did i mention a budget?

After my excitement of my first official post is wearing off I realized I left out one major thing I will cover here at noted...decorating on a budget. Everyone should have one! Mine are small for now with dreams of growing someday in the future. I have a few client projects in the works currently. One budget is teeny tiny and one is quite glamorous for what the project is.

I will show you how I stick to my budget. Which at times is by not shopping anywhere for anything. When people ask me where I bought something I usually say "When in doubt I got it off Craiglist or at Home Goods!" I also make myself sound fancy by saying it is vintage instead of thrifted sometimes, depending on who I am speaking with. I like to feel fancy!

That budget thing can get in the way! But it can also be a big blessing. I think every room needs to start with one thing...HOW MUCH? This is more important than what style {that post is for another day}. Big or small, it's crucial to know what can be done and how to make the most of every dime. I would rather stretch my budget than my wallet any day!

One of my design idols is Kristan Cunningham. I loved Design on a Dime while it was in it's prime. It was especially fun for me because I lived in LA and I could shop at the places they shopped in segments. But Kristan's team was the only team I watched.

As a side note: I totally served Kristan a BBQ chicken salad in my serving days after she shot a segment at the mall by my restaurant. After serving dozens of famous people and keeping my cool, I made a fool of myself when I came to her table. She was super nice and by the time they got their drinks I was able to make fun of myself a little. And that table will live on in my heart forever!

Back to the post! I am still inspired at the images from Kristan's rental home she remodeled on a budget in 2009. Check out all the pictures HERE. Simply gorgeous! Her kitchen redo was $1000. One thing she has always been able to amaze me with is her space planning. That is something that money cannot buy {or maybe it can} but is perhaps the most important part of the room...oh wait I said that was the budget. Darn! Well it's all key to the best possible room.

What do you think a reasonable budget for one room would be dear readers {all five of you on day 2!}?  And what are your favorite ways to stretch your budget? I'm interested in your thoughts. Do tell!