10 places to splurge and 10 ways to save on your interior design plan
Decorating is expensive – and balancing the budget between what you want and what you need can be tricky. Here are my top tips to help you get the biggest bang for your buck.
The other day one of my lovely guests from last year’s October design retreat messaged to show me details of the house she is hoping to buy (in the UK the process is long, complicated, and prone to last-minute hitches, so we are reading this with crossed fingers and good vibes). The property is full of original features and needs a full decor job, which is exciting. Less exciting are the original single-glazed windows which are forecast to cost £75,000 to replace.
So, to coin a phrase, I got to thinking; maybe it’s time for a list. When it comes to interior design, where are the places we can save on what we need so we have more money to splurge on the things we want?
A list. But a really good one.
Before we get into the details, I’m going to assume (always dangerous) that for the purposes of this piece you have budgeted for the aforementioned windows. That you are aware of any issues with the roof. That any plans for extensions and loft conversions are fully costed or in the parking lot for now. It goes without saying that you need to get your house watertight with working electricity before you start buying cushions.
Start with the floor and walls and work up and in. There’s no point sitting on a fabulous sofa if you have to wear a hat to keep your head warm when the wind is whistling through the windows. I know that because this is me shortly after we moved in (sofa not visible but you get the gist).
Right then, on with the list, with one more proviso: when it comes to the big items and appliances, you should always buy the best you can afford.
1. SAVE ON PAINT SO YOU CAN SPLURGE ON SWITCHES
There is a lot of paint in the world. I know this and I have contributed to this with my own mineral eco collection, made in partnership with Graphenstone (plug over) but the truth of the matter is that once it’s on the wall, the only thing you really notice is the colour. Regulations mean that paint is now mostly low in VOC (volatile organic compounds) and if it’s water-based it’s lower in chemicals and solvents, so you can pick your paint to suit your budget and focus on finding the right colour.
I’m not going to use lots of words to debate the pros and cons of expensive paint versus cheap. There are differences, of course, but we are focused on trying to balance a budget here and the truth is if you love the colour, you (and your family/guests) won’t notice much more than that.
But where you will notice a difference is in the touch points. The satisfying clunk of a toggle light switch, the pleasing heft of a good door knob – these are places it pays to spend money.
They are also details that will last much longer than a paint colour if you are someone who likes to redecorate. I was told by Dulux a couple of years ago that the average home used to be repainted every seven years, and that has now reduced to three. If that’s you then don’t spend a fortune on fancy paint when you could splurge on long-lasting handles, and switches. One further point: while electrical sockets fall into this category, you can often hide them behind furniture, so if you need to save a little more then stick to the light switches, which are often in direct eye-line, and handles that you touch every day.
2. SAVE ON LIGHT FITTINGS BUT SPLURGE ON BULBS
Again this might feel counter-intuitive, but as with paint quality, what people really notice is the atmosphere in a room – and that comes from the light itself rather than what’s holding the bulb.