Getting a top designer look on a budget : 10 tips to follow

Getting a top designer look on a budget : 10 tips to follow

You don't have to forgo the designer look if you are on a budget and here are a few tips how......




1. It's not a rush
Take your time to develop a style that you like. Do your research and cut out images from magazines and compile what you do like and familiarise yourself by writing down in a journal what it is you like about the image to understand your preferred design aesthetic. This will help to formalise your style into a common theme to create a flow throughout your home. 

Check out the following web sites for some inspiration 

http://www.aurahome.com.au/sleep/bed-linen 

http://homes.ninemsn.com.au/real-living/

http://www.housetohome.co.uk

2. Create a Mood Board 
Once you have confirmed a style you can now compile these images onto a board whether it be magnetic, or blu tacked to a wall to create a focus on your ideas and guide you on how to proceed purchasing your paint colours, wallpapers, fittings for your bathroom, furniture or designing your kitchen.


3. Try DIY projects as it can create an inspiring difference
While expensive designer looks use mostly costly materials and finishes they are often much cheaper alternatives available that will provide 90% of the same look. All you need to do is spend some time and look for items that have the same feel as a designer piece. Be it a an old dresser with a bright colour applied and new modern handles or an old lamp base with a new lamp shade applied. Let your imagination run creative.....


4.Look for a bang for your buck
Stone for example is usually more expensive and looks luxurious but there are alternative materials such as porcelain that is just as durable and more cost effective and contrasted with the right colour and textures can lift the atmosphere of a space to look just as expensive and timeless. It is all about not being afraid to experiment with colour and textures. Try wallpapers with a touch of gold or brass to achieve a luxurious feel rather than gold accessories which can be expensive. All these can create a sense of luxury on a budget.


5. Invest in unique items that will create a WOW factor
It is often wise to invest in a couple of show stopper items that will lift the level of your space. These can be materials such as a stainless steel bench or a solid timber floor or island bench to the kitchen. Feature light fittings can also achieve this same conversational piece and tie the theme of the room in together. It is all a matter of where to choose to skimp and save and where to splurge. You will find that some materials are only marginally more expensive such as bench top materials to your kitchen and would be wise to invest in to create that wow factor.


6.Buy Vintage 
Now this does not appeal to all but can look great when mixed with modern pieces that have similar proportions or lines to compliment each other. You can tie new with old with similar upholstery fabrics or cushions to create uniformity to your sofa and one seater chairs. Some vintage pieces may need a little work and others may just be a vase or floor lamp to accessorise the room to add character and charm to a space to lift the overall feel of the room. 
Try varying Victorian style chairs around your dining table repainted high gloss black to tie them in together and upholstered in plain textural fabrics from an affordable Australian fabric supplier Warwick that will add timeless charm to your dining table on a budget.


7.Group objects together 
Displaying multiple objects of the same type is an interior designer trick of the trade that can be appropriated by the budget decorator and recreated with cheaper items while still achieving a great outcome.
A collection of vases or cheaply purchased vessels is much the same effect once displayed. Old glass bottles can be bought cheaply and a collection of shapes in a common colour or theme can be very effective especially when the sunlight hits the coloured glass. 
This could also be achieved with three vases aligned on a dining table with flowers from your garden with three light pendants hanging above to create a repetitious alignment of forms above and below. Visually this is very engaging to a person walking into your home and is another trick of the trade. 


8. Scale is important
Remember scale is highly important part of interiors. Large furniture clutters up small spaces in an unnatural way and makes everything seem out f scale. Equally using small sofas in a a large room will look a sorry excuse for a sofa-so don't opt for a 2 seater to save money when the room really demands something bigger.


9. Look for showroom sales
Remember the sales that I post on my blog to let you know about designer discounts well they can save you a lot of money if you get there early. You can save up to 50% or more and still get the real thing. creating a designer look on a budget takes extra time precisely because the money no object mantra DOESN'T apply. 


10. Get inspiration online 
You can save money by shopping on line so start googling or


Inspiration for that designer look, well go to: 
Hub – Mainly Italian and very high end Hub has a few ranges that are quite surprisingly well priced. British company SCP for one.
Insitu - This company supplies many architects and specifiers with lesser known Italian furniture for commercial projects but have an interesting range of products suited to domestic spaces too.

Safari Living - A constant source of good things for the home, this Melbourne corner store sells Design House Stockholm and other interesting design led brands like Muuto that offer great value for money.

Smow - The Australian agent for the alternative German brand Nils Holger Moormann, sells a range of high grade flat pack designs that because they are flat packed are well priced  but being  German made are in excellent materials with cutting edge design values.

Temperature Design – This Melbourne company offers great value pieces made locally but  now also imports some previously unavailable brands into Australia such as Ercol – the famous timber chair company. Like Thonet, Ercol offer a lot of chair for a reasonable price.

Top 3 by Design – Full of designer merchandise, Top3 is one of the major stockists of Normann Copenhagen - the young Danish brand that offers amazing value for money pieces.

Zenith – Mainly a commercial furniture supplier, Zenith has some amazingly well priced items in their collection – several by Australian designers like Keith Melbourne. Whether it’s an interesting outdoor stool for the balcony or a dining table and chairs, Zenith offer designer pieces at seriously good prices.