Everything in your budget

So, you’ve just about moved into your new house and the feeling of accomplishment is unmatchable. Whether it was the burden of getting your home loan sanctioned or reconciling your finances to the rising rent rates, finding a house in a good locality and at a reasonable distance from work would have invariably been a daunting task.

Now that the biggest hurdle has been crossed, let’s think about how to settle in. Somehow, it just doesn’t feel like home yet, and it’s time to do it up. With an unending list of responsibilities and sparing money, home decor would probably not have been on high priority.

But with a little bit of innovation, even the most basic of apartments, furnished seemingly low-key, can be transformed into a great space for living — and your pocket won’t even feel the pinch. Before you begin, there are a couple of broad concepts to keep in mind.
At the very start Furniture layout is a great place to start. Measure your space and understand what fits well. The key is to make a space feel large, even if it is small; so innovate in the arrangement of your furniture to give conventional spaces a new role. Finding a focal point helps, such as an outdoor view or an accent wall to hang the television on. Grouping seating around a large window or creating a reading nook in the corner of your room will help break away from conventional seating arrangements.

A transparent glass top for a centre table goes a long way in making a small living room feel larger. An age-old tactic to make a room appear brighter and larger is to bring the outdoors in, by positioning a mirror to reflect light or a view. Remember that good lighting is essential in making your space feel open and inviting, so it is important to take
advantage of the natural light available, while also creating accent points with artificial lighting.

The idea is to prioritise what you think your house needs over what you may like. In the beginning, it may seem as though every room needs a major facelift. Therefore, identify the spaces in your house which ideally should be worked on more, and for the remaining rooms, minimise the intervention. Usually, the high priority spaces in a house include the living, dining and master bedroom. So, let’s look at some ideas for these areas.

Each room should be approached as an attempt to create an artistic composition. Let contrasting pieces work together – everything does not always have to match. Blend in together dissimilar looking living room furniture that you may already have (maximise on the existing furniture) with a common colour – which may take shape in the form of soft furnishings. If you are  buying a new sofa, then invest in a simple one, and pair it with colourful accessories.

Always pick furniture that completes a room. You need not have a three-piece sofa set; one eye-catching three-seater combined with some random chairs will work just as well if composed properly. Create focal points in your composition. For example, how about a feature wall with a collection of masks hung on it?

It is good to set a budget for yourself, and in doing so, knowing where to spend and where to cut back. The idea is to splurge on high-impact decor – things that will make a statement – and then accessorise innovatively with pieces that you already have lying around, collected over the years.

All in the details
For low-priority spaces like the kitchen and bathrooms, the most efficient thing would be to invest in tiling. You need not select the most expensive kind of tiles – in most cases, these end up being more gaudy than anything else.

Look at whites and greys, or maybe even very light tints of a colour, with a simple self-print or texture. Remember that bigger tiles do a much better job of making a space feel large than smaller tiles. Apart from this, not much is required to perk up your kitchen or bathrooms.

Line up pots of plants against the kitchen window sills. Since replacing cabinetry can be costly, think about re-facing the shutters and drawer fronts only, with basic laminates. Rather than redoing your entire bathroom counter, invest only in fixtures — maybe something with an interesting new metal finish. A bathroom can even be dressed up with something as simple as a striking soap dish, a colourful shower curtain or an attractive mirror piece.

Maximise on minimalism. Look for clean straight lines in whatever you purchase and try to keep your space clean and fuss-free. Too much of a good thing can be bad, so edit your accessories and see whether something really adds value to a space or whether it just adds clutter.

When buying furniture, look for pieces that are multi-functional — maybe a sofa with a pull-out bed (you don’t need that extra guest bedroom, after all) or ottomans with storage space beneath (space to keep the knick-knacks floating around and hide the clutter).

The motto of minimalism is that god is in the details; and small details can really make all the difference. For example, think coasters, curtain hooks, drawer and cupboard handles.
Design a mood board for yourself and experiment with it in an interesting way. Keeping your base a minimalist white, garnish it with a few pops of colour. Don’t hesitate to use colour in inventive ways. For example, try painting only the insides of your wooden bookshelf or perking up a bare wall with textured paint.

A splash of colour in the bathrooms could come in the form of doormats or towels. Working with materials and textures adds depth to a space. For example, complement a muted sofa with an exotic print cushion or hang a unique heirloom quilt.

Last but not the least, always remember to start with your entrance. The first impression is the most lasting one. So, spruce up your front door to create a warm welcome — a brightly painted door, a unique doormat, well-designed signage, funky peephole or even a letter box.

And with this, you’re ready to embark on your home decor journey. Remember to set a budget, prioritise your wants, be innovative and think minimalist.