So you’re renovating on a budget, and need to make some savings without compromising your overall look. Here are some of our top tips for where to spend, and where to save.
Tip 1
SAVE BY REUSING MATERIALS
This one is an absolute no brainer. Before you start your project, think about whether there’s anything you already have that you can make work as part of your new design.
Some of the ways we have managed to save on our past projects have been:
1. Keeping existing kitchen cabinetry and simply painting or updating door fronts.
2. Not rushing out to buy all new appliances where the old ones still have a lot of life.
3. Sanding and staining old floors instead of replacing them.
Tip 2
SPEND ON HARD TO REPLACE ITEMS
This may be a little controversial (as some people suggest spending on the items you use the most – like a kitchen tap), but we encourage spending on things that are tricky to replace.
For example, tapware is super easy to change out, and tiles aren’t. So if you’re faced with where to spend and where to save in this instance, spend on the tiles and save on the tapware – you can easily change a tap out later down the track!
Tip 3
SAVE ON
Trends! We all love a good trend. However, trends change quickly, and you don’t want to be stuck with a blush pink bathroom long after you’re over the colour.
We apply the same rules here as we do with spending on hard to replace items – keep the hard fixtures and fittings timeless and classy, and save the trend driven pieces for soft furnishings, artwork and even paint and wall paper choices. Things that can easily be changed out, without you needing to overhaul all the hard work you’ve just done on your renovation.
Tip 4
SPEND ON
Functionality. Okay, this may sound super boring – but you need your new spaces to work! Sick of clothing racks lying around the living room? Bite the bullet and build a large laundry with drying racks built in. Sick of rummaging through the plastic container drawer looking for what you need? Build in masses of kitchen storage so that everything has its place.
Before helping our clients with their renovations, we get them to make a list of all these niggles that aren’t working for them in their current design. We then sit down and work out how to make them all go away. Magic!
Tip 5
SAVE ON
Save on things you can do yourself! There is absolutely scope for expert help (it’s essential), but a bit of good old DIY can also go a long way when you are considering your budget.
We are by no means the handiest bunch about, BUT we have mastered some skills that mean we don’t always need to bring the experts in – and this always helps our budget.
Ask yourself whether you could paint (a garage is always a good place to give it a try), do your planting yourself, keep your site clean and rubbish free and refurbish old furniture or items you may be able to selvage (we love finding old brass fittings and making them look like new again).
There are so many YouTube tutorials now to help with these kinds of jobs – so see where you may be able to give something a go yourself!
Tip 6
SPEND ON
Give every space a defining feature, a focal point, and spend on that. Let that feature be the standout, and then you can compromise around the edges.
In your kitchen, you may opt for a splashback of tiny mosaics, or a full marble benchtop. In a bathroom, you may choose solid brass tapware, or decide not to paint and opt to tile every wall. In a hallway, you may some ornate panelling.
Pick the focal point (we challenge you to make it one per space!) and spend there.
In this laundry, we chose a high gloss, moss green herringbone tile – it was absolutely the hero of the space.
