Imagine you have the budget to hire an interior designer, but then you are left with very little money to furnish your space. Or even a more realistic scenario: you don't have the budget to hire any professional, and on top of that your are limited to buying cheap furniture only. Fear not, there is still hope! Here are a few steps to affordable design you can do by yourself.
Keep it clean & simple
Keep it simple applies to every aspect in life, especially the ones you know nothing about. Unless you are a skillful maximalist designer, simplicity is your key to success. Look for a classic, timeless design, and strictly stick to a quiet and cohesive color scheme. Please, avoid any sudden urge to add "a pop of color", or mix&match multiple textures or styles. Interesting, cute or comfy are not the adjectives you're looking for when designing your own space without a professional aid (or in general).
Opt for natural
Unfortunately, cheap often means synthetic, and natural materials like wood (as opposed to particle board), wool or linen (as opposed to polyester) can get costly. But remember the first advice to go simple? Combine simple pieces made out of natural materials, and you will have a stylish, yet affordable, look.
The ultimate inspiration for this method is any Scandinavian design. Did anyone say IKEA? Skip the light, plastic, quickly manufactured items, and look for the genuine wood, wool and cotton items, they are worth the extra cost, and they'll give the space a nice, warm authenticity.
Make it a statement
You have an old, outdated bathroom from the 50's? Instead of hiding it, make it even bolder! Luckily, some old designs have their own unique quality and charm, and applying only a few minimal updates can result with a huge transformation. A fresh coat of paint, a nice mirror, replacing some fixtures if your budget allows, and you got yourself a statement look.
Less is more
I'm the biggest fan of minimalism, but to keep it short, minimalism is also a known method to an almost fail-proof design. Plus, what is more affordable than buying less?
Don't innovate. imitate.
Are you still lost even after browsing through every design blog and magazine? Collect yourself some inspirational photos and create the closest look possible within your budget. Above is a simple, affordable living room you can curate by yourself: IKEA Gerton tabletop & IKEA Lerberg trestle legs for a dining table; Salt Chairs from DWR, or Threshold's Windsor Chairs from Target; IKEA Sinnerlig pandent lamp; String Floor Shelving from DWR or any other inexpensive IKEA shelving system, such as Boaxel, Elvarli or Fjalkinge.
Maybe reconsider hiring an interior designer?
Interior designers know how to put together a space to match your demands and personality in half the time it takes an inexperienced person to do the same, and they will do it successfully. They know where to shop for furniture, and they also get discounts. Bottom line, not only do they save you hours of frustration and stress, but they also save you money.
So give me a call, will you? We can create some discounted magic together!