Oftentimes those searching to renovate or build a home typically are uncertain the exact way to go about creating it. There are several aspects and components to keep in mind when guessing how much it will cost, and knowing where to hone in design-wise is essential. Here are five tips for creating a luxury home for yourself within a budget range that won’t break your bank account.

Using High-End Materials You Find At a Discount

Find antiques on websites like Craigslist and eBay, or at your local thrift store. You would be surprised how many luxurious items can be found at a bargain, and strategically placing them can bring you a long way. Add some of your favorite collectibles, well bound books and flowers, and it looks quite nice.  A tiny, highlighted fragment with glamour will take you far. If you have a favorite counter-top, remodel it with some marble you found on Craigslist.

Another tip would be to add some faux Roman columns, which can be found at places like Home Depot. Cow-hide, alabaster, white marble, vintage gold items, oak… you are able to acquire most of these from luxury furniture boutiques to estate sales. Be on the lookout when crafting your luxury home.

Frame Large-Scale Photos or Artwork Yourself

Not everyone has the money to spend on expensive oil paintings from Picasso or Basquiat. But you don’t have to be rich to have some high quality art in your home. If you have a friend or co-worker who makes art as a hobby, frame a print of one their works in a 8×10 frame.  Places like the FedEx store surprisingly do high quality glossy photos for very cheap, but you can also go with a professional printing service. The larger you go with your print, the more of a statement it makes. You can even use interesting photos you find online.

Be Strategic with Your Paint Palette

Choosing your palette strategically will present your rooms as tasteful and classy. Choosing your colors is difficult when fixing up your home, preeminently when your furnishings are chosen around your palette of choice. Certain palettes will generate instantaneous style and panache in your rooms, so keep these colors in mind when deciding.

Adding an Outdoor Kitchen

Creating an outdoor kitchen is a fantastic method to bolstering the accessible space of a home that cuts down on your overhead costs of renovating. Outdoor areas for eating, making meals and having company are typically cheaper than creating renovated kitchen or dining rooms inside and allow for families to have the option of spending more time together outdoors enjoying each other’s company in nice weather.

This is especially useful when you live in more temperate climates, but it’s possible to create pleasant outside kitchens in areas with colder temperatures too.

Budget your costs and time-spent on this type of project accordingly before you dive in, but it’s great way to add value to a home without breaking the bank account, so the investment is well worth it.

Creating a Bathroom Oasis

So, you’ve prepared to remodel the bathroom in your home. And yet spending a large sum of money on a luxury resort hotel style bathroom is nowhere near your budget range. Luckily, you can go without a huge bank roll to re-design the washroom into a luxurious space to unwind in.   Use some of those cool lighting fixtures you found thrifting to give your bathroom a tasteful look. Steer clear of expensive tiling and countertops, focusing in on the essential areas. Have your bathtub refurbished, and use the money for replacing fixtures on things that can’t be like faucets and shower-heads.

Speaking of replacing shower-heads, low flow alternatives are actually cheaper in the long term because they use less water, and are better for the environment. It’s better to replace things like shower curtains and toilet lids instead of getting entirely new ones, and can go a long way in freshening up a place.  In reality, renovating a bathroom is a crucial step to having a wonderful, fresh feeling home, but it’s typically best to go with a professional. It can be hard to find the right contractor to go with, especially in California. A kitchen and bathroom remodeling contractor in Thousand Oaks called All Climate Painting puts it best: “You need to make sure to vet any contractor you consider, both in terms of their experience and seeing projects they completed”.

All in all, remember these great tips for creating the home of your dreams. Creative use of thrifted antiques and materials, framing artwork you print yourself, intelligent and strategic use of color palette, extending your dining and food preparation area to the outdoors, and working with a great contractor to renovate your bathroom. I hope you are excited to live in your dream home on the cheap!