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We were fortunate to be invited to share some of our design tips on "Mary Talks Money." We love to use clients treasured pieces from artwork to heirlooms and reinvent them creating fresh and meaningful spaces.  We hope you enjoy the clip!

Turning Budget Into Beauty

     

Happy New Year!

We're kicking off the new year with some thoughts on how to get the most (decorating!) bang for your buck. Contrary to what some would have you believe, you don't have to spend a fortune to create a room that looks like a million bucks.

Where to start? Although "cheap" furniture might be the first thing that pops into your mind when you think budget decor, we don't believe in buying "disposable" furniture -- it's never really that cheap and it always needs to be replaced within a couple of years. Instead, we advocate investing in pieces that you love. One way to do this on a budget is to take something old and make it new. Grandma's old chair? A dusty old mirror? A flea market find? It never fails, no matter how much the other pieces in a newly decorated room cost, it's always the made-over piece that becomes every one's favorite. Why? Because it's unique, it's fresh, it's something that no one else has.

And, to help you jump start your design resolutions, we are offering a complimentary "Get Rid of the Winter Blues" design consultation to our subscribers. Contact us for more information and get decorating!

Suggestion 1:  Buy Vintage 
Dining chairs are notoriously expensive (and you need so many of them!).  So, why not buy vintage and transform?  You could take a dining chair like this...

 

and turn it into this.

OR, take these tired old chairs and turn them into...          

                                       

these whimsical ones using the paint color and fabric of your choice?

Or imagine these clean-lined (almost) beauties with slipcovers  

                              

 

 VOILA!

Or you could take an old chandelier like this and transform it into a chic new one,

 

Or how about taking an old, hand-me-down mirror and making it into something that better reflects your personality 

 

  You could paint it white or black...the possibilities are endless

  

Suggestion 2:  Unfinished Furniture
No mud room? Tired of shoes and bags thrown on the floor? Why not take an inexpensive unfinished piece like this bench,  paint it either bright or white (your choice!), add some baskets and perhaps a beautiful but durable cushion.

  

Suggestion 3: Buy Cheap(er)
One of our favorite pieces to get on the cheap is a rug -- especially if it is going under the dreaded dining room table. That's a good place to think discount retailer! How about a fresh gold pattern or cool grey animal print to add a little fun to a dining room? This is a relatively inexpensive carpet you can afford to throw it out when you are tired of the pattern or due to stains.

We hope that these suggestions will help you transform some pieces of your own. 

And don't forget, we offer a variety of services that can be mixed and matched to give you the design experience that fits your lifestyle and budget. We can do it all, from handling every last detail to working as consultants, giving you tips on fabric and furnishings. We can do upscale design using trade-only fabrics and furnishings or we can do more budget-friendly design using a combination of less expensive fabrics and furnishings, perhaps re-painted, re-upholstered and re-imagined.

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This fall we introduced our blog with a story about a client looking to renovate the living and dining rooms of her beach house. It was beautiful (and costly!). This year we've decided to feature a step-by-step story featuring a beach house renovation that strives to be equally beautiful and chic but more budget-friendly. It will feature before and after shots and discuss our decision-making process on how to create a beautiful space on a budget. So, subscribe to our blog and follow us on our renovation journey.