Investing 101: Where to Save vs. Splurge on Home Furnishings

Have you started furniture shopping for your newly remodeled home? I bet your wish list filled up quickly, and now you're suffering from sticker shock when you see how fast you’ve spent your investment.

With the inflation of building materials, furniture prices are suffering the same increases, so you will need to consider investing strategically in furniture to furnish your desired area completely. Here’s how…

1. Invest Your Money Thoughtfully

High-traffic areas need furniture that is well made. Things like mattresses for the people living in the house are where you should pay for quality and durability. Save your pennies on guest room mattresses. 

Does your family curl up on the couch every night for movies and popcorn? Then spend the money on that sofa or sectional that will be used daily. Save on the accent chairs that round out the room décor but don't get used frequently. Spend the money on a durable rug with high traffic, but save on the rug under the new guest bed you just purchased.

2. Strategically Save

For things like fixtures and finishes, I like to mix high and low to keep the project within budget. For example, in a kitchen that has a small area that requires a backsplash, I won’t worry about the tile price tag since it's such a small section. But if there is a large backsplash wall, I will keep the tile options to under $20/sq ft. 

Quartz countertops are an excellent investment for a reasonable price and for durability instead of investing more in marble or granite. See a video on my thoughts on countertops. It's a delicate balance of mixing high and low items to stick to a realistic remodeling and furnishing budget.

3. Plan Your Project First

Spend the time and money to design your whole area first. Create a list of everything you may need, down to the wall paint, bookshelf accessories, and even silverware. This will give you an accurate budget before you even begin. 

And after you have listed everything you may need, you can start strategically replacing expensive items with affordable items.

Hiring an interior designer can save you thousands of dollars on a renovation budget. In addition, they can help you decide on where to spend and where to save.

Have some questions about developing a thoughtful budget for your design project? Give us a call...we'd love to help you out!

Cheers,

Angie

3 Tips to Mentally, Physically, and Emotionally Prepare for Your Renovation

Renovating is extremely exciting. It's putting a plan together, envisioning the future, and imagining how you will use your place. Do I need an espresso station? Do I really need wall ovens or will a range suffice? It is making a plan to better your life.

What Should You Expect During a Renovation?

But renovating is NOT like HGTV. I constantly tell my clients that renovating is like a roller coaster— it's thrilling at times and other times you feel like you're going to throw up. During a renovation, you will be very elated, very devastated, very peeved, and very impatient. But then a couple of walls get knocked down during demo, and the vision starts to come to life. You finally realize just how much space you now have for your spa bathroom.

Today, I’m sharing 3 tips to help you endure the renovation process from start to finish.

1. Trust Your Expert Team and the Process

You spend 10-20% of your renovation budget on a designer. Trust that your designer has your back. There will be hurdles, but we will get over them together. Things will be scary at times and things will look ugly at times. For example, when the sage green cabinets are installed, but the backsplash, paint, counters, and light fixtures are forthcoming, the color might be daunting! Trust that your designer has carefully designed your palette, and when they are all installed, the sage green will look amazing with the arctic white quartz and vibrant, polished brass faucet and fixtures.

2. Adjust Your Lifestyle During Construction

My husband and I lived in a trailer on our property for two and a half years while we were building our home. If you can live away from the construction, your life will be so much easier. Sheet rock dust is pervasive and subs using nail guns at 7am is quite jarring. Can you AirBnB for while? Can you tolerate your in-laws for a month or two? You will be better for it. Well, depending upon how nice your in-laws are!

3. Believe in Your Beautiful, Renovated Space

Print up your designer's 3D rendering of your new kitchen and tape it to your rental cottage’s fridge to remind you of the final outcome. It's so close! The uncertainty of remodeling is nearing a close and the end is in sight! You just have to take a deep breath and remind yourself that you are in good hands with your designer and your general contractor.

If you enjoyed these renovation tips and want more advice you can use at home, you'll really love our free interior design guide!

Cheers,
Angie

5 Stylish Rugs Perfect for Your Living Space

Have you tried to order any home goods recently? Are the shipping times absolutely abysmal? These gorgeous, hand-selected rugs are available right now, and all at reasonable prices. Each is a perfect anchoring of neutral colors, while adding a great depth of texture and pattern to any space.

Genesis

This very unique pattern is a wall painting for your floor! If you need a tiny pop of teal, this will give any room a much needed splash of it without overwhelming the space with color. It's grounded in beiges and greys to go with a soft palette. Find yours here.

Noverre Handmade Abstract Taupe/ Cream

This rug makes a bigger statement, while remaining quite neutral. The bold, geometric pattern creates a focal point, while the soft taupe and cream keep it subdued so you won't get overwhelmed or bored with the pattern over time. Grab yours here.

Tear Drops

This is a fun patterned rug that would work perfectly in a high traffic area. Its dense, wool tufting is great for hiding dirt. I would use this in a foyer. Make it yours here.

Franklin

This rug has a calm, muted pattern, perfect for a bedroom. The subtle geometric lines give a soft pattern without being too bold. Get it here.

Navyan

This dense, wool rug has a mellow pattern and even mellower colors that will ground a room without causing any distraction. It's a great basic for any room, and it goes with pretty much anything. Find yours here.

