TERRY ELLIS, PRINCIPAL OF ROOM SERIVCE INTERIOR DESIGN, located at Michigan Design Center in Troy, breaks down in simple terms when it’s smart to spend and where you can make cost-effective choices to stay on budget without sacrificing style.
SAVE
- Check your granite/quartz supplier for countertop remnants, which are often less costly than buying the whole slab.
- White plumbing fixtures are less expensive and more readily available than colors.
- If your vision includes silver tones instead of gold, black, or bronze, keep in mind that chrome is less expensive than polished nickel.
- Using basic field tile can actually be quite beautiful as well as cost-efficient. Splurge on a fabulous accent tile to be used inside a niche in the shower, for example, which is typically a small amount of square footage.
SPLURGE
- Steer clear of buying faucets and toilets from the big-box stores. The professional plumbing suppliers carry the higher level of quality, even within the same brands. They will be marginally more expensive.
- Cabinetry, featuring quality construction, will hold up much better in the long run. The painted or stained finishes that are part of a higher-cost cabinet are more beautiful and durable. Invest in drawer glides and hinges, and the box itself will have a noticeable difference.
“In the above bathroom photo, we used a pre-made cabinet of nice quality with the countertop and faucet included in the package, which is significantly less expensive than selecting each item a la carte,” Terry says. “The bold, graphic wallpaper then became the worthy splurge in this room.”