• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The Interiors Addict

Heart Your Home

@interiorsaddict on Instagram   @interiorsaddict on Facebook   @interiorsaddict on Pinterest  
Subscribe
  • Job Board
  • About
  • Before & Afters
  • RENO ADDICT
  • Kitchens
  • Bathrooms
  • Kids Rooms
  • Bedrooms
  • Living Room
  • Shopping
  • Expert Tips
  • Recipes
  • Parenting
  • Travel
Interiors Addict
  • Job Board
  • About
    • Our Story

      Australia’s largest interior design, styling and renovation blog for the everyday Aussie. By former journalist and magazine editor Jen Bishop, the original interiors addict!
      READ MORE

      We’re big on Instagram!
      @interiorsaddict

      • About
      • Contact Interiors Addict
      • Work with Interiors Addict
      • Advertise / Find a job in Interiors
      • Press
      • Get Your Free Ebook

        This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
    • bookcover-jens-reno
  • By Room
    • Browse by Room

      Where you can search for all our posts about a specific room. Only interested in kitchens and bathrooms? We got you!

      • Kitchens
      • Bathrooms
      • Kids Rooms
      • Bedrooms
      • Living Room
      • Home Office
      • Dining
      • Laundry
      • Outdoor & Exteriors
      • Renting
    • bookcover-jens-reno
  • Before & Afters
    • Before & Afters

      Who doesn’t LOVE a good before & after? If you want to be inspired by the whole reno process, and not just the shiny photos at the end, this is the place for you!

      View Articles

      • Before & Afters
      • Jen’s reno
      • Real Renos
      • RENO ADDICT
    • AFTERKitchen and bathroom updates extend the life of Sydney home
    • Living and diningRun-down period home given new life in Melbourne
  • Reno Addict
    • RENO ADDICT

      Looking for reno inspo? Find it all here, from other people’s projects to the latest trends, tools and products, whether you’re DIY-ing or employing trades.

      View articles

      • Reno Products
      • The Block
      • DIY
      • Reno Trends
      • Before & Afters
      • Real Renos
    • Dining and loungeMasterchef contestant’s family home gets the designer touch
    • AFTERKitchen and bathroom updates extend the life of Sydney home
  • Shopping
    • Shopping

      Want to know where to buy the latest furniture, homewares, rugs, art and more? We’re always sharing our latest finds and telling you where you can buy them.

      View Articles

      • Furniture
      • Homewares
      • Art
      • Smart Home
      • Appliances
      • Reno Products
    • Screen Shot 2023-09-25 at 11.42.22 amBe more eco-friendly with candles housed in recycled wine bottles
    • 4473037a-ef84-4db1-8449-e15b219e2cebJen’s best ways to cosy up your interior
  • Inspiration
    • Inspiration

      While Jen’s a legitimate interiors addict, she’s no design professional, so she calls on an army of the country’s best to share their expertise with you. Be inspired by their stories too!

      View Articles

      • Decorating 101
      • Interviews
      • Expert Tips
      • Before & Afters
      • House Tours
      • Designers
      • Styling
      • Renovating
      • Real Renos
      • Covet my coffee table
    • Haymes Paint Heritage HuesHaymes Paint latest collection like a ‘colour hug’
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle

      We’re mostly about the home but Jen also likes to share other things she thinks you’ll love, like food and travel.

      • Recipes
      • Travel
      • Parenting
    • Penne-Alla-VodkaFoodie Friday: Penne alla vodka (dairy free & vegan)
    • Palazzo Segretti design roomDream holiday? Check out this design lovers’ tour to Milan
  • Jobs
    • Advertise on our job board
    • Job Board FAQs for advertisers

Where to spend vs. save: an interior designer’s view

By Guest Poster •

FacebookPinEmailTweet

By Oliver Davis

The skill set required of an interior designer is very broad. Aside from all the obvious things (design acumen, drawing skills, encyclopedic knowledge of product lines, project management) something often overlooked as a core competency in this industry is the ability to direct spending appropriately. You see, no project, regardless of how grand or elegant, has an infinite budget, and many of my highest spending clients still have to agonise over decisions on where to spend money and where to save it without compromising on aesthetics. Below is my guide to how to achieve the look of a high-end fit out by prioritising your budget allocation on certain items.

