Designers' Secrets for Making Over Your Home on a Next-to-Nothing Budget
Let's face it: As much as we all wish we had an unlimited budget and an uninhibited ability to demolish, renovate, and recreate our homes with a top designer, the truth is that for most of us, that's not an option. But, for all who think the work of a professional designer is out of reach or out of touch, think again.
Designers Beth Diana Smith and Nina Carbone, based out of New Jersey and New York, respectively, recently completed projects that put their creativity to the test of real-life constraints. Both had tight budgets and time frames; one was a rental and the other too time-crunched for any type of new construction. And in both, the designers proved the power of smart design decisions that make for maximum impact. Follow along as they share their expertise.
The Projects
Both projects were friends of friends, and both had several restrictions. For Carbone's, which she worked on alongside colleague Margaret Wetter, the client was living in a rental, so any major construction changes were off limits. She wanted a refreshed space, though, and is a frequent traveler, so was looking for a calming place to spend time when she's home.
The good news: She had a lot of existing furniture Carbone could incorporate into the redesign. The bad news: it was nearly all "black, white, or gray," and Carbone felt she needed to incorporate some color.
In Smith's case, the client wanted a full overhaul, with all new furniture, art, and accessories. Initially, he presented the designer with the budget of $25,000. "I said, 'There’s no way we’re going to do your entire home for that," Smith recalls. He compromised, and ended up raising the budget to just under $70,000, which-given that the redo spanned his entire home-is an impressively low number (the average cost of a kitchen renovation alone is $22,145).
The Transformations
After renovation, both Smith and Carbone succeeded in creating spaces that immediately feel lighter-airier, more open, more inviting-without moving a single wall or window. Though both homes have different styles, they both blend warm, modern pieces with more colorful accents for spaces that are good looking without feeling overly designed. As Carbone said about her project, "We wanted to bring a new energy to the space." Mission accomplished.
The Takeaways
Pick a Statement
One statement piece can tie a room together-and save on other items in the space. In Smith's living room, it was the fireplace. "It set the tone for the rest of the house," explains the designer. "Because we did something so special there, it allowed me to not have to punch everything up. I could go simpler on other things. I didn’t need wallpaper in the home, because that was the focal point."
This strategy also works in less visible spaces, like the bathroom, where Carbone has an insanely simple money-saving trick: an oversized shower curtain. "It's so easy and impactful," she explains. "I like to hang it a bit higher and get an 84-inch curtain [standard curtains are 72 inches high], so it feels more luxurious. Plus, it can hide all your stuff behind it."
Decide on Your Splurge
When budget is limited, it makes sense to decide ahead of time on the one item you'll splurge on. For Carbone, that item was a new sofa from Anthropologie. "We devoted a big chunk of her budget to that, because you need a shot of color," the designer says of the blue piece. "She had had lots of grays. Plus, we thought since she travels so much, let's get a sofa she'll love, that’s what she wants to do when she’s home." Having that one central piece, Carbone says, "makes more of a statement than spreading it around several places."
For Smith, the splurge of the project was swapping out appliances in the kitchen. "I said, we can keep the cabinets, just paint them a new color, but swap the appliances," the designer says. The designer was smart about exactly what to spend where even within this category: "Strategically, we went cheaper on a dishwasher, but because of where the fridge and the range would be placed, we wanted to spend more." She was able to find items on sale from Carl's Appliance to keep things on budget.
A Few Swaps Make for a Brand-New Kitchen.
Speaking of changes in the kitchen, this is one space that's ripe for easy upgrading. "Kitchen hardware totally transforms things," says Carbone. "Even if it's Home Depot simple, black pulls. I try to pick something totally different than what’s there." In her project, that meant simple, modern pulls from Rejuvenation and swapping the faucet (a change that's much easier than you might think) for a "better-looking but still inexpensive" one.
Another high-impact kitchen change? Paint. Smith took her client's drab space to a fresh, inviting space using Sherwin-Williams's In the Navy. "I don’t like ordinary," she explains. "So to give the kitchen some interest and not make it so boring, we really pumped it up with the color." Smith also swapped out her hardware (and, coincidentally also used Rejuvenation pulls, these ones leather).
Lighting Is Everything.
Carbone doesn't mince words on this one: "Lighting is huge," she says. "Having different heights makes it cozier." Plus, she points out, "there are so many different options these days that you don't have to hard-wire. Proof? In the client's bedroom, Carbone installed plug-in sconces by Schoolhouse (which save nightstand space), then added a table lamp from Visual Comfort in the living room.
The Finishing Touches Make the Room.
"We added a lot of inexpensive art," says Carbone of her project. "An apartment can be furnished to within an inch of its life but without art it just doesn’t feel homey." She opted for "cheapie" solutions, like printing an oversized photo the client took while on vacation. Another key touch? Plants "It's like art, it adds such a life that nothing else can," says Carbone. Keeping in mind her client's travels, she stocked up on faux options from New Growth Design for minimal maintenance.
Art, as Smith argues, is a non-negotiable, no matter your style. "I had to go more minimal on table items since he’s a little messy," she says of her project. "So I made a big impact with art." Another way she added visual interest without the accessories? "The bar cart," which, when styled right, essentially becomes a functional art piece.
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