I’m not buying the notion the economic downturn will send shoppers flocking to discount retailers and dollar stores. Consumers today are sophisticated; they know that the best deal isn’t often the lowest-priced item. But homeowners are thinking more carefully about how and where they spend these days. So for my upcoming seminar at the National Home Show (Saturday, February 21 at 1pm) I’ll be looking at when to splurge, and when to save. Here are a couple of tips:
- Spend on items that will last. For example, buy the best linens you can afford (look at retailers like Au Lit Fine Linens; middle photo, above). Treat them properly (never leave them in the dryer for more than 10 minutes – after that, hang them over a door to air dry). They’ll look and feel beautiful and you’ll end up handing them down to your children.
- Trim your budget — and help the planet — by saving on energy costs. To help, Black and Decker’s Power Monitor ($100, shown below) measures overall household electricity use, as well as consumption on individual appliances — useful for calculating savings from a new energy efficient model. Keep reading for a chance to win one!
- Invest in important pieces of furniture that are highly visible and will be used often. The Gretta Chair by Barrymore Furniture Co., (shown above left) covered in Robert Allen Allepey Ginger silk, is a splurge at $2,650. But it’s both gorgeous and beautifully made — perfect for the living room. Save when you’re looking for a chair for a seldom-used spare room, by choosing something cheap and cheerful, such as IKEA's Henriksdal Chair, for $99 (above, right).
- Save – and pick up on the trend for custom-made and unique accessories — with easy DIY projects. I need a new pastry board, and was shocked by the price of marble boards. So I picked up a relatively inexpensive marble floor tile at Lowe’s and stuck a couple of gripper pads on it. Voila! I’m also turning a pair of hand-me-down urns into lamps with inexpensive lamp kits.
For more ideas and info, come and see me at the show. Did I mention I’d be giving away loads of goodies?
By Vicky Sanderson who writes a home decor column called On The House for yourhome.ca. Meet her at this weekend's upcoming National Home Show in Toronto.
GIVEAWAY: You could win a Black & Decker Power Monitor, worth $100. Simply answer the following question correctly: What is one item Vicky Sanderson suggests that you splurge on?
Email your answers to stylesheetAThgtvDOTca with "Black & Decker Power Monitor" in the subject line (please see full contest rules).
This contest is now closed. Thanks for your entries.