Home Decorating On A Budget

Establishing A Home Decorating Budget

So how much can I spend? What rooms am I decorating first? Will I need an expert like a contractor, architect, or interior designer to help me?

Everybody has a budget. Even the rich have a budget! Determine what you can spend and stick to it. Analyze your space and determine your goals. Your project may be simple and you can do it yourself, or it may need the help of an expert. There are many decisions that need to be made in a well-decorated room. . Remember, mistakes can cost you more money.

If you are confident to do it yourself, then yes, by all means, do it. You can save tons of money. There are many do-it-yourself, "how to" books and magazines that can step you through the process. Take a trip to your local Home Depot or Lowes home improvement stores. They carry many of these "how to" books". They even have classes to teach you how. Sign up for one to build your confidence.

But, if you would rather have the help of an expert, give them a call. Make sure to ask them for referrals of customers they have helped in the past. Or ask a friend or two for contractors that have helped them in the past. Word of mouth is the best advertising and you should know that these contractors are reliable and reputable, and that they guarantee their work.

Make sure to keep a listing of all your contracted helpers…architects, designers, electricians, tilers, painters, cabinet installers, and wallpaper hangers. We will not cover how to select a contractor in this issue. That is beyond the scope of this lesson. Hire at your own risk. I am not responsible for who you choose! Do your homework!

However, if you are going to do it yourself (and you can), then you will need to evaluate your budget. This may be determined by if you are doing the whole house or room by room, depending upon what projects you have to accomplish.

So how do you determine a preliminary budget?

Your preliminary budget will be calculated on the size of the room, the design theme you want to achieve, the products you need, what needs to be replaced or repaired and whether or not you have what I call, an economy budget, or a luxurious budget.

Obviously, an economy budget will have its limitations in terms of selections and work to be accomplished, and will more than likely take on a do-it-your-self approach.

Additionally, high-end furniture will most likely NOT be an option, but rather, bargain furniture deals from second hand stores or your local furniture stores. A luxury budget will include less limits, selections, contracted labor, and so-forth.

For example, if you plan to redecorate your living room, you will have to determine what items are planned for replacement (furniture, i.e., sofa, end tables), and what new items are you planning to add such as accessories like area rugs, silk plants, etc.

So just how much money will you need? Typically, the average cost per room is around $10,000. Of course, you don't have to spend that much.

If you are working with a budget of only $10,000 for your living room, any furniture replacements should be purchased accordingly, saving enough of your budget for accents like accessories, which add the finishing touches and add flavor to the room.

Any type of project that goes beyond rearranging your furniture and adding accessories will involve more costs, of course.

Cost cutting ideas:

Is there an alternative to spending that much? Absolutely! Many of the items can be purchased used, at sources like garage sales, flea markets, second-hand stores, consignment shops, auctions, ebay, and friends that are crafty. Your task is to visit these resources (once you have defined your personal design style) and find the items you will need.

For instance, today I did a search on eBay and found the following items:

26 items found for sofas
4810 items found for lamps
6358 items found for pictures
371 items found for silk plants
5785 items found for area rugs
45 items found for lighting fixtures
3655 items found for pillows
335 items found for blinds
4008 items found for curtains

Working on a limited budget, does not mean you are limited. Take a minute and sign up for a FREE ebay account and start planning for the items you need.

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