DO'S AND DON'TS OF INTERIOR DESIGN ON A BUDGET

Money, money, money! Where is it? Why n’t we have more of it! Why we have to pay the electric bill instead of go out to diner to our favorite restaurant? Well, that is the way of the world, isn’t it. With many of us entertaining at home more often these days we want our home to be cozy, welcoming and beautiful. We are all on a budget, but let’s not succumb to a bottom of the barrel look just yet. If you are decorating on a budget, keep these things in mind.

1. SCALE

Start with laying out your floor plan to scale. Or, at least, measure your furniture and lay it out. If you buy a “bargain” sofa, get it home and it is way too big, it is not a bargain. It will be an eye sore for the next 3 years until you can’t stand it any more. Then you might feel like you cannot spend much on the next one, since it has only been 3 years.

Look at the furniture placement. The general rule is to keep the scale of the pieces similar to each other. Then if you want to add one odd shapedpiece for interest, it will work well. And the feel of the room is much more comfortable.

2. BALANCE

Balance and scale go hand in hand. Once you see that a seven foot sofa fits better than the eight foot one, and you know where you are placing it in the room, find pieces to go with it that might be placed, perhaps, opposite of the sofa. You want to have a feeling of balance, literally, in most cases. Balance is not just the weight of the furniture, it can be accomplished in many ways. Some colors are heavier, or the material gives a heavier or lighter feeling.

Does the weight of the room feel balanced from one side to the other? One large piece might be balanced by a grouping of smaller pieces on the other side of the room. This will help you decide if your existing furniture pieces are the right size. Do they function well for you? Are they in good shape? Are they constructed well in the first place? Try them in a different location until they work. Keep any cabinets or built-ins in your view at the same time. Then you can decide if it is time for new items..

3. COLOR

Yes, color makes a big difference on a budget. Color can make a less expensive piece look more upscale. Once you choose your minant color, make sure the tones of the other colors have a rich sophisticated feel to them. Perhaps choose a taupe for your neutral instead of a simple beige. Find out what colors are "hot" this season and use a touch of the trendy color in accessories. This will keep you up to date without committing to a large piece of upholstery.

There are many elements that go into the design of a room. But I find Balance, Scale and Color to be crucial in the pursuit of a good looking, functional space, no matter what our budget is.

Keeping these things in mind as we shop, I've put together a few tips and ideas for our budget interiors. Here is a list of specific Do's and Don'ts:

• Do use antique prints, botanicals and photographs as art work. They usually cost less than oils or watercolors and can make a more personal statement. And they are totally acceptable as fine art.
  
  
• Don't hang your artwork too high. Hang it at about eye level. n’t stagger the framed pieces unless you are going up a stairwell of fitting them into an odd shaped space.
  
  
• Do use what you have. Rearrange your accessories. Pull things from one room to another and use them in different ways.
  
  
• Don't put too many accessories out at the same time. This will look too cluttered. A clean space tends to look more expensive. Force yourself to edit your “chotchkes” and objet d’art. You can always rotate your items with the seasons.
  
  
• Do use enough fabric in your panel draperies to not look skimpy. One and one half width of fabric is enough in most cases. It may not be enough to fully close over the winw, but tie them back and it will frame the winw beautifully. Fabric can be very expensive, so use it wisely.
  
  
• Don't use only one width of fabric. It just looks like you cheated your windows.
  
  
• Do use rings on the top of your draperies, to attach to the pole. A simple pinch pleat is easy and inexpensive to . It will look so much more finished and professional. If you dont like rods, add a valance over the top.
  
  
• Don't pull your draperies over the rod with a sleeve and no rings. It simply looks like a bathroom or a shower curtain. You can find inexpensive rings and hardware at big box stores that look very nice.
  
  
• Do paint the room a new, rich color. It is, of course, the least expensive and easiest way to update a room. Use a primer first. And repair your walls properly before painting. It will make the job look more finished and professional.
  
  
• Don’t paint over wallpaper unless you are absolutely certain that it is on the wall tightly and that you are prepared to it again in just a year or two. Also, my personal pet peeve, I hate flat paint on walls. It shows every touch and stain. Save it for the ceiling.
  
  
• Do refurbish your old lamps with a change of a shade. Update to a stylish drum shape or go crisp white with a traditional silk shantung. shop for vintage lamps in flea markets and garage sales.
  
  
• Don’t use a lamp that is not safe or has frayed wiring. If you love it, take it to a repair shop and change to new wiring.
  
  
• Do repaint an old chest or inexpensive dining chairs. The high gloss lacquer look is a great look right now. I actually used high gloss refrigerator paint on an inexpensive desk and brought it back to life.
  
  
• Don’t use waterbase paint on these pieces. Oil base paint will give the lacquered look we want here.
  
  
• Doshop for remnants of stone or marble for small countertops, perhaps in a bath with one vanity area. Stone showrooms and dealers often have just what you will love in a smaller piece.
  
  
• Don’t try to make a laminate product look like stone. If you can only afford laminate, so what. Go with a textured look or a simple solid color for a contemporary style.
  
  
• Do reupholster existing furniture, if it is a well built piece. If you have your grandmothers sofa, look at the shape. Maybe the simple removal of a skirt and adding new legs with a solid velvet in an updated color, will bring it to life. Add a contrasting double welt at the bottom or outline it with hobnails. This will give it a little bling.
  
  
• Don’t try it yourself if you are not handy. This is where it is worth leaving it to a good workroom unless you have time to spare. Most of us don’t. Remember the value of your time when it comes to certain labor intensive redos.
  
  
• Do Use a few well hidden floor uplights behind a sofa or chest. This is an inexpensive way to add dramatic lighting effects that set a mood.
  
  
• Don’t forget to change most bulbs to fluorescents or use LED lighting. It will save energy and money, so you can have a little cash left for decorating.
  
  
• Do try it! Go ahead. Paint the walls! Find one new fabric! Move the furniture around! We all need a fresh new look at the world right now.