Tying Your Space Together

As the Big Lebowski said, a rug really ties a room together. It's the anchor, the cornerstone, the centerpiece. Rugs define areas and anchor furniture that would otherwise be lost or "floating" in a room. A rug brings together a sitting area with a sofa, table and chairs. A foyer rug welcomes you into a home. A rug in a bedroom creates a cozy landing area under your feet when getting out of your bed.

Considering the current challenges of shipping furnishings, it's hard to find rugs that are available now! This list is a great grouping of neutral rugs that can go anywhere, and you can get them quickly.

Ready to design a home that feels comfortable, stylish, and personal? We can help. Reach out to us and let's chat.

 Cheers,
Angie

Disclaimer: This blog post may include affiliate links that will earn me a small percentage on any purchases at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!

5 Stunning Side Chairs to Elevate Your Living Room Design

I am a sucker for a nice side chair, and I rounded up a small handful of quite reasonably priced options. A good side chair in a living room can really elevate your design plan.

Garson Kona Chair from Currey & Co

This one is on the wild side. Its design hints at a zebra stripe, yet is far more refined. Get it here.

Empire Occasional Chair in Revere Dusk and Aged Brass from Alder & Tweed

This chair is tailored and refined, stately and sturdy. I would add this chair to a living room that needs a touch of "masculine" appeal. Get it here.

Zola Chair from Bernhardt Furniture Company

This petite chair has great curvy legs. The black steel is a perfect touch if you have a matte black and brass theme going through the rest of your design. Get it here.

Open Framework Club Chair from Caracole

This is a cozy chair, without being frumpy. The unique chrome legs and framing add elegance to a basic club chair. This would be great in a family-friendly home design that needs a touch of sophistication. Get it here.

Vita Chair from Four Hands

This unique chair deserves an upscale living room with a flair for Modern with a capital M. It has a great, low back making it easy to rest your arms or swing a leg over while reading a good book. Get it here.

Bring Style to Your Living Room

Club chairs are the way to add flair to a living room. With the sizable investment in large pieces like sofas and sectionals, they are a great way to incorporate some funky style at a more reasonable price. If you tire of them in a few years, upcycle and purchase a new set of fun club chairs!

Ready to design a home that feels comfortable, stylish, and personal? We can help. Reach out to us and let's chat.

Cheers,
Angie

Disclaimer: This blog post may include affiliate links that will earn me a small percentage on any purchases at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!

How Much Time Does it Take to Design & Renovate Your Home?

During COVID, in the Seattle area, especially Vashon Island, construction timelines are as nebulous as our near-constant cloud cover.

Creating accurate timelines has been extremely challenging due to supply chain issues with lumber materials, window manufacturing, tile shipments, and the like. In addition, most of the general contractors on Vashon Island are booked out for at least a year, complicating renovation planning even further.

Working directly with a designer and listening to input from a general contractor is the best way to establish the most accurate timeline. So today, I’m sharing helpful tips for turning around your next renovation project...  

Phase 1: Planning

Your project can’t move forward without creating a robust plan. A designer helps you establish a home's overall look and feel before designing the remodel. A solid plan ensures that your home has a cohesive aesthetic that you can base all your design decisions on, making sure the design flows throughout the entire house.

How Long It Can Take: A complete home remodel design can take several months, even up to a year. The timeline can vary depending on how quickly you make decisions and the number of revisions you make to your design.  

Having a GC available for quick meetings is extremely helpful even if they can't start the project for over a year. They can answer important questions, like determining if a wall is load-bearing, which can significantly influence your design. Establish a great relationship with a GC so they can come and answer questions while you are in the design phase. 

Phase 2: Procurement

Designing over the last two years during COVID has changed how we operate here at Harpole Home. We now complete the design work and then try to specify and order all materials before the GC can start. That way, the GC can hit the ground running when their schedule is free to start the remodel, with all materials on hand.

How Long It Can Take: Material lead times are ALL OVER THE PLACE. For example, custom window sizes and doors take 3-6 months. Tiles can take 6-12 weeks. Things like quartz countertop installation goes a lot faster, so I am specifying quartz in every kitchen remodel.

Phase 3: Construction

When the GC can finally start, they will have all of the completed construction documents supplied by Harpole Home. At this phase in the project, Harpole Home's involvement is project oversight - site visits checking on projects and answering questions.

How Long It Can Take: Construction phase timelines all depend upon the GC. If they have a large crew of subcontractors, the timeline is shorter. If it's just one person, construction will take longer. For example, if you are remodeling your kitchen, you can expect a completed project in a couple of months with a single person working. On the other hand, if your GC has a crew, it can be done in a matter of weeks. 

Phase 4: Installation

If your design project includes furnishings and accessories, then you need to order them at the same time as the windows, fixtures, and finishes. The same supply issues apply to the furniture as it does with windows and doors. It's a long lead time. The project's final phase includes bringing in all the new furniture and accessories and styling your new place to perfection! 

Then, the big reveal!

How Long It Can Take: With furniture stored in a warehouse, this phase just takes a couple of days. 

Your Next Step

Remodeling a home in real life is definitely not like the timelines on HGTV remodeling shows. First, it takes time to establish a look and feel appropriate to your home, lifestyle, phase of life, and personal style. 

Then booking a GC takes a considerable amount of time. It's just the new reality of life during COVID. But going through all of these steps and working on your patience will ensure a beautifully remodeled home! 

Ready for a home that supports your happiest life? Let's talk and see what we can create together.

Xoxo,

Angie