Renovating
Where to Splurge and Where to Save When Decorating
Discover the durable essentials and feature pieces to invest in and where you can afford to economise
In most rooms in our homes, it makes sense to invest more in certain key pieces and hold back on others where there’s less need for comfort, style or durability. To help you create a balanced decorating budget, here are some spend and save suggestions.
Save: Occasional tables
If your beautiful sofa is the star of the show, don’t hide it behind chunky tables. Leggy or scaled-down side tables give you a place to set a drink or book without taking up much visual real estate or a chunk of your budget.
If your beautiful sofa is the star of the show, don’t hide it behind chunky tables. Leggy or scaled-down side tables give you a place to set a drink or book without taking up much visual real estate or a chunk of your budget.
Splurge: Hard-wearing kitchen cabinets
A good kitchen renovation can add value to your home, but not if it’s falling apart by the time you sell. If you skimp on your kitchen cabinets (especially the doors and drawer fronts), you may find things looking rough around the edges sooner than they should.
This is true regardless of the style and finish you choose. Even white cabinets should be chosen in a hard-wearing material that will hold up to repeated use.
If possible, avoid laminated finishes that show obvious seams at the corners, as this is where materials can start to separate. Real wood cabinets can be refinished or repainted, so they’re always a good bet.
More: How to Choose a Kitchen Designer
A good kitchen renovation can add value to your home, but not if it’s falling apart by the time you sell. If you skimp on your kitchen cabinets (especially the doors and drawer fronts), you may find things looking rough around the edges sooner than they should.
This is true regardless of the style and finish you choose. Even white cabinets should be chosen in a hard-wearing material that will hold up to repeated use.
If possible, avoid laminated finishes that show obvious seams at the corners, as this is where materials can start to separate. Real wood cabinets can be refinished or repainted, so they’re always a good bet.
More: How to Choose a Kitchen Designer
Save: Simple splashbacks
A splashback doesn’t have to be busy to be beautiful. Simple metro tiles or other functional porcelain tiles arranged in a geometric pattern with a thoughtfully chosen grout colour are an affordable way to enliven any kitchen.
Another smart, low-cost splashback option is to use a short band of your worktop material, which can often be made up of offcuts from the same slab, to create an upstand. This will provide enough wall coverage to catch splashes, allowing you to leave the rest of the wall blank.
A splashback doesn’t have to be busy to be beautiful. Simple metro tiles or other functional porcelain tiles arranged in a geometric pattern with a thoughtfully chosen grout colour are an affordable way to enliven any kitchen.
Another smart, low-cost splashback option is to use a short band of your worktop material, which can often be made up of offcuts from the same slab, to create an upstand. This will provide enough wall coverage to catch splashes, allowing you to leave the rest of the wall blank.
Splurge: A well-crafted dining table
The dining table, like your sofa, is a key piece of furniture that sees a lot of use – and suffers a lot of spills. Laminate tables, depending on how they’re treated, can start to show wear and tear quite quickly. An elegant solid wood or stone dining table can suit any scheme and can last for decades.
The dining table, like your sofa, is a key piece of furniture that sees a lot of use – and suffers a lot of spills. Laminate tables, depending on how they’re treated, can start to show wear and tear quite quickly. An elegant solid wood or stone dining table can suit any scheme and can last for decades.
Save: Dining chairs
Wooden dining chairs come in a range of prices, are timeless, and suit any decorating style. They also hold up better to dropped food than upholstered chairs, because they’re so easy to wipe clean. This is definitely one area where you can look for low-cost options without a significant drop in quality.
To get the best of both worlds, mix some wood chairs with upholstered seats at each end of the dining table, or use a banquette along one side.
Wooden dining chairs come in a range of prices, are timeless, and suit any decorating style. They also hold up better to dropped food than upholstered chairs, because they’re so easy to wipe clean. This is definitely one area where you can look for low-cost options without a significant drop in quality.
To get the best of both worlds, mix some wood chairs with upholstered seats at each end of the dining table, or use a banquette along one side.
Splurge: Tried-and-tested plumbing essentials
When it comes to your plumbing, cutting corners is risky. A poor-quality fixture can be responsible for a leak whose repair costs far outstrip any up-front savings, so it’s definitely best to invest in a quality piece.
Essential fixtures such as toilets don’t change quickly with trends, unlike some other home goods, so there’s no reason not to choose a well-reviewed model from a reputable brand that has stood the test of time. Ask around for personal testimonials and recommendations rather than hunting for the lowest deal.
When it comes to your plumbing, cutting corners is risky. A poor-quality fixture can be responsible for a leak whose repair costs far outstrip any up-front savings, so it’s definitely best to invest in a quality piece.
Essential fixtures such as toilets don’t change quickly with trends, unlike some other home goods, so there’s no reason not to choose a well-reviewed model from a reputable brand that has stood the test of time. Ask around for personal testimonials and recommendations rather than hunting for the lowest deal.
Save: Vanity units
Most bathrooms are fairly small, so often all you need is one dramatic element to bring the space to life. A simple floating vanity cabinet will keep the room feeling open and free up your budget for something more exciting.
If you want a vanity unit with more personality, you still don’t necessarily have to spend much. Look to vintage and second-hand shops for a wood cabinet or chest that could be turned into a vanity with the addition of a basin. This will cost a bit more than a prefabricated unit, but if you shop creatively, the result will be more luxurious-looking than the sum of its parts.
