Hi guys,
Today we’ll discuss 6 hurdles and solutions to those little deal breakers, you may face when starting or thinking of starting a project, such as realising your dream sofa won’t fit or your budget won’t allow for the replacement of all the fittings.
Budget Constraints
First and foremost decide on a budget, a ballpark figure is good but deciding on what you are willing to spend exactly, cuts down on any extra consumerism. As far as furniture pieces are concerned, recovering a really good piece bought many years ago can be add new life to it. Recover cushions in trendy designs, which will update the look and feel to a dated sofa. Next replace lights and light fittings. Recover those shades or change your rug or decide on a new color palette that works with the existing pieces.
Sentimental Value
As mentioned above, replacing the shade on a lamp handed down from your Gran, can cut down on costs, but also preserve memories. Little collections of perfume bottles as an example, can be incorporated and displayed in a manner that also preserves any memories of a specific time in your life.
Style and Comfort
Not style OR comfort, but style and comfort. These do work together well when a balance is found. Key to this dilemma is that you need to opt for comfort when selecting items you’ll use everyday, such as sofas, arm chairs. Find the right sofa and chairs takes time, but it is worth it in the end. Everything else from rugs to wall art can be stylish.
Existing features
Having bought a home, or perhaps renting one, there are certain feature that cannot be changed or can be changed at a huge cost. Examples are ceiling styles or room layouts. Options are making them less noticeable or incorporating them in the design.
Paint or wallpapering a wall is cheaper than removing it. New life can be blown into build in cupboards in the bedroom and kitchen by repainting or adding a wooden ornate border to the edges. Stenciling is also an option. Paint skirting boards , add cornices to ceilings. Kitchen counter tops are expensive to replace, so add a back splash. Repaint where possible. Replace these tops with Caerstone, wood or laminate concrete as a cost effective and inexpensive option.
Image and design by Lil Chirpy Bird
General odd look to a room
This is due to furnishings not fitting the size of the room. Evaluate your space and plan out the scale and proportions. Guidelines to follow include, for a bigger the space, use bolder and more dramatic colors including prints and patterns. Not replacing your smaller furniture but stuck with a big space, consider grouping these items in terms of functionality. In a smaller space with larger furniture pieces, consider changing the color palette to create lightness and vastness. Make use of natural light as far as possible. Try to move furniture away from walls.
Poorly selected accessories
Drapes are very important to the feel of a room. Depending on the style of your design, drapery should allow as much light in as possible. Consider curtain finishing that add height to the ceilings. Options to consider when replacing your curtains, are roman blinds, sheers with a separate lining, etc.
De-cluttering of tired bookshelves and coffee table of mags is another way to liven up a space. (Watch out for our post on styling your coffee take and console) Replacing an ill fitting rug with the correct size rug is key to any revamp. Reassign tired and dated, but sentimental pieces of wall art to another area in the form of a gallery wall in any room. Replace or recover old lampshades.
Well I hope you guys enjoyed our tips and tricks. Please feel free to share your tips on design.