Anytime I get a request to do a budget ______, (insert kitchen, bedroom, living room) I always ask, “Well, what’s the ‘budget’?” Because here’s the thing–“budget” now has almost become synonymous with “cheapest possible” and I’d love to correct that.
I don’t know anyone personally (although I am sure there are people, way above my class, that exist) that don’t have a dollar figure in mind at. all. when they are improving a space. The truth is, whether you have $1000 or $100,000 for a kitchen renovation, that’s your budget.
“Budget” is just a way to assign a dollar amount to a project and it’s actually so freeing! I think that’s the part people don’t understand–even when you’re on a tight budget. When you set aside $XX for a home improvement project, instead of just saying, “I want to improve this space,” It actually allows you the freedom and ability to tackle that project. “I want to improve this space and we have $50 to make it happen.” You GET to spend that $50. It’s been assigned for the task.
Here’s what I see happen often:
“We are going to makeover our bedroom, but don’t have a ton of money to do it.” They then proceed, with no plan, and no budget to spend a few hundred dollars getting rugs that are too small (that they don’t love) or ten tiny decor objects from Target and keep the same old fan that is really dating the room.
Instead, try this:
“We really want to update our bedroom, we have $500 to do it!” Set a goal and a dollar amount before you even start. Then think about what bothers you most about your bedroom currently, make a list of the trouble areas. Maybe it’s storage. Maybe it’s the dated carpet. Or the color of the walls. Maybe your bed is old. Or your ceiling fan is older. Order the list from what you dislike most to least. This is important because so often I see people trying to compromise and squeeze every inch of the room into the $500 budget–which often times ends up looking not much better and leaves the homeowner unsatisfied.
For $500 total, you probably can’t replace your whole floor, but you can purchase a great, large area rug to cover most of it with half of your money left over.
If you love a rug or a bed that’s $400 and you have $500 set aside to improve your space–that means you can get that thing! It also might mean that your whole room might not get a complete makeover for the money you have set aside right now, but wouldn’t you rather really love it? I would.
Start with the thing that is bothering you most and tackle that first! I remember when we were refreshing our bedroom last year, it was the paint color. I just needed something light and fresh. We took an afternoon and painted and while everything else still needed attention, I felt better in our bedroom already. I also love the idea of designing a whole room about something that excites or inspires me–for our bathroom, it was a vintage painting and the dark green tile. For our bedroom it was a rug!
(Here’s our bedroom almost a YEAR later when we finally felt like it was finished)
For the imaginary bedroom design below, I started with a $500 budget and this $279 rug. Don’t worry if it takes up more than half of your budget if you love it. You have the money set aside. It’s the right size (an 8×10–that’s what we have in our room with our king sized bed!) and it’s within your budget–You can buy it!
Here’s a very realistic $500 bedroom refresh I put together including the rug:
• Queen Headboard: $93 Puchasing a headboard instead of a full blown bed is a great way to get the look for less.
• Taupe Stripe Duvet set: If you have a queen, I’d recommend still getting the King size and it will feel so luxurious: $25
• 8×10 Area Rug: $279
• A gallon of paint: we always get our paint color matched at Lowe’s in their Valspar line because the quality is top notch. In a bedroom, you can go with a flat sheen which will be even less expensive. The greatest thing about paint is it’s so transformative and every color costs the same. Even this uber rich Sea Serpent tone: $33
• It’s no secret, I’m a sucker for art. While most people wouldn’t put this as a high priority on their list, these prints are just $20 each from Juniper Print Shop and you can print them any size you’d like!: (2 for) $40
TOTAL: $470 (room for some Target frames for those prints!)
Of course, there’s definitely missing pieces to this room–what about nightstands? Lighting? Curtains? In my opinion, if you are on a tighter budget, it’s better to do a room in phases rather than go for the cheapest thing in every category. The above pieces will have a big impact on your space and you’ll be well on your way. We’ve done most of our rooms in phases and very rarely do we improve a room COMPLETELY all at once and budget has a lot to do with that (also, I love to add something and let it simmer for a little :)
Let’s say you had a $1000 budget (or down the road were ready to add a little more!), Here’s what that could look like:
The same base pieces:
• Queen Headboard: $93
• Taupe Stripe Duvet set: $25
• 8×10 Area Rug: $279
• A gallon of paint :$33
• Prints (2 for) $40
With an addition of:
• Wall-mounted Lamp: $83 Lighting! I like both of these options. The wall-mounted lamp is more traditional, with still modern lines
• Table Lamp: $69 And the table lamp is a completely modern option to bring into a more traditional room setting. Pick whichever suits you more!
• Nightstands: $89 each Hi, these are so good! (two were worked into the budget)
• Curtains: $88 each These panels are gray with a blue-ish hue so they will recede a little into the walls while still softening the room. I love them! (two panels were worked into the budget)
TOTAL: $976
Now it’s really starting to feel fresh and complete. For the last installment, I spent $1000 more to complete the room. Maybe you don’t have that lump all at once? Make a list with prices next to it (like we did below) and purchase it as your budget allows. All in all, this complete room refresh, complete with a new chandelier, large 34″ mirror, designer throw pillows and greenery comes to UNDER $2000! Here’s how it shakes out:
All the original pieces
• Queen Headboard: $93
• Taupe Stripe Duvet set: (If you have a queen, still get the King size and it will feel so luxurious): $25
• 8×10 Area Rug: $279
• A gallon of paint $33
• These prints $40
• Wall Sconce: $83
• Table Lamp: $69
• Nightstands x 2: $89 each! (total reflects 2)
• Curtains x 2: $88 each (total reflects 2)
What we added this time:
• Pillows: $475 This might seem like a lot for 4 pillows, and there are definitely cheaper options! However, these are all designer fabrics that look great! I also love that this Etsy shop curates groupings together (like the one above!), discounts the bundle and you can be confident knowing they look great together.
• Vase: $19 but looks so much more expensive
• Faux Stem x 2: $38 (total reflects 2)
• Mirror: $169 This 34″ mirror will make a statement and fill your wall AND bounce light around.
• Light Fixture: $268
TOTAL: $1,983
I hope this was helpful! My biggest tip when designing a room on any budget is to not necessarily look at individual prices, but instead focus on the budget AS A WHOLE. Maybe splurge on pillows and save on the headboard. Or splurge on curtains and save on an area rug! The mix is what is going to help your space look chic instead of cheap.
Very helpful post! Thanks so much for sharing!
Love, love, love the budget progression. It is super helpful. I would love to see more rooms done like this one. It really lets me see how to add pieces and the value they bring. I love all the affordable pieces you picked because this makes my budget seem so reasonable.
Where’s the link to the ceiling fan?!
very helpful and great advice! Thankyou!
What brand and color is your wood like floor?