Essential Interior Design Tip #6:
Design does NOT have to be expensive to be “good”– Set a budget and stick to it.
It would be nice if money were no object.
But it always is. Even when it’s not. Even if you just won the lottery. Even if you just inherited a gazillion dollars from a long-lost aunt. Even then, it’s still an object. And while BIG budgets are great, they are NOT the key to a successful project.
Let’s just all admit setting a budget is hard!
The money part always is. It’s hard because it’s scary. The word budget strikes fear into our hearts.
- Fear of losing control.
- Fear of making a mistake.
- Fear of spending too much.
- Or not enough.
- And worst of all…Fear of being judged.
Big budget = pretentious-greedy-showy.
Small budget = stingy-miser or poor.
With reasons like these it’s no wonder you’re reluctant to even think about a budget. But c’mon, you have an amount somewhere in your head. Realistic or not, it’s in there. Large or small you have one. So embrace it! Overcome your fears and commit.
Regardless of size, you need a budget. Here’s why…
A budget gives you boundaries.
Boundaries create restraint.
Restraint is key to creativity.
People always say, “Think outside the box.”
But how can you do that if there is NO box (no budget)? The box is the restraint. Without it there’s no way to think outside of it. There’s no chance for creativity!
Budget Barriers {excuses}:
- You don’t know how much stuff costs.
(It really doesn’t matter how much stuff costs. You can’t spend what you don’t have. So figure out how much you have.)
- You think budget means cheap.
(Budget means responsible, realistic restraint. It serves as a decision-making guide.)
- You’re afraid you’ll be unhappy because you can’t afford everything you want.
(You’ll be a lot happier without debt and buyer’s remorse.)
- You don’t want to limit your choices.
(As we’ve already discussed, that’s exactly what you need to do to get creative!)
- You don’t want to show all your cards.
(You fear losing the upper hand in a negotiation. What you’re really doing is closing the door on communication and setting yourself up for disappointment.)
Guidelines for setting a realistic budget:
- Don’t set a high-low range. You will hit the high every time. This isn’t my first rodeo so I say this already knowing that your wants will most likely exceed your means.
- Set your budget as high as possible without going into debt. It’s really hard to enjoy your new space knowing that you’ll be paying for it for. ev. er. But if you do use debt (I’m not here to judge, just to advise) then at least have a plan to pay it off asap!
- Set your budget with the intent of spending every last dime. This way you avoid negotiating with yourself as to whether or not you can raise your budget. You already know you can’t. If you want to buy an item that is higher than what you budgeted – fine – just go back and REVise your budget by lowering the amount you can spend on something else.
In the end what’s really important is not how high or low your budget is. It’s that you have one!
Good design is not dependent on how much money you spend. It’s dependent on the design process itself.
So with that in mind, let’s move on to our next tip…
Essential Interior Design Tip #5: It’s Not About the Stuff. It’s What You DO With the Stuff!