Proper planning and designing is a must to convert city flats into a comfortable and convenient living space. Interior designing adds life to a house and helps convert it into your dream home. Contrary to popular beliefs, it needn’t be very expensive if you know where to splurge and where you can spend less. Here are some cool tips by Pankaj Poddar of interior design firm, Hipcouch to cut your interior costs to suit your budget

Fix a budget in advance

Start with a detailed plan. According to the designer, initial research can definitely help you come up with a theme, what kind of paints you'd like to opt for, different types of furniture pieces, various accessories, and other items. His suggestion, "converse openly with your interior designer, here, you can present your ideas and request for a quote. After working our the expense, if you are still going over budget, the entire team can sit and work on it together, as to what to keep and what to skip. It will help you stick to your budget and ensure that your spends don’t go overboard during the course of your work.

Tune down false ceilings

While one cannot resist the charm of gorgeous false ceilings, however, do bear in mind that while they add to the ambience of a room but an elaborate design can burn a hole in your pocket. If you are thinking of incorporating false ceilings in every room, then be prepared for a surge in your interior designing cost. A good idea would be to opt for peripheral false ceilings or less intricate designs. According to Poddar, you can also work with gypsum false ceilings which are more affordable yet efficient than POP ceilings. It could also save precious time, plus gypsum also works well with glass and plywood.

Paints cost less than wallpapers

Wallpapers have become integral to stylish interior designs but they are far more expensive than paints. There is a catch here though. Wallpapers may be costly but they turn to be cost-effective in the long run because wallpapers last long, maybe, even for 10-15 years! Paint, on the other hand, may need retouching every two or five years. Also, note that when it comes to painting an accent wall in special designs, it could turn out to be more costly than painting a wall with a solid colour.

What you can opt for is a combination of wallpapers and paints to cut down the cost. Choose an appealing wallpaper design for your feature wall but for the other walls, opt for paints. It is a great idea to stick to your budget but at the same time, not compromise on interior style requirements.

Multi-functional furniture saves money and space

Though space may not be a constraint, too much furniture can make rooms appear cramped. An amazing solution is to opt for multi-functional furniture. They are not only the trends of current times but they also make your room appear less cluttered. Invest in multipurpose furniture which is available in plenty both online and offline. They also needn’t be expensive. A few examples you can try out are folding chaise lounge sofas, ottomans with storage, wall-mounted desks, cosy chairs with side shelves, coffee tables with storage and so on.

Mix-up custom and readymade furniture to cut costs

Be it your bedrooms, living room or kitchen, looking for customised furniture for each room can shoot your interior budget off the roof. It is not necessary to have customised furniture for the entire home. Mix it up with readymade ones and you can effectively reduce your interior designing cost. For corner spaces and odd angles, opt for customised furniture because they will help you make the best use of the space. For your other rooms, he suggests getting readymade cabinets, wardrobes, tables, etc. that fuse with the original theme of your home.

Cut costs in flooring materials

You must be wondering if cutting costs in flooring may result in poor flooring. Less expensive flooring styles needn’t be of low quality. Today, the sky's the limit when it comes to stylish flooring materials. There are many durable and appealing options such as vinyl, tiles and laminate and more which come in many style varieties and thus are suited for all types of interior designs. The only benefit of choosing high-quality results is that you will reap amazing realistic finishes. So choose wisely!

Choose rugs over carpets

Not only carpet super expensive but they are also high on maintenance. Rugs are the best alternative! Look around a little more in offline and online stores and you're sure to find a wide variety of styles in rugs. According to Poddar, the rugs available today can give direct competition traditional carpets. "But if your heart is really set on investing in carpets, then its ideal that you limit the numbers, for example, opt for a carpet for your living room but for your bedrooms, go with rugs.

Know where to spend and where to cut costs

A crucial mistake that many homeowners make is splurging money where it is least needed. Make sensible choices. Put comfort and quality first and prioritise things that matter more. For your living room, spend on quality and durable sofa which is comfortable and convenient whereas you can look for cheaper coffee tables or side lamps. All your furniture need not be designer ones or even brand new. Recycled furniture can look good and also last longer.

When it comes to spending money, do not compromise on certain features such as hardware, quality materials for wardrobes and cabinets, and lights. These components have to be of the best quality because you don’t want to change them every month.

Hire a professional

Getting an interior designer o0nboard can actually save you money. Time is money when you are designing a home or even renovating an old one. Experts can help complete the work in a stipulated time without delay. They are organised and know their job. That will mean completion of work in the agreed time duration. A professional interior designer will come with great ideas suited to your budget. They will also give you the best advice on which factors you can cut costs and where you should spend more. They will also be helpful in creating a particular look at different prices.

With some basic ideas, you can bring down the cost of interiors but at the same time not compromise on the essential elements.