Wayne sometimes teases me when I dreamily gaze at bigger ticket items that I’m going to have to remove the ‘pretty on the cheap’ line in my blog header. He’s joking of course and I laugh but at the same time I have to think, “Am I being dishonest to my readers by not always going the cheapest route?”
So I thought I’d open up the discussion here because I want to be transparent with you guys and open and honest. Yes, I will often will look for the best price on something and I will often go the DIY route if I think I can but truthfully, I don’t always. Why not?
Well, let’s start off by talking about my recent dressing room makeover mostly because I totally went over budget. Yep, totally.
Initially, I had decided I would spend around £500. So let’s start there.
Here’s a breakdown of costs –
Oil-based Dulux Satin Finish Wood Paint £25
Marble Sticky Back Plastic (3 rolls): £21
Wood/Coving for Bookcases: £60
House of Hackney Wallpaper: £70
Lighting: £80
Fabric for Pelmet & Vanity Skirt: £20
Custom Wood Blind: £47
Brass & Acrylic toggles for Blind: £12
Cow Skin Rug: £200
Full Length Wall Mirror: £200
Vanity Mirror: £35
Custom Print Framing: Free (courtesy of Eframe.co.uk)
MDF for Marble Tops on Vanity and Chest of Drawers: Free (made from old doors)
Primer, Paint brushes, Spraypaint, Adhesive, misc fixings: Free (already had)
Acrylic Bracelet Display: £12
Desk clock £25
Total Cost: £807
Yep, a whopping £300 over my original budget.
Hmm… so why did I go so far over budget? Quite simply, this allowed me to get the room exactly as I wanted rather than wait and revisit the room again in the near future. What pushed me over budget was essentially down to the new full length mirror and the cowskin rug (costing me £400 just for those two items) both of which were later additions to my original plans.
Now, I am fully aware that £800 for a ‘mini-makeover’ probably isn’t what many people would consider “pretty on the cheap” – it’s not a huge amount of money but it’s nothing to be sneezed at either. Perhaps I should have called it a ‘medium-makeover’? Again, ‘budget’ is relative, right? Perhaps £800 is not much at all to you or perhaps it’s a huge amount that would involve months of careful budgeting and saving. It’s all relative really and I’m fully aware that you guys may be at all different stages of your financial lives so one person’s ‘bargain buy’ may be another person’s ‘splurge’ item.
Anyway, in the spirit of openness and honesty and all those happy fuzzy things we can talk about amongst our friends, there are a few things I think are worth mentioning.
1. Everything was bought with cash. I really feel quite strongly about not going into debt when it comes to prettying up a room and so any disposable income I have goes into a savings account I call ‘House Fund’. I dipped into it a bit more than I was going to for this one but the money was there to spend and yes, we will still eat this month and we won’t have bailiffs at the door.
2. I DIY’d as much as what I felt I could. The chest of drawers really just got a lick of paint and a new top, the Billy bookcases were hacked, the pelmet and vanity were also DIY’d. Sure I could have spent more on these things but it didn’t seem sensible when I knew I could get a look that I would still be happy with even though I went a cheaper route.
3. I’m no longer flat broke. When I first started this blog, money was REALLY tight. I mean, I wasn’t up to my eyeballs in debt or anything but we’d just purchased a house (which is scarily expensive with all the fees and costs tied up in that, never mind a mortgage payment), I didn’t have any freelance work at that time and money was being spent on stuff like floorboards and insulation and appliances. Not necessarily the pretty stuff. We’ve moved on now, the biggest work is (mostly) done and there is more disposable income for ‘pretties’, ya know?
4. I wanted a room fit for a grown up considering, at 41, I am no longer allowed to call myself a ‘young adult’. It’s definitely a more ‘grown up’ space which was my aim from the beginning. I thought it was time I made a few ‘adult purchases’ to go with that. Both the rug and the mirror, while more expensive than your normal Ikea fare, will hopefully be with me for a very long time and can easily be used in other rooms or more likely, in our next home. In fact, I have plenty of leftover wallpaper for future projects. Plus? Those Ikea bookcases are looking rather smart, I have to say. I wouldn’t object to keeping them for a good while too. The room was originally done on a really tiny budget and I thought it was time to give it a proper finish.
