How to save and where to splurge on your home

If you have recently renovated or bought your first home, then you will want to save money where you can.

If it’s time for a new look, or furniture that makes your rental property feel like a permanent home, then you might find yourself buying a house full of furniture in one go.

Sloane Durran, Furniture Galore’s interior stylist, believes you don’t need to give up on your savings plans to achieve the look you want, and offers these four tips.

Pick a look
Scandinavian minimalism or rustic French provincial? Industrial chic, or old-world glamour? It’s worth spending some time figuring out your preferred style, but that doesn’t mean you have to be bound by one era or design trend.

Your preferred look could be a mix of the styles, just remember, the more complex you make it, the harder it will be
to keep the look cohesive.

Once you have settled on a style, your purchases will be much more focused. How often will you update?

When it comes to buying furniture, would you rather keep up with the Joneses, or keep it for life? For many of us, newer is always better.

Our advice? Keep it simple. Opt for timeless, understated style in your furniture, then accent and update it with statement pieces and Pantone’s latest colour trends.

The important items
Every room of the house has its hero item. In the lounge room, that’s the couch. The place where you relax and unwind after a long day.

In the dining room, it’s the table: large enough for the whole family to gather round, or for effortless entertaining and
sharing meals with friends.

Save where you can, to splurge where you want
Whether you are a saver or a splurger, there will be some areas where you want to invest a little more. In others, it’s easy to get the look you want for less.

When shopping for a new lounge you might be encouraged to spend big. Investing in quality and comfort is always a good idea, but you can buy a beautiful couch without spending a fortune.

When choosing a bed and mattress, on the other hand, it never hurts to upgrade.

Shop around for a good deal, but don’t be afraid to upsize from a single to a double, or a queen to a king (unless you are seriously limited on space.)