Budget is Not a Dirty Word!
Nowadays budget does not mean filling your accommodation complex with boring pieces of cheap furniture.
Gone are the days when budget furniture meant mean and nasty (and came in a box with a set of complicated nonsensical instructions and a marriage counselling manual…). Today it can mean anything from eclectic chic to inspired replicas of expensive originals.
Today we all have access to designer style, and everyone can create their own ideal interior look and feel. Designer furniture pieces are no longer the domain of the wallpaper set – and we now have access to once hard to find classics from Scandinavia and Europe. It is time to embrace this culture of everything and work with it to tailor furniture solutions to meet every budget and style. Budget furniture packages do not need to be horrible and designers have risen to the challenge by crafting fantastic and stylish packages for a tight budget.
Furniture packages are the most efficient way to create a cost effective, cohesive and stylish look from scratch. Whether it is for hotel, motel or an investment property, having someone else put the look together removes a lot of the uncertainty and emotion associated with furnishing guest rooms. Working with a package specialist also has its cost benefits. Most furniture package companies work directly with suppliers and manufacturers so that you don’t have to pay retail prices.
But how do you put it all together so it doesn’t look like a designer garage sale? The refrain ‘what do I like, is this me, how big should the pieces be, does it match, do I have time’ resonates with most people. The idea of schlepping from supplier to supplier, arranging deliveries, matching colours and finishes, checking sizes and stock and getting tangled up in the detail is often too daunting. Sometimes it is best to hand those headaches to someone else.
The expertise in putting a room designs together, let alone a whole resort or motel, requires skill in spatial awareness and restraint. Most people struggle to visualise the size of a room without furniture in it. Spaces shrink without anything to bring them scale, so people often make the mistake of over sizing furniture or having too much. Less is definitely more in a tight space.
Engaging someone to take care of every last detail does not mean that you have to relinquish control, unless of course you want to. And that’s okay too. A good concise brief, a colour preference, some ideas of key pieces and a budget is all you need to get the ball rolling. A good designer or furniture package specialist will provide you with a full package list, layout plans and some suitable options.
Working to a budget is not difficult and most companies specialising in this area are familiar with parameters clients often place on the brief. You also want to make sure you get the best bang for your buck. It is much better to manage the fit-out effectively, and have something to fulfil the requirements of each area, and then add splashes of colour, accessories and art works to bring the space to life. Working with the right team will ensure this is all managed effectively for you.
The other thing to keep in mind when working to a budget is the ability to make your property stand out from the rest. This is especially true for accommodation complexes. Considering that a complete fully furnished property can have up to 250 individual items in it – it is easy to blow the budget on the invisible things.
Working with a specialist ensures that funds are allocated appropriately and you spend resources where they work best for you. Having great images of your finished property will also give you an edge, especially if you are in a competitive rental market.
Working to a budget can also mean editing what you have and adding selected items or colours to the mix. Mixing colour and scale are a great way to give a room personality and can add an element of style. Sometimes a large scaled piece becomes the hero of the room, allowing the more basic pieces to disappear and not fight for attention.
When refurnishing on a budget it is good to set some realistic parameters and work out what your criteria and objectives are. When weighing up the pros and cons, don’t forget to factor in the time and effort it takes to source, manage and deliver all of the products as well as book lift access and cleaners, assemble furniture items, put it all together, remove the rubbish, take labels off everything, tune and program the TV and clock radio…and all the rest!
When you add it all up, sometimes it is best to hand it over to someone else to take care of every last detail so all you have to do is move in! Budgets are often a great catalyst for innovative ideas and with the right team around you, working to a budget to create a great look for your property is actually pretty simple. Creating the perfect furniture package can ease the stress and frustration of doing it bit by bit – and is often a great way to manage costs.
Some tips:
• Don’t fill your space with too much stuff
• Do use a neutral palette and add colour through smaller items and accessories
• Don’t forget that spaces look smaller when they are empty
• Do factor in all costs before when setting a budget
Written by Move-In Furniture Packages
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