Anything can be made pretty. Anything.
I had a long conversation recently with a girlfriend – newly separated and looking for a new home. Her budget is very strict and everything she is looking at is falling short. It isn’t that her expectations are necessarily high, it is that she can’t see beyond what is there. Carpet in the bathroom (a few things wrong with that). Dated cupboards. Damaged hardwood. Cat hair – enough to knit a sweater. I say you HAVE to widen the lens.
Space it Out
You can’t create space anymore than you can make more time. It is finite in a home – square footage is square footage. But if the space is right, you have to find a way to see beyond everything else.
The Wonder of Tile
I recently refreshed two little bathrooms for a client on a shoestring – actually, more like a thread. By selecting well-priced tile, I was able to save a ton of budget. Try Olympia for the best value – and choose something classic in whites, greys or creams. You will ever tire of a bathroom that is fresh, bright and clean. If you need a pop, get it from artwork, accessories and towels.
If it is Already Made…
There is cost cutting built into buying pre-fabricated – vanities, cushions, mirrors, this list goes on and on. I can always hear a little “che-ching” go off in my head when I start to take custom with a client. Yes – you are getting EXACTLY what you want and there are situations that I would never recommend different. But in the case of a little refresh or for the tighter budget, I would make something off the shelf work. I just would. Home Depot, HomeSense, Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware, Crate & Barrel, even Costco. Keep your eyes open.
Paint by Numbers
A fresh coat of paint changes lives. It really does. I have painted kitchens, chairs, tables, decks, floors – if it can be painted, I have painted it. Again, look at and consider the bones. If you love the shape of a piece but are over its finish, consider the alternative before the toss.
Slip it on
Starting my career in cottage design meant inheriting pieces and design elements on almost every project. A sofa from a client’s city basement; a gifted set of mismatched chairs; pieces from a fully furnished, recently purchased cottage. And I completely subscribe to using it all – I actually think THIS is the backbone of good cottage design. So slipcovers quickly became a really good friend.
A tailored slipcover reinvents a piece for a fraction of what it would cost to buy new. When I say fraction, I mean under $1500 for labour for a sofa. If it is more, push back. Plus the value of your fabric – and have said this before – fabric is like shoes. You can go to the Shoe Company or you can chose Louboutin. You will need at least 16 yards for a sofa and probably 6-8 for a chair, dependent on scale. And consider your repeat – large repeat, more fabric required – your upholsterer will give you the extra yardage
Consider the bones – if they are good, it is completely worth the spend. New cushion cores, if required, can last up to 10 years depending on how the piece is used. Another good spend. And I prefer slip covers to reupholstering for cottage – easy to remove for winter storage, to dry clean or launder depending on your fabric choice and easier if you ever choose to swap out. But would opt for reupholstery anywhere else.