WHERE TO SPEND VS WHERE TO SAVE WHEN IT COMES TO INTERIOR FINISHES?
A peek inside the Sleeping Cabin entryway.
Inside The Studio in the August Q&A Dave and I covered some of the most asked renovation questions we’ve received over the years and where to spend vs where to save was one of them.
For this post I’ve simplified our answers to offer a digestible take on a large topic. Of course there are variables within every renovation that may effect the importance of certain elements but generally this is what we’ve found in our 10+ years of renovating homes.
In the episode, we ALSO clarify that by “spend” what we really mean is “BE CAREFUL WHEN CHOOSING” and TAKE time considering These elements. It’s not just about the price point, it’s about how You use a space.
Generally speaking though, these are the top three things that we feel you should “spend” on when it comes to interior renovation finishes.
Sleeping cabin pocket door hardware.
Touchable Elements
For example: Door knobs, cabinetry hardware, switches and fixtures that you use everyday and touch often. Choosing not only well made products but also durable finishes that will stand up to a lot of use over time. We share our favourite finish and why we love it in the August Q&A.
High Wear Surfaces
For example: Floors in high traffic areas like kitchens, entryways and bathrooms. Surfaces like a kitchen counter and tabletop where everyone eats. These surfaces get used, wiped down, cleaned and endure a lot of friction throughout the day so they need to be high quality to withstand it all. We’re not opposed to the look of worn in materials that develop a patina but that needs to be considered when choosing the right one for the space.
Things that can’t be replaced often/EASILY
For example: A shower system that needs to be installed behind tile and cannot be easily replaced. In our experience, bath and shower fixtures need to be of the absolute best quality that the budget will allow or when they inevitably need fixing you’ll end up spending way more.
A peek at the sleeping cabin shower.
So where should you save? Well, there are lots of ways to save when choosing interior finishes, but these are the three that we feel have a big budget impact.
Drywall in the sleeping cabin.
Wall materials
For example: Drywall is highly efficient, repairable and infinitely changeable with paint, wallpaper and additional moulding. We considered panelling in the cabin but ultimately opted for mostly drywall on the walls with wainscoting below and this saved a lot of money without sacrificing impact or refinement.
Cabinetry
For example: Ikea cabinet bases offer incredible value and can be customized almost as much as bespoke cabinets. We’ve worked with several custom cabinetry manufacturers and have yet to be blown away by the value or the attention to detail.
For Steep Hill we’ll be building our own cabinetry so stay tuned for that!
Anything that isn’t permanent
For example: Slowly add the furnishings you like and make plans to upgrade more interchangeable fixtures with time.
A frameless bed in the boathouse still does the job.
We hope this simple overview of where to spend and where to save on interior finishes is helpful!
listen to our in-depth discussion of these topics in the August Q&A.
Thanks for reading and please let us know if you have any renovation questions in the comments!