How to Stretch an Interior Design Budget Without Cutting the Wrong Corners
Designers say a clear budget is a tool for deciding where money makes the biggest difference, not just a ceiling to stay under.
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Setting a budget before the first purchase is the step designers most often ask clients to take first. Amy Dillon, creative director and principal of Amy Dillon Interiors in Toronto, describes a budget as a tool that shows where an investment will have the greatest impact, rather than only a number to stay under.
Rebecca Hay, founder of Rebecca Hay Designs in Toronto and a business coach for interior designers, says projects without a clear budget tend to grow quickly, as one upgrade leads to another. She recommends a contingency of at least 10 per cent of the project, and says material pricing has been volatile enough that a contingency is no longer optional. Dillon also recommends a contingency, especially for renovations, because unexpected costs can surface once construction begins.
On spending, Dillon points to kitchens, millwork, quality flooring, lighting and well-made upholstered furniture: items people use every day, and whose quality shows in both appearance and wear. Hay says the right place to splurge depends on the person. Some clients want a striking tile floor, others would rather put the money into a statement light fixture, and she says the first step is to decide what matters most.
Decorative pieces and anything that can move with you to another room are the easiest places to save. The article's example is side tables.
Hiring a designer also has a cost.
