What? Is that a thing? No way, interior design is only for the rich and famous, the well to-doers and Insta Influencers. Right?

Nope, interior design is achievable to anyone who makes it a priority. And, I want to offer you a couple of thoughts about how you can make some design choices in your home that will have a big impact at a respectable dollar amount. Read on.

That Money, Yall.

We all design differently. Some of us start with a color palette, some of us start around an existing piece that we already have, some of us come upon a piece that we have to have and have to showcase. I’m kind of a mixture of all of these designers, mostly based on my clients and where they are in their design, or lack thereof.

Regardless of where you are starting in your design, you have to at least know your budget, know your limits, this has to be your starting point. A real good way to get out of control and lose the “approachable,” part of your project is by lacking some actual data. So, sit down and figure out what you have to spend or how much you need to save to achieve your hopes and home dreams. If you are planning a move, start this process ASAP by considering what you have currently and what you need, start selling the things that don’t make the cut and pocket the money for the new vibes you are feeling for your new address.

Once you have a budget set, or a savings plan in place for your project, attack your priorities.

Key Pieces

Just because we are working on a budget and attempting some interior design for the average Joe, does not mean that everything in your space has to be on the cheap. Quite the opposite and super important to identify the key pieces that are going into the space that will need to be around longer than the current trends. Like, for example, a sofa, or a mattress. These are items that need to be quality pieces that should stand the test of time, and that means we need to assign a bigger chunk of your budget to these items.

I recommend doing your research on the web, reading reviews is helpful, but learning about the product and materials it is made of is also important. After you have educated yourself on what makes this particular key piece a quality piece, start shopping… in person. Touching, seeing, sitting, laying, is, in my opinion, a must when you are spending big dollars. It is important to not confuse ‘high quality’ with ‘high price,’ which could make this key piece not as much of a hit to your budget, so be smart.

Big Impacts

There are so many things that you can do in a space that have a big impact and a small price tag. For example, painting. It should be music to your ears when I say, “paint is not permanent!” That’s right, you heard it here first, you can paint over paint!!! WOOOO HOOOO! And, since paint color trends change like the weather in Virginia, it is important to remember this fact and stop getting so anxious about that bold color you want to use! If you know that you want to use paint to make an impact, but you don’t know where to start, head over to Sherwin Williams | Color Selection and click around a bit. Also, check out this post on my Instagram related to color selections. Another fun fact about paint is that it only goes where you put it. You don’t have to do every wall, you don’t even have to do a whole wall. Here are some examples of what I mean:

One of my favorite elements to use in design is wood, while it can be trendy, at its root, wood is classic and, a must, for me. There are so many ways to incorporate wood into your design, from floating shelves, to accent walls, there is nothing that you can’t do, so don’t limit yourself to these awesome designs:

Let’s say that you are renting and painting and nailing a bunch of holes in the wall isn’t an option, you’re stuck in the land of white walls… which with the current trend in neutrals, you are kind of winning, but where do you go from here? Art. That’s where. And oh my, my there are so many ways to obtain beautiful art, in any size, in any budget. Besides checking out Marshalls, Homegoods, TJ Maxx, World Market, try these spots on the web as well:

Textiles

There are a lot of items in design that fall into the category of “textiles;” rugs, pillows, blankets, furniture, curtains, to name the most common. One thing about textiles is that of the range of prices are covered in this category. So, like I said before, pick and choose how you spend, consider items that you will tire of quickly, or trendy pieces that won’t last more than a year or two. Textiles make it so easy to stay current with trends while not staying broke.

One of my favorite concepts is that of Ruggable. If you don’t know about them, they are a washable rug system in a variety of sizes, patterns and colors. I also don’t consider them to be outrageously priced, so having a couple of covers for one space isn’t that crazy of an idea, either for rotation or seasonal use. Our home has a Ruggable in just about every room and ideally, at some point, every room will have one.

Curtains can either be a focal point, or be purely functional in your space. But either way, there are a lot of options out there, and custom options are endless. I have gone in every direction with my clients and we haven’t gone wrong yet.

I think of textiles like I think of accessories while I’m getting dressed… the glitter that brings it to life. Easy to change, easy to find, easy to pay for.

Look-a-likes

This is where it is super important to decide how important a piece is…. if this is in the “key piece” category, it is probably best to not go with a look-a-like piece, but do your research on the quality before ultimately making your decision. From accent tables, to window hardware, to all the lamps and lighting options, if you find something at a high-end store that you can’t live without, but also can’t afford, do a little digging elsewhere. For example, the item on the left is regularly priced $350 at Pottery Barn and the item on the right, regularly $220 on Wayfair:

In Conclusion

Designing your home is possible, but remember, it is your home, not a home on Pinterest or Instagram (yet!). Since it is your home, make sure that the design will not only compliment your personality, but also how you and the others who live there operate in the home. While planning your design keep in mind how the space will be used and by who, be methodical in the choices you make with the key pieces vs budget pieces. It might also be a good idea to actually map out the room and the pieces you want to put in it to make sure they actually fit and function in the space.

If you are attempting to bring some design into your space and you are hitting a wall (literally and figuratively), drop me a comment below and I’ll see what ‘expert’ advice I can serve up to you and your personal dilemma. And, while you are at it, head down to the footer and to sign up for updates and helpful home design and organization blogs… my thoughts are riveting, you will see.