Spend or save? Make the most of your home improvement budget

It’s finally happening – the new kitchen, bathroom, loft extension or decor makeover you’ve been dreaming about. But while any renovation is exciting, when it comes to spending your money wisely, there’s also often an overwhelming number of choices to make.

From fixtures and fittings to furniture and even the windows, it can be tricky knowing when something is worth the investment, and when it’s better spending your hard-earned cash elsewhere. Are made-to-measure curtains in every room a good idea? Should you go for a huge skylight in the kitchen? Will designer paint really give your living room the extra wow factor?

As an interior designer and homes writer, it’s my job to help people achieve the look they want for the budget they have – without making compromises on quality or style. To help make your money go further, here’s my guide to what to confidently invest in and where you can make some serious savings…

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Kitchen cabinetry

Fitting a new kitchen is a big undertaking, so you don’t want it chipping or falling apart within minutes – a decent one should last at least a decade, and will add to the resale value of your home. Look for solid, well-built units with quality fittings, sturdy drawers, a generous guarantee, and perhaps paintable fronts, so that you can update the colour if you fancy a change in the future.

Worktops

A cheap laminate worktop will quickly stain and look tatty around the edges, bringing the appearance of your whole kitchen down with it. This is a surface you’ll see, touch and use non-stop, so it’s worth spending a little more. Stone, quartz, steel, ceramic or even solid wood (as long as you look after them) are far more durable and will look great for longer.

Sockets and switches

Tactile metal switches and sockets cost more than ordinary white plastic, but they look fabulous, add the finishing touch to any room and are incredibly satisfying to use. Having said that, only bother swapping plastic for metal where it’s visible – there’s no point having something fancy hidden behind the sofa!

Taps

A tap is a tap, surely? Sadly, budget taps are a false economy as they’re likely to break or discolour within a couple of years. Taps get used so often, they’re not something to buy on the cheap, particularly when you’re after a special finish, such as black, copper or gold, or when you live in a hard water area. If you want to get technical, look for taps coloured using a technique called PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition) which is more durable and tarnish-resistant than other methods, such as electroplating and powder-coating.

Curtains and blinds

Sometimes you can get lucky, and find off-the-shelf curtains or blinds in the ideal colour, that perfectly fit your particular windows. Most of the time, though… you don’t. This is one of those areas where you really do get what you pay for – and having them made-to-measure means getting the fabric, length, width, gather and look just right. The exception to the rule? Roller blinds, which can be bought to size online very reasonably.

Mattresses and sofas

Nothing ruins the vibe of a newly-renovated room more than an uncomfortable, cheap sofa or mattress. The quality of the frame, fabric and filling make a huge difference to something that you’re going to sit or lie on for hours on end. Good ones should last for years, so always see, sit and lie on it in person before you invest.

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Windows and doors

Having windows or glazed doors made-to-measure will up your final bill considerably, so it’s worth checking what standard ‘off-the-shelf’ sizes are available first. Secondly, the larger a pane of glass, the more expensive it is – so get creative. You might find having two standard skylights side-by-side works out far cheaper than a single bespoke extraordinarily long one in the same space.

Paint

There are some brilliant designer paint companies out there with a lovely range of colours. However, they come at a price. Consider getting the shade you want colour-matched and mixed into a less expensive paint brand at a DIY store or Decorator Centre instead; or use designer paint only where colour is vitally important. Use an ‘ordinary’ paint for splash coats (the first coat on new plaster), undercoats and white ceilings, and you’ll make some surprising savings.

Tiles

It’s possible to spend a small fortune on ‘designer’ tiles – but you don’t need to. You can usually find something equally stylish for far less on the high street or online. This is particularly true of encaustic (concrete) patterned tiles. They’re porous as well as being expensive, meaning they need cleaning carefully, and regular sealing to prevent stains. So, opt for cheaper maintenance-free porcelain lookalikes instead.

Fallen in love with an expensive tile? Use it in just one or two areas as a feature, such as within a shower or as a splashback; then laying cheaper, plainer tiles elsewhere.

Handles and knobs

As with sockets and switches, beautiful knobs and handles will add wow-factor to a room, however many are surprisingly expensive, and the costs quickly mount up when you have a lot of kitchen cabinets! If you’re using a kitchen company, ask if they’ll throw them in for free to seal the deal; or look online – it’s easy to get very reasonably priced handles if you shop around and go for a simple, classic style.

Lighting

It’s a myth that cheaper lamps and lights can’t look fantastic – the trick is to focus on shape and finish, keeping it simple and avoiding unnecessarily complicated designs or overly-shiny metals (both of which are a clear giveaway). There are some great designer dupes; and you can easily give basic lights a luxe upgrade with vintage-style bulbs, or by getting your electrician to swap the plastic cords for fabric ones.

Artwork and accessories

While feature pieces are worth investing in, you can make huge savings on the smaller stuff – and have fun doing so. Search auction houses and antique stores for side tables and dining chairs; consider framing children’s artwork or vintage posters for your walls; and try making your own cushions (or ask a crafty friend). The objects we decorate our homes with mean so much more when there’s a story behind them.