I wanted a wood-beaded chandelier but I had to keep costs down. So instead of the $1,500 to $2,000 option at Arhaus furniture, I found a similar one on Wayfair for $209.
So, take your time to shop around for similar items and knockoffs that will give you a similar look to a high-end piece you might want.
Shop for White Labeled Deals
You might be wondering, what is white labeling? I talked about white labeling in Episode 25, The Secret to Save Money on Furniture which is one of my highest downloaded episodes. Make sure to listen to learn more!
White labeling is a common practice in furniture and home decor, and actually across many markets, including clothing, food, supplements, and more. White labeling is when a manufacturer sells a product to multiple stores, which then sell it to consumers like us. Depending on where you purchase the item, the cost could vary by tens to hundreds of dollars. More expensive stores will often charge more than a discount store for the same item.
You can go to a really helpful website called Spoken.io to see how pricing can vary from store to store for the exact same item. It’s a great resource find the best price for different items for your home.
For example, I looked at a nightstand from one of my favorite manufacturers, Hooker Furniture. Pottery Barn sells this nightstand for $1,399. But on Spoken.io, they shared that exact nightstand is available at other store for $1,129. That’s about a $270 difference for the same piece of furniture.
Final Thoughts...
When designing on a budget it helps to look for deals and to spend your money wisely. If you have any questions you can find me on Instagram @nestorations. Just send me a DM to chat!
If you’re excited about starting your design journey, why not join our waitlist? Just go to nestorations.com/waitlist to be one of the first to know when Room Design Essentials is available again. It’s how you can get pro results in your home without spending too much. Can’t wait to have you join us!
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