Where to spend

Rugs: Rugs are always my starting point when decorating a living space or bedroom. They act as a foundation piece upon which to layer the colours and materials of everything else in the room. Selecting the right one is vital, and can be expensive. Formal spaces require something hand-knotted in wool and silk, with other natural fibre options including nettle, hemp or aloe. A cheaper option for less formal spaces, and one that I rely on repeatedly because I love the look, is sisal. It is more durable and feels textured under the feet, whilst still being soft enough for the kids to play on.

Photo: Decoryourhouse.com
Photo: Decoryourhouse.com

Lighting: A natural focal point of any room, lighting is not a place to skimp. The artisanal quality of handmade lighting can be breathtaking, and can completely transform the vibe of a space. I love big table lamps with bases in fine natural materials, such as woven leather or alabaster, and I always go for silk lampshades and diffusers. Coach lanterns in glass and metal make for impressive pendant or sconce fittings, as does anything in crystal.

Photo: Wisemanandgale.com
Photo: Wisemanandgale.com

Feature cushions: Abundant scatter cushions are vital for sofas, armchairs and beds, but can become expensive when fabric is purchased by the metre. Earlier this year, I had a client who held off ordering cushions until the project budget was almost drained, so I had the majority of them made in a cheaper, neutral fabric and then chose something very special for two or three feature cushions. These caught the eye with colour accents and a stunning textured material, and the overall effect was very impressive.

Photo: cottages-gardens.com
Photo: cottages-gardens.com

An interior designer: It may sound crazy, but sometimes paying an interior designer can actually save you money overall. Designers can offer access to those elusive trade-only suppliers, who represent a whole new world of product options that aren’t available to the general public. Many also have good relationships with high street retailers and may be able to negotiate a discount on certain items. Above all else though, they can offer a big picture vision for your home and help you to avoid the trap of ending up with a collection of hotchpotch products that looked great in the showroom but somehow don’t work together in your space.

Where to save

Beds: Many clients assume it will be necessary to trawl through designer showrooms and purchase expensive bedframes for their home. But if you want something that looks even more refined and is a fraction of the price, purchase a simple mattress and base ensemble, and dress it up with a separate bedhead and valance. For a contemporary but elegant look, I go for square, upholstered bedheads set quite high on the wall, sometimes with visible nail head detail around the edges.

Photo: kyliefrierson.com
Photo: kyliefrierson.com

Coffee tables/consoles/dining tables: When your budget is tight, the trick is to find hard furnishings that are relatively inexpensive but still well made. Many people resort to replica designer furniture, which often looks cheap and doesn’t stand the test of time. I recommend instead visiting some of those larger warehouses that stock imported 19th Century antique furnishings from Japan and China. For very reasonable prices you can find products that are beautifully restored and quite neutral in their design aesthetic. Just steer clear of anything too decorative and detailed unless that is the look you are going for. Bonus points for incorporating genuine antiques into your contemporary space!

Photo: wabisabi-style.blogspot.co.uk
Photo: wabisabi-style.blogspot.co.uk

Raw materials: I once received an amusing call from a client ordering me to call off the search for marble slabs, as she’d just dropped into a small showroom having a liquidation sale and talked the salesperson into selling her enough gorgeous Carrara marble to do her kitchen, the counters in both her bathrooms, as well as the cabinetry in her living room, all for $500! Don’t be afraid to inquire about a bulk discount if your project requires re-flooring, tiling or cabinetry.

Photo: Oliver Davis Design
Photo: Oliver Davis Design

Decorative accessories: With the rise of online retail, you have at your fingertips an overwhelming choice of bowls, trays, vases and jugs that won’t break the bank. Alternatively, you might like to peruse vintage shops and estate auctions, where it’s highly likely you’ll stumble upon a few affordable gems. This is your opportunity to finish off the space in a way that truly expresses who you are and what you like.

Photo: aerin.com
Photo: aerin.com

– Oliver Davis is creative director at Oliver Davis Design, a residential interior design firm in Melbourne. 

FacebookPinEmailTweet

December 2, 2014

Primary Sidebar

Popular This Week

  • Kyle and Leslie's living room Featuring in The Block ‘disaster’ room pays off for artist
  • At home with Bohemian Traders’ Emily Berlach on the Central Coast
  • It’s kitchen (and laundry!) reveals on The Block 2023!
  • Pushing design boundaries: a joyful London home full of colour
  • Australian kitchen dimensions: standard sizes for every last detail

Follow us on Instagram

Did somebody say spring?! 🌼 🌱 ❤️ Here's Did somebody say spring?! 🌼 🌱 ❤️

Here's our @amycollinswalker's picks from the gorgeous new ranges at @linen_house 

All the details on the homepage now via link in bio.

