Budget! Huh?

A variety of options and choices that need to be done!

Do you plan your budget when you go for a random shopping spree or do you buy anything and everything you like? Let me guess, even when we decide for a girl’s day out at Causeway or Elco Market, we have pre-planned on stuff we need to buy. We will make a list of what we need - chappals, shoes, party heels, pair of shades, a bag and a couple of tops. Now, suddenly we come across a guy selling fancy belts, socks, rings and so on.. What will we choose now? Our earlier list? Or this new wide range in front of us? Simple! its better if we buy things that we need and then if our budget permits jump on all these new tempting things that we suddenly had our eyes on.

The same logic applies when designing our space. We need to know why are we designing our space? Is it because interior designing is in fashion? Did you buy a new apartment? Or because there is Wedding planned in the house? Or is there a new baby guest who will be a part of the family soon? Whatever might be the reason, there is a list of things you need to look on and spend for:

-Paints

-Flooring

-Ceiling

-Electrical fixtures, switches and appliances

-Furniture

-Doors, Windows, Grills and Railings

-Plumbing Fixtures

-Other Decor Items (Curtains, Pillows, Wall Pieces, Clocks, Plants) & so on.

So how to stay focused when we have so many things to make us go crazy?

We should start with priorities. Which part needs immediate renovation? If it’s a brand new apartment and everything needs to be covered, then calculate the finances and have a rough estimate in your mind. Share it with the designer. It’s no harm. Did you ignore when your designer enquired about your budget? Were you like ‘First show me the design and send me an estimate?’ This is the most common mistake. We always think that telling our budget to a designer is like giving away our locker keys to him! No, designing unnecessary fancy stuff just so that he can receive more money from your pocket is not any ‘Good Designers’ idea! The idea is to anticipate and focus on major things that need quality and then design accordingly.

Walls, these days, can be decorated with many varieties. Paints (Glossy or matt), Wall papers, Decorative panels, Mirrors and so on. Same is the case with Flooring. You have a choice in size, finish, texture, colour, grout colour and what not! Electrical switches range from the standard ones to fancy touch buttons. Light fixtures are infinite. Furniture can be made in the simplest form for the cheapest price or could be made most customized in any size, shape and form. Each and everything you need has innumerable possibilities.

Now imagine, if you ask me to buy a dress for you, you have not mentioned what type of dress, or what colour dress. You also have not opened up on your budget to buy the dress. I can buy you anything - a saree, a kurti, a lehenga, a mini skirt or just a plain shirt. It can be as cheap as Bandra Street Market rates or as expensive as Manish Malhotra’s collection. So now, will you be happy with my choice? Will it be an easy task for me? Sadly, both the answers are ‘no!’ But it will be a lot easier if you tell me your requirements even approximately. Say like, you want a dress ranging up to 5k for wearing at your cousin’s wedding. This will work magic as compared to the first scenario.

Similarly, if you decide on a budget, a designer can very well think and work on how to use the money wisely. The designer might feel that you need to spend on quality furniture more (as it will be undergoing wear and tear everyday) as compared to a fancy false-ceiling. A good designer will surely think that you might be able to save on your energy consumption in the long-term if you buy starred electrical equipments rather than spending heavy amounts on excessive and unnecessary luxurious lighting.

We at artZmum, make sure that our clients invest wisely. We look forward to create spaces with all the functions “an indian home” requires. We believe in designing elegance with a purpose. We will surely not impress you by displaying just fancy images with so less potential for our regular storage requirements.

We promise to design the best for you!

#goforit #artzmum

Team artZmum