Redecorating is sometimes a difficult decision, it is expensive and can create a gigantic mess in your home.
I sometimes overlook the stress that my clients may be going through until I walk a mile in their shoes. We begin with high hopes and great expectations until the numbers are tallied, numbers never lie - ever. Is it possible to combine wants with needs and to keep our emotions in check while shopping for items which call to us with their luxury and promise of a happier home?
My current mindset is split between having a luxury bathroom and being practical and frugal at the same time.
My immediate need is a new tub but do I need the custom tile surround or will my soaking time be as well served with a tub surround?
When I break down the actual need and separate the want, then the bathtub is the very thing I need.
I want the beautiful glass tile and the custom brick accent wall but I need the tub and because the new tub is a different size then what is currently in my bathroom, I will also need a new floor. The practical answer is; deal with the needs first then see if the wants can also be added to the process.
It is important to balance and plan out all the contingencies before drywall starts coming down otherwise you will find yourself in a warzone having to make pressure-filled decisions inside the panic of wanting the project finished.
I realize that you can’t always know what is behind wall number one but often we rush into a renovation project with guns blazing only to realize that one move leads to 10.
When you are faced with drastic decisions while your kitchen is torn to pieces it can be very easy to overspend.
I think most of you have been there at one point in your renovating life, where you plan for project A to come in at budget B only to be led off course by a new gadget or latest trend.
My last bathroom renovation consisted of three different tap choices to fit the crazy cool vanity I had insisted on buying, ending up with me purchasing a tap for over $500!
I had wanted the vanity with its moulded glass sink SO badly that I didn’t see forward to the difficulty I would have in finding the proper tap to fit the opening. And yes readers, I am a professional – even I get caught up in emotional spending!
In case you are wondering what my decision is for my tub? I am going to choose the tub surround with some of my coveted sparkly glass tile on top which will match up with the vanity splash.
This was both a financial and housekeeping decision.
By using glass as surround I still get the gorgeous effect I desire and do not have to worry about scrubbing grout in my shower in the near future.
I still love the look of fully tiled tub surrounds but for me the other option fits my needs perfectly and I can have a little bit of everything that I want.
So before the drywall starts coming down I have conquered some of my perceived wants and that little voice inside my head is in agreement.
Kim Wyse is an interior designer with Carpet Colour Centre in Red Deer.