This is giving me Christmas table inspo. How do you decorate your Christmas table? Growing up in the UK it was always traditional green and red but here I go all out fresh and summery!

#springdecor #springdecorating #springdecorations #springdecoration #springdining #springtablescape #springlinen #springbedroom #ginghamcushions #gingham #linenhouse #linenaddict #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome #tablelinen #tablecloths
Colour hug, anyone?! A collaboration with design Colour hug, anyone?!

A collaboration with design studio Nexus Designs, this palette from the new @haymespaint colour forecast is perfect for those looking to create a tranquil environment and has a particular focus on darker shades.

“Inspired by the qualities of an intimate reading room, confident and expressive colours such as Florida Everglade have a muted depth that embody this. Balanced and subtle, it’s also invigorating and luscious. Through all over application, paired with contemporary furniture and styling, this colour and the broader palette plays with tactility, translucency, reflection, and form,” says Myra Murtagh of Nexus. 

See the rest of the colour forecast, include collabs with @adairs and TikTok favourites @joshandmattdesign on the blog homepage now, via link in bio.

#haymespaint #colourforecast #painttrends #colourtrends #paintcolours #paintcolors #darkwalls #readingroom #moodywalls #moodyinteriors #interiorsblog #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome
Featuring in a Block "disaster" room nevertheless Featuring in a Block "disaster" room nevertheless paid off for artist @adoni.art 

Slammed for being too small, @kyleandleslie's living room was otherwise praised by the judges for being beautifully styled.

"In terms of using it as a marketing platform it’s been amazing," he said. "Even for people who don’t follow the show it’s validation that they are following an artist that’s levelling up. The exposure has translated to sales, traffic and attention and it’s everything I wanted because I’m about to launch a new collection.”

Read our chat with Adoni and see more of his gorgeous work via link in bio now.

Have you ever bought something you saw on the Block?

#theblockroomreveals #theblock #theblock2023 #affordableart #affordableartaustralia #affordableartonline #australianartist #australianart #livingroomart #livingroomstyle #livingroomideas #smalllivingroom #adoniart #theinteriorsaddict #interiorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome #blockshopper
Pink and green should always be seen! From time t Pink and green should always be seen!

From time to time, we stray from our Australian-homes-only rule when we uncover something we really love! This project, by @2lgstudio (and also the interior design duo’s own home) is featured in Ornament Is Not a Crime, a new coffee table interiors book by Sydney-based design writer @rebeccalgross.

Head to the homepage via link in bio to read about this home and see more colourful pictures in an extract.

#2lgstudio #2lg #londoninteriordesigner #londoninteriors #londonhome #londonhomes #brighthome #brightinteriors #funinteriors #colourfulhome #interiordesignersathome #pinkandgreen #pinkandgreendecor #pinkandgreenshouldalwaysbeseen
Real reno: How's this for a luxe bathroom?! Natas Real reno: How's this for a luxe bathroom?!

Natasha from QLD recently finished a major reno of her Queenslander and this is her favourite room of all. We can see why!

She used @beaumont.tiles  Lux Calcutta slabs in gloss the wall and matt for the floor.

 "We have infused a Hamptons style whilst still remaining true to the traditions of old Queenslanders," she said. "Our bathroom is north west facing and captures such great morning light. We wrapped the cabinetry all the way along the vanity for ease of access for the bath, towels and accessories. We tiled all the way to the ceiling to create a more luxurious space. It's my favourite room in the house!"

#ichosebeaumonts #beaumonttiles #tiles #bathroomtile #bathroomtiling #hamptonsbathroom #queenslanderrenovation #queenslanderbathroom #luxurybathroom #australianbathroom #australianbathrooms #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome
Block kitchen week is always a goodie and we got 5 Block kitchen week is always a goodie and we got 5 very different looks last night which was great!

One question that kept coming up was just how important is the butler's pantry? Love to hear your thoughts. Do you have one? And which was your favourite last night? Please share in the comments.

Head to the blog via link in bio to find out who won and what the judges said. 

