Space & styling on a budget
Styling a home on a budget has always been somewhat of a challenge. However, as society relies more and more on DIY furniture & decor - as we have seen with IKEA & Kmart - people have began to be able to access design & decoration on a new level.
People can now easily achieve designer looks in their own home for a fraction of the cost. Although you are getting what you pay for (the durability may not be at as high a level as a designer piece) these companies are also making design & the liveability of a space much more achievable for everyday people.
Moving out of home and have no furniture or decor? No worries! Kmart & IKEA + dozens of other Australian retailers are here to help you out. The cost and availability of these pieces are no longer a problem for the majority of Australians - however the problem that many people, especially young people, is the amount of space available to you in your home or apartment.
As a uni student, (who was studying interior design), I found it infuriating that I was living in an apartment that didn’t suit the layout I needed to design my dream home (what a drama queen!). It wasn’t until I was taught by my lecturers that a space is what I make of it and I could live in a shoebox and do something incredible with it, because that’s what design is.
It has definitely taken me a while to find a groove and know what style is my own - and to be honest it is ever-changing, you can never pin it down! I actually learned my style from a Coco Chanel quote I heard once - she said: “Always remove one thing before living the house. Less is more.” Of course she was referring to fashion, but nevertheless it is a form of design and I think whether it be dresses or decor you should always style and remove.
This lesson is a major clue to anyone styling a small space - because the space is already small you need to add character & personality without overwhelming the room with colour and textures. If you’re not sure always stick to neutral colours for your main furniture pieces and accessorise with colour. By doing it this way, if you are not fussed on the colour after a few months you can easily replace a throw and some cushions rather than a whole sofa!
Final tip for styling spaces is planning your storage. If you plan your storage, the rest will come easily - nothing makes a room look worse than everything squished into one corner or drawers overflowing with clothes. So get your storage baskets handy and make use of them in handy out of eye places like the top of closets and under beds.
Happy styling!
x
