Owning your first home means finally having a space to call your own.
And, one of the best ways to make sure that space truly conveys your personality is through interior design.
While the new mortgage and some minor renovations may leave your pockets a little lighter, three of Canada’s top designers reveal that beautiful home decor can still be achieved on budget.
Toronto-based interior designer Meredith Heron, of Restaurant Makeover fame, says the first step for first-timers is to not take any steps at all.
“If they can invest in three to six months of not doing anything, that is an amazing investment,” says Heron.
She says she recommends living in the space for a while, feeling it out and saving up some money for the project.
“Slow the process down. Don’t build Rome in one day,” she adds.
After that, Heron says a good way to start is by choosing furniture and paint in neutral shades.
“It’s all about what you can do when you have a blank canvas,” she says. “White is friendly.”
Designer Glenn Dixon, host of W Network’s Take This House and Sell It!, agrees that it is important to have neutral basics in place before the design fun really begins.
“Then, one of the best ways to make a space your own is colour,” he says.
Dixon says smaller items like throws, pillows and accessories in funky trend colours can all be sourced on the cheap. But before tackling the budget design stores, clearance racks, antique boutiques or flea markets, Dixon says it’s also important to have a plan.
“My best advice for people is to research magazines for ideas,” he says. “Then create a book of inspirations with the clippings.”
Ada Bonini, principal of Vancouver’s Bob’s Your Uncle Design, says artwork is the final step to tie a room together. If you can’t afford gallery pieces, Bonini offers inexpensive DIY solutions.
“One of the quickest things to do … is to go and get some canvas from the art store and practise your painting abilities,” she says.
If abstract painting isn’t your thing, Bonini says another way to get the fine art look is to frame a series of reprints from your favourite art books, or even black-and-white family photos.
But no matter how big or small your budget, all three designers agree that creating the perfect space doesn’t happen overnight.
“You don’t need to have the dream home right away,” says Dixon. “It is something that evolves over time.”
