Saving Money When Decorating your Home
Saving money when decorating your home
is pretty simple, provided you follow some clear guidelines. It’s
important to be realistic about what you want to do and the level of
your skills. Think carefully about the areas of your home which
require the most attention. Perhaps you want to start with the first
area that guests will see when they walk through your door, or
refresh your bedroom or kitchen.
is pretty simple, provided you follow some clear guidelines. It’s
important to be realistic about what you want to do and the level of
your skills. Think carefully about the areas of your home which
require the most attention. Perhaps you want to start with the first
area that guests will see when they walk through your door, or
refresh your bedroom or kitchen.
Whichever room you decide to focus on,
think about how long the project might take and prepare yourself for
potential challenges and delays.
think about how long the project might take and prepare yourself for
potential challenges and delays.
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| Courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net/SimonHowden |
While you may find yourself getting
carried away and planning for a complete makeover, you need to ask
yourself whether you have the money and the time to make a real
success of it.
carried away and planning for a complete makeover, you need to ask
yourself whether you have the money and the time to make a real
success of it.
Do plenty of planning and research
Draw up a plan and make it as detailed
as possible. Just diving in without much thought is a sure way to
waste money.
as possible. Just diving in without much thought is a sure way to
waste money.
When you’ve got your goals clear in
your head, spend some time researching the project. Search for
products online and in stores to find exactly what you need. Jumping
in and buying too quickly will almost certainly mean you spend more
than you need to.
your head, spend some time researching the project. Search for
products online and in stores to find exactly what you need. Jumping
in and buying too quickly will almost certainly mean you spend more
than you need to.
You will also need to decide on your
budget before you start to avoid overspending. Be flexible and
creative as you progress, making efforts to stay within your means.
budget before you start to avoid overspending. Be flexible and
creative as you progress, making efforts to stay within your means.
Get creative with colour
Think paint! It’s the cheapest wall
and ceiling option and you can try out different combinations with
sample pots first to get the colour right. Making a feature wall by
painting it a bright colour or using textured wallpaper is a simple
and effective way to transform a room.
and ceiling option and you can try out different combinations with
sample pots first to get the colour right. Making a feature wall by
painting it a bright colour or using textured wallpaper is a simple
and effective way to transform a room.
Make the most out of your lighting
Lighting is your biggest friend in any
decoration project. High quality LED lamps are a terrific investment
as you should not need to replace them for around 40,000 hours –
compare that to the 1,000 hours you’ll get from traditional bulbs.
decoration project. High quality LED lamps are a terrific investment
as you should not need to replace them for around 40,000 hours –
compare that to the 1,000 hours you’ll get from traditional bulbs.
Being creative with lighting can
transform an entire living space, whether you want to create a
dramatic effect or make a room feel more cosy. Accent lighting is
also a great way to highlight key elements of the room, such as a
bookcase or cabinet. Changing simple things like lamp shades can also
make a huge difference.
transform an entire living space, whether you want to create a
dramatic effect or make a room feel more cosy. Accent lighting is
also a great way to highlight key elements of the room, such as a
bookcase or cabinet. Changing simple things like lamp shades can also
make a huge difference.
Save money when selecting furniture
When it comes to furniture, it’s
important to spend wisely. Instead of buying new, you may want to try
second-hand furniture shops, garage sales and markets to grab
yourself a bargain. Think carefully about whether you can renovate
current furniture and fittings too, as this could save you a small
fortune.
important to spend wisely. Instead of buying new, you may want to try
second-hand furniture shops, garage sales and markets to grab
yourself a bargain. Think carefully about whether you can renovate
current furniture and fittings too, as this could save you a small
fortune.
If you choose to buy new, it may be
worthwhile to purchase the best quality you can afford. Buying cheap
and cheerful may end up costing you more in the long run.
worthwhile to purchase the best quality you can afford. Buying cheap
and cheerful may end up costing you more in the long run.
Remember that less is sometimes more.
Experiment with different room layouts and see if fewer pieces of
furniture can improve the look of the room without affecting comfort.
Experiment with different room layouts and see if fewer pieces of
furniture can improve the look of the room without affecting comfort.
Consider eco taps
If you are planning a bathroom
makeover, why not consider investing in eco-friendly, money-saving
fittings like eco showers and eco taps? These items work by combining
air with the water flow to reduce the amount of water you consume,
therefore saving you money through lower energy costs. If you are
metered, then you will be especially impressed by how much your bills
can be reduced with these products.
makeover, why not consider investing in eco-friendly, money-saving
fittings like eco showers and eco taps? These items work by combining
air with the water flow to reduce the amount of water you consume,
therefore saving you money through lower energy costs. If you are
metered, then you will be especially impressed by how much your bills
can be reduced with these products.
Mark Sait is CEO of
SaveMoneyCutCarbon.com,
the ‘go to’ people for businesses and households who want to save
money on utility bills and reduce their impact on the planet
SaveMoneyCutCarbon.com,
the ‘go to’ people for businesses and households who want to save
money on utility bills and reduce their impact on the planet
