How to Choose the Right Designer Furniture on a Tight Budget

How to Choose the Right Designer Furniture on a Tight Budget

For interior designers of residential and office spaces in Toronto, creativity is often in part corralled by spending limits. Clients can only afford to put a certain amount of money into the total design, including all the new furniture pieces that need to be bought. You know what look you are going for, but how do you decide which parts of that vision to keep and which to forego when you are confined by budget? We’ve gathered a few tips on how to choose the right designer furniture on a tight budget.

Avoid buying furniture sets

When you buy a furniture set, you pretty much get stuck with one unified look. Unfortunately, this can come off as too “matchy-matchy”, especially in smaller spaces like apartments or office lounge areas. Whether the client wants neutral or bold furniture colours in the space, look for furniture pieces with complementary colours and styles. Choosing a cool blue sofa and pairing it with neutral lounge chairs, for instance, looks balanced while bringing some character to the room.

You can get the same effect by switching up textiles, such as adding one leather chair to a room with softer fabrics. You can even play with the visual weight of the pieces, putting a minimal, modern chair in a room with a big sectional sofa. In fact, pairing large pieces like sectional sofas with a simpler piece can allow you to fit extra seating in a room that would not otherwise fit an additional seating option.

Avoiding furniture sets also allows you to put your money into the piece that is most important to the look of the space while finding bargains on the other furniture.

Go for colour

If you can’t put much furniture into a space, then make the furniture you select stand out. Especially in open spaces, too many light or neutral-coloured pieces make the space look empty. There’s a fine balance between minimalist beauty and making a space look lonely and uninhabited. Designer furniture from Louis Interiors can be constructed in any upholstery colour you select.

Another option if the budget is especially tight is to have an existing piece reupholstered. If the fabric is boring or worn, you can create a whole new look by adding fresh colour. Our furniture team can add upholstery to any of your client’s existing pieces.

Reupholstering is a beneficial option for expensive pieces of furniture that a client already owns but that don’t match the design ideal anymore. This way you don’t feel the need to find an equally expensive new piece to replace the quality piece that’s already there. As long as the furniture is made from durable materials that are in good condition, reupholstering can be a cost effective choice. If the furniture frame or other components are damaged, then it may be a better decision to go with a whole new piece of furniture rather than trying to revive old furniture. And of course, if the item was a budget piece to begin with, you’re better off buying new furniture than reupholstering something without lasting value.

Keeping the balance

Of course, working a budget is not all about holding yourself back. You can find fairly priced custom made furniture that suits both the design and the budget. Balance the space with pieces that add function and appeal, like barstools that can transform countertops into breakfast areas or study tables.

A client’s price point does not necessarily mean you have to go with minimalist decor. Blending new pieces with thrift finds can create an interesting eclectic look. You can keep the balance by choosing a mix of new and old chairs and benches that have similar colours of wood. The team at Louis Interiors can finish your wood frames in any colour you like to match the wood of other furniture pieces. That’s because we use kiln-dried soft maple wood, which takes well to wood finishes that can make it look like many other wood varieties.

Find designer furniture that is built to fit your client’s budget and taste with Louis Interiors in Toronto. We work with you to build to your exact specifications.