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Decorating With A
Budget
For those
of you who are able to attend the Natalie Weinstein Home Decorating Club
workshop day on Saturday June 14th, at Beck Office Furniture in
Huntington, you will learn how to do floor plans like the pros as
well as understand effective color schemes, enjoy breakfast and
lunch and get design advice on your personal project. One of the
day’s seminars is also a step by step game plan for approaching any
design project with a budget. I know it will be a most productive
day for those who attend, but for those who cannot, perhaps this
article will help you get started.
Budgets are necessary in decorating for the same
reason they are necessary for life in general. If you want to know
that you have enough money to complete the project, you need to know
what each item of the project costs before you begin. This includes
construction or renovation costs as well. Often that part of the
project expends much more than anticipated, and too few funds are
left for interior decorating. If you know in advance that you have
exceeded your budget, you have an opportunity to make other choices
to either balance your budget or agree to wait to complete your
project when you can provide additional funds.
By making a
list of the functional necessities, as well as a wish list, you can prioritize
and realistically analyze your long and short-term needs. For example, if you
are living in a rental apartment or home, or plan to reside where you are for
less that five years, costly wall to wall carpeting, wallcoverings and custom
built-ins should not be a priority. Select major items that are basic and
classic which will stand the test of time, style-wise as well as quality-wise.
Fads, or
what’s “in” will soon be “out”. Don’t compromise quality. If you can’t afford
to buy everything at once, think about buying less and adding more later,
rather that settling for uncomfortable furniture or poor workmanship that won’t
wear well. If you know that the funds you allotted must complete the entire
project, leave some monies for accessories so that your home will look
“finished.”
Set up a
ledger sheet listing all the items you want and need, including a budget line
for art and accessories. Start comparison shopping. Most large stores and
specialty shops have sale times, many have outlet stores where there are great
“mark down” items. Look carefully for damages or mismatches, however.
Don’t
forget to add labor costs to your ledger sheet. Upholstery labor costs are
usually separate from the fabrics you select for window treatments and seating.
Wallpaper hanging and painting are separate from the actual cost of the
wallpaper. The installation is separate from tile selection. Ask about delivery
charges and other shipping fees. Don’t forget to include tax. If you own
your home, condo or co-op, improvements to permanent areas such as kitchens and
baths can mean better resale value, as well as better living for you while you
are there. Renovation or construction
additions appreciate the value of your home while making it
feasible to remain there, rather than moving to larger quarters and
still having to decorate. If you don’t wish to relocate, change
schools, churches, neighbors, etc. this is a viable and often cost
effective option, often times funded by home improvement loans or
second mortgages.
If you have
very little resources, paint instead of wallpaper and plan on doing it yourself
or with the help of willing and knowledgeable friends or family. Clean up and
organize. Get rid of the mess and clutter and see what a difference that makes.
Look for sales and bargains that are legitimate, such as end-of-the-year white
sales, clearance center specials, wallpaper outlets, rug remnants, tag and
garage sales. If you are handy, go to fabric outlets and make your own
slipcovers or curtains. Do-it-yourself kits are available for refinishing old
furniture.
In
addition, ready-made sheeting and matching ensembles cut the cost and create
“decorator bedrooms” for a fraction of the cost of custom. Accessorize with
items you already own; books, plants, collectibles, or buy posters or prints
and frame them professionally, but inexpensively. Don’t however, change the
floor plan. Compromising function is not necessary, and in the long run, is the
least cost-efficient method.
So – Summer
is on the way. Your home decorating projects are calling. Make a plan. Count
your dollars and go to it!
Natalie
Weinstein |