5. I didn’t actually go crazy with the spendiness. I’m so happy with this space and every penny in my mind was worth it to get a luxurious finish. However, I would have loved to have purchased the House of Hackney Wildcard silk fabric to make the skirt and pelmet from but again, those aren’t things I would really be able to take with me (unless I had a room and window in these exact measurements in the future which is probably unlikely). I could have also purchased new shelving or a new chest of drawers or actually put in built-ins instead of hacking the Billy bookcases. I did make some conscious decisions of where to spend the money and where not to.
So in conclusion… I think when it comes to decorating, it’s down to choices in terms of your individual budget. Where to splurge (on things you can take with you if you move or use in other rooms in the future) and where to save (on the things that will stay with the house if it’s not your ‘forever home’). Everyone will have a different take on this.
I hope this doesn’t come across as making excuses because that isn’t the intention – I just wanted to explain my thought process, thinking it may help you with deciding what’s appropriate for your own circumstances. It’s a delicate balance and no one can judge you for making up your own mind.
Except for Meisha because she’s a judgemental cow.
And finally, do you think I should change my tag line from ‘Inspiration, DIY and the Quest for Pretty on the Cheap’? If so, what do you think it should be? If not, why not? Have you ever gone way over budget on a project? Perhaps you have your own reasons why? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this! Weigh in in the comments…
Oh and don’t forget, there’s still time to vote for my little splodge on the interwebs in Amara’s Interior Blog Awards 2014 in the DIY category! Thank you to everyone who’s already voted, it truly does mean so much to me!
You're 41? Seriously? Really?!! For sure? Damn girl, you're looking well on it….<br /><br />Anyway, we had an overall (eye-wateringly scary) budget for our renovation and stuck to it. But whenever I could save a little here and there it meant I could splurge elsewhere on things that count, and it all balanced in the end. Being frugal where necessary and possible totally justifies bigger
Couldn't agree more! Through the entire makeover, I knew how much I was spending (or overspending as the case may be). There was never a point where I had no idea how much I had spent. It definitely needs to be entirely conscious or else you will be in a whole lot of hurt later on! <br /><br />And yes, as Miles Redd once said, "Buy the best and you'll only cry once" ;) <br /><
I love you! You are so genuinely real and wow, 41. I would have never guess. I love your style, honesty, and blog….whatever tag line you go with, I will still read.
Aww thank you Jess!! You are too sweet :) xxx
I think this is really honest post. Just because you try and get the best price for things doesn't mean you shouldn't also be able to splurge. <br />The thing I am coming to realise with this house we're doing up is sometimes you can DIY it and get the result you want, but sometimes it might be better to just BUY something awesome if you can afford to. For example we're making
Totally agree with saving in one area in order to splurge on another! Definitely a way to find a balance in there ;)<br /><br />And congratulations for BEST COMMENT OF THE DAY AWARD. The vampire comment really made me laugh!! I bloody wish I knew Jared Leto!!! Thanks darling! Ha! xxx
Ditto – 41?! For real? I think you need to start doing posts on your skincare routine!<br /><br />This post was great though – totally know what you mean, sometimes it is nice to just buy a spendier thing, already done, because you can, and because you have the money for it. If you don't, (totally agree re credit) then explore other options, but if you no longer NEED to do everything as
Thanks so much for the thoughtful feedback! It's really appreciated :)<br /><br />Oooh definitely give them a go! I may be getting a discount code for Swoon Worthy readers soon so give me a couple of days if you haven't ordered already and keep an eye out for it ;)<br /><br />xxx
This is a great post! I'm in the "young and broke" phase of my blog and I hope to graduate to the "grown up making larger purchases" phase one of these days :) <br /><br />Even now, when I write about finding super cheap vintage furniture and most things in my house are cobbled together from Craigslist or a thrift store, I don't have a problem splurging on certain
Trust me, I spent a LOT of years in the 'young and broke' phase too – most of us do! But yes, buying quality items when you can afford it (and that's really important) means you buy well and you only buy once ;) I'm going to need to think of a catchier tagline incorporating that thought I reckon ;) Thanks so much for your comment, hun! xxx
I don't understand why lots of blogs I follow have to specify "DIY on a budget", or "on the cheap". I don't even pay much attention when a blogger lists the budget breakdown. It makes no difference to me how much money you spend on a makeover. I just enjoy seeing the process and the final results, and look for inspiration. I'm not looking for a guide to follow.
