When you are decorating your space, the first decision to make is which pieces you are going to really invest in. Most people don’t have the budget to invest in everything that goes into a room.
I have some go-to recommendations for people (and clients) on a budget.
For a family room, your sofa is the most used and most important piece of furniture in the room. Get a great, durable, comfortable sofa and you can fill in with less expensive pieces. No question.
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| This green sectional in designer, Bailey McCarthy’s, home is the basis for the entire room |
For your bedroom, this is a bit more complicated. You can skimp on nightstands (paint a thrift store find), headboards don’t have to be expensive, nor does bedding (ahem, have you heard of Biscuit?), lamps can be pricey but I’m not sure they HAVE to be an investment. I think my go-to investment in your bedroom would have to be custom drapery. You are going to use those every single day to block out the light and give you privacy. They should work. And work well.
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| There were definitely other investments made in this room besides the drapery, but the drapery is the perfect finishing touch. And best of all, functional. |
Dining Room. A budget friendly table is easy to disguise with investment chairs. And there are tons of vintage light fixtures out there that are really fabulous. Chairs are important, because the cheap ones show cheap. Good chairs are expensive, but worth it.
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| This could be any pedestal table, but those coral Louis chairs completely dress it up. |
And in all cases, dining, living and bedroom… I think its always worth investing in art. If you buy pieces you love, you’ll love them forever and always find places for them. There are plenty of situations where art just makes the room. You can have basic furniture, but then a serious piece of art and the entire room changes.
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| This large scale photograph completes this room in every way. Can you even imagine it without it? |
Do you have any other questions you’d like a designers’ perspective on? I have a couple other frequently asked ones I’ve been thinking about answering here.
