Designing a room or home is thrilling! From choosing paints to decor, there is a lot to think about. Planning your interior design budget should be on the top of your agenda. Your interior design budget may not be the most enjoyable task, but it’s one of the most important. Here are our 5 top tips to help you best plan your interior design budget.

1 | Set a realistic budget

The first step is to set a total budget for the entire project. Home design can be expensive, so this is critical. Research general costs of remodeling and study your finances closely. Then set a specific figure as your maximum budget.

Remember that you don’t have to complete everything at once. It’s better to set a budget that allows you to be comfortable, even if that means taking longer to complete the project. You could even set a monthly budget towards interior design costs.

The most important part is to be realistic. Take time and care when planning your total interior design budget. Remember the cost of labor and delivery. Don’t tell yourself it’ll be cheaper than it is, and don’t let yourself set a budget higher than you can afford. Once you find this balance, the rest is easy!

2 | Lists, lists, lists!

As with planning anything, lists are your best friend! They help you stay organized and within budget. If you’re designing an entire home, create a master list of each room and what needs to be considered for them (paint, furniture, utilities, flooring, windows, etc). Divide your total budget up room by room. Begin breaking each section up into smaller lists of what needs to be done and purchased.

Staying organized keeps your project running smoothly. Furthermore, lists are handy to track the status of your project. You can never have too many lists!

3 | Separate needs and wants

When creating your lists, separate your needs from your wants. For example, if you’re designing a bathroom, a trustworthy, efficient toilet is necessary. At this point, do your research and create an estimated mini budget of things you need. Once again, don’t forget the cost of labor and delivery! Plus, be sure to include an additional 10-15% to to cover unexpected costs. Subtract this from the total budget and decide how to invest the rest on what you want to include in the project.

4 | Be Firm

Perhaps the most difficult part of planning a budget is adhering to the limits you’ve set. However, there is nothing worse than getting halfway through a project only to realize that you can’t afford to complete it. So be firm with yourself! The process will be much smoother this way.

5 | Ask for help

Interior design is incredibly rewarding. But if you’re a full-time working professional, it can be a lot to handle. Consider investing in a professional interior designer as part of your budget. At Kelley Astore Interiors, we’ll manage the project and budget for you. We take the worry out of the process for our clients! Head to our services page to see how we can help you today.