We know times are tough, but we also know you still want your home to be your sanctuary (and a chic sanctuary at that). We asked Vicky Sanderson to tell us how to get the most out of our dollar when it comes to redecorating...
What rooms in a home are most important to splurge on?
Plan to spend more for the rooms you use the most, and those that are the most important to your family life. I’ve had designers tell me they’ve put together $200,000 kitchens for people who eat out all the time, but think it’s important to have a “status” kitchen. To me, that’s crazy! If you’re not much of a cook, but love to do cocktail party style entertaining, skip the high-priced kitchen gadgets and invest in terrific seating, and glassware. If you love art, splurge on an original painting, print or sculpture and do without a new hardwood floor. Spend on what will give you real pleasure.
I do recommend spending on furniture that will get a lot of use. For example, choosing higher-end, solid-wood framed chairs for the living or family room, and picking more affordable options for a little-used spare bedroom.
I always buy the best table and bed linens I can afford, because if you treat them properly (leave them in the dryer for no more than 10 minutes before taking them out and hanging them on a line or over a door to dry), they will last forever. Shop the white sales for bargains, and visit flea markets for great vintage finds.
I will do whatever I can to keep energy costs down in any room in the house. This summer, invest in insulation work, seal drafts and install ceiling fans so that you can turn down the AC (check to see if you qualify for the Home Renovation Tax Credit, or federal, provincial and municipal energy retro-fit grants and rebates). If you want to get a handle on where and when you’re wasting energy, consider getting a Black & Decker Power Monitor. The system has two components — a sensor that’s installed on the hydro meter on the exterior of the house and a wireless handheld display monitor that stays inside and receives data from the sensor. It can show electricity use in real-time, month-to-date cost, or estimate costs for the month. It can also isolate individual appliances to measure energy consumption, a useful feature for calculating the savings that would come from purchasing a new Energy Star model.
Vicky Sanderson writes about hot home products for the Toronto Star’s New in Homes section (www.thestar.ca) and blogs at www.yourhome.ca. She makes frequent appearances at home and decor shows, and has been seen and heard on local media outlets such as Breakfast Television, Canada AM and CBC Radio.
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