Budgets.

The oh-so-glamorous and always fun part of being a designer. Whenever I sign on with a new client, the very first step of my design process is finalizing and understanding a budget that is appropriate in relation to the scope of work. I never want to show clients something they can’t have — that’s just a waste of time for everyone involved.

However, budgets aren’t foolproof. Unforeseen issues, additions, and revisions that come with the nature of a renovation project can definitely affect how much you end up spending. Properly allocating allowances for these “hidden fees” ahead of time gives a much more realistic approach to an otherwise shoestring budget that will inevitably lead to disappointment, and potentially even a lack of funds to complete the job.

Once you’ve created and finalized your budget, you can sit back and enjoy the design process, knowing that you won’t have an opportunity to fall in love with something that is completely out of the realm of possibility for you. It will also open your eyes to all that can be done. Renovating your space doesn’t have to be looked at with an all-or nothing approach. Allow me to show you some examples of common spaces people are looking to change but don’t know how with what their budget allows. At any budget, an impactful and beautiful difference can be made.

With $100 to spend in your spare linen closet, you can…

Turn it into an office! Work-from-home spaces have become a huge niche in the interior design market this past year. Just because you don’t have a spare bedroom lying around doesn’t mean you can’t have a home office. 

Here’s how to do it:

1. Unhinge and remove the double doors used to conceal the closet.
2. Remove any hanging rods and replace them with a shallow floating shelf. I love the oak veneer Lack shelf from IKEA, at $19.99.
3. Get a deeper shelf (approximately 24 inches) to use as a floating desk space. The Container Store has some great ones for only $50.
4. Add a rich paint color to the interior of the closet to make everything pop. Something like Cranberry Cocktail by Benjamin Moore would be cool. One gallon of paint will run you about $27.

PRO TIP

Not sure how much paint you need to cover your space? Each gallon of paint covers approximately 400 square feet. Not sure how to calculate square footage? Multiply the width of  give you the total area or square footage you need to cover