You're probably right about that Bella! I think a lot of people use the 'budget' as a niche angle on their blogs to show they are not the same as the very 'high end/aspirational' blogs out there (where you can look but you could never afford the lifestyle). But I think it's important that as circumstances change, you are honest with your readers. It's really valuable
I think the operative phrase in your blog header is "the quest for;" it's an ongoing goal, and one that you seem to achieve with regularity. Practically speaking, over time, decorating a room with more inexpensive pieces that you don't love as much as the pricier ones can become MORE expensive, as you might wind up switching them out with other inexpensive pieces again and
Aww thanks for the feedback, Shannon! I think when we initially moved in, there were many pieces that were 'for now' and we're finally getting to the point where things are less disposable and that's gotta be a good thing right? xxx
I'm still in the 'flat broke' category but sometimes it really is a case of 'you buy cheap, you buy twice' (which in our case has meant going without in order to save up!) I just hope that when I get to 41 (for the millionth time…REALLY?!) I can afford to have a few more treats in my home too :)<br />Jessica
I spent many many years in the 'flat broke' category, believe me!! lol Saving up is good practice however as it just means not having to buy again when the time comes ;) xxx
41! your next post should be how you keep looking so much younger!<br /><br />I am with you on paying in cash for things I only buy it if I can afford it. There is no harm in splurging on key things I just spent £200 on a rug too it is so worth the money to save for a bit longer and get something better than is going to last.
Couldn't agree with you more! If you can afford to buy something that will last longer, it just means not having to re-buy it again years later ;) xxx
All these comments about my age are starting to give me a big head people!! LOL! But very flattering nonetheless ;) I get that a lot – I suppose when I was 20 and looked 12 I hated it but now? Not so bad – thank you Mum for good genes and instilling a skin care routine in me when still young ;)<br /><br />P.S for those wondering, I have used anti-ageing moisturisers since I was 26, before I ever
I LOVE your closet and we all go over budget occasionally. This was worth every single penny. Love the chest and gorgeous hardware and the cowhide rug was brilliant…can't wait to put one in mine!! Happy weekend ~
I've been following your blog a long time, and have watched your tastes get more refined and have watched you spend more on certain pieces as the years have gone by. But your tagline still totally fits, in my mind. I actually don't like blogs that DIY "cheaply" but it looks cheap. Your DIYs are quality, not tacky just to say you DIY'd something for blog content.<br /><br />
Hola Kim! Love the look of the room! It's totally fab and totally you. I don't feel you need to change the tagline of your blog. I feel you always look for the best price for your projects and DIY as much as you can. So '…quest for pretty on the cheap' still applies. And sometimes a woman needs to splurge on a few items when it's necessary, as you did on a few items in this
You don't need to change your tagline, you have done a lot to your house and garden on a budget – if you can afford to splurge now and again why not? Even though I'm older than you, I can't afford to splurge due to only one income and a pretty low one at that, not many well paid jobs around here. But I can dream lol! – and look at your pretty pictures!
Look, I think the majority of people don't like spending money unnecessarily, who doesn't like a bargain (and the pride and pleasure of creating something oneself) HOWEVER, sometimes nothing else will do regardless of cost and if you can afford it, appreciate it and get pleasure from it – then who cares? <br />I'd go as far as to say your openess is empowering people! There you go,
As lots of (very wise) commenters have already said above, I agree that opting for thifty, DIY options whenever possible to save money for the big ticket items which can't be DIY'd is the perfect balance. I believe everyone has their own idea of what constitutes "cheap" based on their own income and their spending priorities. For example, I almost never spend over £30 on an item
I'm the same now, I've gone through the broke period, my husband was out of work for 3 years and we'd got 2 young children so it was all about hanging on to the house. Now when I do decorate or buy something for the house, my daughter will say "I wish I could do that" and I tell her that you will be able to, just have a little bit of patients. I showed her what you had
All I'll say is totally worth it.
Hi Kimberly,
I don’t normally comment on blogs but felt obliged.
You’re blog is amazing (great layout!) and you have impeccable taste in interior design.
Looking forward to seeing what you do next!
P.S Please decorate my flat for me.
Ahh you are too sweet! Thanks so much for commenting! As far as decorating your flat, sure, let me just finish up this place and I’ll be right over ;) (PS. You might be waiting a while lol) xxx