How to Save Money on Decoration and Furniture: 10 Life Hacks

When it's time for cosmetic repair, the budget doesn't always allow you to bring all your desires into life. But there are no dead ends! We share our ideas:

Look both ways

In furniture hypermarkets, things are the same as in clothing stores: among ordinary items, you can unexpectedly find your dream sofa at a cosmic bargain price.

Design: Elena Musychenko

Don't fear sales

It's not necessary to cover the entire apartment with bright wallpapers or tiles, unless you're a fan of national gypsy style. But when you need to decorate an accent wall — boldly go to sales in large stores. There, remnants of expensive wallpapers can be bought at a very attractive price.

Choose domestic

Pay attention to domestic manufacturers. In this segment, you can find options that often don't fall short in quality compared to Italian brands but save significantly on budget.

Design: Elmiria Strugova

Visit exhibitions

Book the furniture you like from the exhibition in the first place, and buy them on the last day. A kitchen cabinet or a good sofa will cost you much less: discounts depending on the brand can reach up to 85%.

Don't overcomplicate

Avoid curved walls and arches: such design ideas always look impressive, but often come with a hefty price tag.

Design: LIVET ARCHITECTS Studio

Plan logistics

When ordering materials online, consider delivery costs. If you have the opportunity to order some items from one hypermarket — it's better to do so. Otherwise, just find out how delivery systems work in various stores and include this cost in your budget.

Give old things a second chance

During cosmetic repair, take another look at items you've wanted to get rid of for a long time. If the old doors are worn out but made from solid natural wood — it makes sense to just refresh them. If good parquet was laid in the room many years ago, it's cheaper and more rational to restore it rather than buy new.

Design: Vadim and Tatiana Spouses

Go for industrial style

Following the industrial style in your project, you can avoid plastering and spackling walls, just prime and paint them — this significantly reduces expenses. You can make unfinished elements a highlight of your apartment: don't level some walls, use pipes and exposed wiring for decoration, experiment with the ceiling — leave it concrete or cover it with inexpensive siding.

Appreciate simple solutions

The simpler — the better: for example, open kitchen shelves instead of usual closed cabinets will look unusual and save money at the same time.

Design: Vadim and Tatiana Spouses

Do without parquet

If the budget doesn't allow you to choose expensive parquet, pay attention to tongue-and-groove boards that can be found in construction hypermarkets. This is an eco-friendly, lightweight material that costs several times less than the cheapest parquet.

On the cover: Design by Yana Groshel