More: How to Turn a Piece of Vintage Furniture Into a Vanity Unit
Most bathrooms are fairly small, so often all you need is one dramatic element to bring the space to life. A simple floating vanity cabinet will keep the room feeling open and free up your budget for something more exciting.
If you want a vanity unit with more personality, you still don’t necessarily have to spend much. Look to vintage and second-hand shops for a wood cabinet or chest that could be turned into a vanity with the addition of a basin. This will cost a bit more than a prefabricated unit, but if you shop creatively, the result will be more luxurious-looking than the sum of its parts.
More: How to Turn a Piece of Vintage Furniture Into a Vanity Unit
Splurge: A cosy and comfortable bed
As is often said, we spend about a third of our lives in bed. So it makes sense to splurge on a bed that will properly support your mattress and a headboard that can help you read in comfort while anchoring a focal point for the room.
It’s easy to fill out the rest of the room with simple accents such as paint or a single wall of wallpaper and let the bed be the star of the show, so go on and splurge a bit here.
As is often said, we spend about a third of our lives in bed. So it makes sense to splurge on a bed that will properly support your mattress and a headboard that can help you read in comfort while anchoring a focal point for the room.
It’s easy to fill out the rest of the room with simple accents such as paint or a single wall of wallpaper and let the bed be the star of the show, so go on and splurge a bit here.
Save: Bedside tables
You can find all kinds of fancy bedside tables these days with built-in chargers or stunning decorative features, but an inexpensive unit in a simple shape does the trick perfectly well.
In fact, a boxy or rectangular bedside table can create a pleasing counterpoint to plush bedding and other soft accents, so why not choose something simple and functional?
Find an option with an open shelf and you can easily style it with a few books to create a casually elegant look.
You can find all kinds of fancy bedside tables these days with built-in chargers or stunning decorative features, but an inexpensive unit in a simple shape does the trick perfectly well.
In fact, a boxy or rectangular bedside table can create a pleasing counterpoint to plush bedding and other soft accents, so why not choose something simple and functional?
Find an option with an open shelf and you can easily style it with a few books to create a casually elegant look.
Splurge: Pendant lights
Suspended lights, such as pendants and chandeliers, are natural focal points. They hang down close to eye level and radiate light, so they tend to command attention.
Splurging a little here can elevate the look of the whole room, as you’ll naturally focus on them instead of other, less-exciting pieces.
Suspended lights, such as pendants and chandeliers, are natural focal points. They hang down close to eye level and radiate light, so they tend to command attention.
Splurging a little here can elevate the look of the whole room, as you’ll naturally focus on them instead of other, less-exciting pieces.
Save: Table and floor lamps
What’s the first thing you notice in this room? It’s probably not the table lamp between the sofas. You can find many artistic and striking table and floor lamps on the market, but if you already have other points of interest in the room, all you really need is a source of light that can blend in.
Simple table lamps with classic drum or cone shapes are timeless and mix into any decor seamlessly.
What’s the first thing you notice in this room? It’s probably not the table lamp between the sofas. You can find many artistic and striking table and floor lamps on the market, but if you already have other points of interest in the room, all you really need is a source of light that can blend in.
Simple table lamps with classic drum or cone shapes are timeless and mix into any decor seamlessly.
Splurge: Tailored window treatments
Whether you opt for bespoke or ready-made curtains, there’s one thing you should splurge on: a bit of tailoring to make sure the length of the panels is just right.
Floor-to-ceiling curtains make a room look polished, but this effect goes away if the fabric is excessively pooled on the floor (possibly even sweeping up dust) or hanging several inches above it. Splurging on having your curtains professionally hemmed will ensure a correct fit for a sophisticated presentation.
Whether you opt for bespoke or ready-made curtains, there’s one thing you should splurge on: a bit of tailoring to make sure the length of the panels is just right.
Floor-to-ceiling curtains make a room look polished, but this effect goes away if the fabric is excessively pooled on the floor (possibly even sweeping up dust) or hanging several inches above it. Splurging on having your curtains professionally hemmed will ensure a correct fit for a sophisticated presentation.
Save: Accessories
When it comes to pieces such as cushions and blankets, keep an eye out for deals on these and other accents to update your look with minimal investment.
Don’t be afraid to choose pieces that don’t perfectly “match”. Instead, pick up on a family of hues or add a new design element altogether. If you want to change the look down the line, you can move these pieces to a different room or store them away for a season.
Tell us…
What have you splurged and saved on in your home? Share your thoughts and photos in the Comments.
When it comes to pieces such as cushions and blankets, keep an eye out for deals on these and other accents to update your look with minimal investment.
Don’t be afraid to choose pieces that don’t perfectly “match”. Instead, pick up on a family of hues or add a new design element altogether. If you want to change the look down the line, you can move these pieces to a different room or store them away for a season.
Tell us…
What have you splurged and saved on in your home? Share your thoughts and photos in the Comments.
Your primary sofa and any other plush upholstered seating should be comfortable, robust and beautiful, and that formula tends to require an investment. Quality fabrics with tight weaves made of natural fibres (or high-grade synthetics) will feel nicer against the skin and be able to resist dirt, even in lighter shades.
Often, budget fabrics will cheat on durability, perhaps looking stylish in the showroom but not lasting through the wear and tear of real life. If you don’t want to replace your seating in five years’ time, splurge a little up-front to get a well-constructed piece from a reputable manufacturer.
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