#theblock #theblockshop #blockshopper #theblockroomreveals #kitchenweek #kitchenpalette #kitchencabinetry #kitchenstyles
Located in Melbourne’s Elsternwick, this stylis Located in Melbourne’s Elsternwick, this stylish home was renovated recently with @keenarchitecture and @studio_esar at the helm. Brimming with fun, functionality and colour, the home is shared by ex MasterChef contestant Peter Kritikides, his wife Erica and their two children. 

Occupied by the family since 2015, the renovation brief called for a sympathetic yet modern upgrade to the heritage listed original home as well as the demolition and rebuild of the back of the residence.

Want to see the kitchen? Head to the blog via link in bio.

#elsternwick #melbournehome #melbournehomes #masterchefaustralia #masterchefcontestant #masterchefcontestants #chefskitchen #heritagearchitecture #heritagehome #heritagerenovation #monochromehome #colourfulhome #bookshelfstyling #bookcasestyling #colourfulbooks #fireplacedecor #velvetcouch #livingroomstyle #livingroomart
GET THE LOOK. All the finer details of Sunday's Bl GET THE LOOK. All the finer details of Sunday's Block master bedroom walk ins on the blog now.

Which was your fave?

Via latest posts link in bio now.

#walkincloset #walkinwardrobe #walkinrobe #wardrobes #wardrobe #wardrobe #bedroomstorage #masterbedroomdesign #mastersuite #theblockroomreveals #theblock #theblock2023 #kinsman #kinsmankitchens #kinsmanwardrobes #dressingroom #dressingtable
A home that got all its extra special details AFTE A home that got all its extra special details AFTER handover with stunning results!

When Emma Fuller built her family home five years ago, she went with the ‘basic’ package with a view to elevating the spaces in a more budget-friendly manner down the line. Knowing that she couldn’t afford her entire wish list upfront, she made allowances within the plans so that she could add all the special details later.

“Although the builder could have incorporated every detail we asked for, we knew it would have blown our budget, but that didn’t mean I was going to let the dream go,” says @hamptonsinhighfields 

Patience and hard work have definitely paid off and today on the blog we are showing you how she did it from adding a fireplace, bench seat, wallpaper, french doors, a mudroom, built in bookcases, fretwork, kitchen island trim, IKEA wardrobes and more!

Via link in bio now.

#newbuild #hamptonsaustralia #hamptonsnewbuild #fretwork #benchseat #benchseating #fireplace🔥 #fireplacedecor #ikeahacks #diymudroom #mudroom #kidsroomwallpaper #frenchdoors #frenchdoor #hallwaydoors #frenchdoorpantry #butlerspantrydesign #newbuildupgrades
Follow on Instagram
Visit Jen's profile on Pinterest.

Get Your Free Ebook

Ebook cover

Never miss the latest renovating and interiors products, news and inspo again! Sign up for our newsletter and we'll send you the best bits from the blog, direct to your inbox. Plus you'll get our latest eBook: Just One Thing To Elevate Your Interior, featuring Australia's top design talent.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Avatar

About Guest Poster

If you have high quality, original, relevant content to share, we might be interested in publishing your guest post on Interiors Addict. Please email [email protected] with your submissions.

More from Designers

Haymes Paint Heritage Hues

Haymes Paint latest collection like a ‘colour hug’

Pushing design boundaries: a joyful London home full of colour

Dining and lounge

Masterchef contestant’s family home gets the designer touch

Alfresco

A light-filled NSW coastal holiday abode from SOUL Home

Understated luxury and spectacular views make for dream kitchen

Humble and hardworking: Greg Natale on his huge business growth

Award-winning interior designer Eva Pan is moving to Sydney

Mentees chat about amazing year with top designer Thomas Hamel

Old and new parts of home brought together to flow with nature

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. AvatarKyankya says

    December 28, 2021 at 5:06 pm

    Exceptionally beautifull

Footer

Interiors Addict

Interiors Addict

  • About
  • Contact
  • Work with Jen
  • Press
  • Jobs
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure Policy

Browse

  • RENO ADDICT
  • Jen’s Reno
  • House Tours
  • Real Renos
  • Interviews
  • Styling
  • Designers
  • Bedrooms
  • Covet My Coffee Table
  • Expert Tips
  • The Block
  • Art
  • Furniture
  • Recipes

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RENO ADDICT

Copyright © 2011–2023 Addicted Media Pty Ltd
Website care by ClickWP · Log in

Share this ArticleLike this article? Email it to a friend!

Email sent!