Limited budget and not sure where to start with your home’s furnishing, remodel or interior design in Malta? Before you head to the furniture showroom, consider hiring a designer or stylist as your first step to changing your home.

This week’s article is for our Maltese homeowners who

• Are about to renovate their home, but aren’t sure where to begin
• Have a limited budget, but are willing to invest their time on their home
• Would like to make money out of renting out a room, an apartment, or a house

Not sure what the difference is between a stylist and a designer? Give this article a read!

Every homeowner in Malta is used to getting a steady supply of magazines, each one filled with photos of furniture showrooms, tempting décor, appliances and furnishings. If adverts of shiny furniture pieces and polished designer rooms aren’t in your letterbox, they likely pop up on your TV or Facebook feed.

Instead of going to a showroom and seeing what’s nice enough ‘for your budget’, you might want to consider that hiring a local aesthete for a house visit might be the best way to use your money.

To make sure we’re making sense, we spoke with designers, stylists, and local aesthetes about the work they do with Maltese homeowners. We also got in touch with some local homeowners about their experiences, but we’d like to hear more from you!

Have you worked with an interior designer or a stylist? We’d like to hear what you think about this subject, so feel free to write a comment or send us a private message.

Here’s how a designer or a stylist can help you lower costs:

Find gems form garage sales, thrift stores, and car boot sales

We are used to thinking that when it comes to design, from clothes to interiors, what you buy today won’t look good in 10 years. So, of course, when we hear ‘second-hand’, most of us think it means ugly or outdated. Design isn’t a straight line – it goes in circles, taking ingredients from the past, and putting them together in a different way. A designer’s eye can help you obtain pieces that, with some touch-ups, can make your home not only feel new but also radiate character.

Some of the most attractive interiors have nothing but second-hand furniture and finds from garage sales and thrift stores. With Facebook, it’s easy to stay on top of upcoming garage sales and car boot sales.

Here’s what local DIY aficionado Thomas Camilleri did with his home!

They can make big changes with small movements

Designers are experts in how light, colours, and textures interact, that means they can show you which layout works best for a room, what textures will play well with the light the space gets, what colours and furniture to go for to set the atmosphere you want, and more.

Want to find out more about this? Read our article about how to make a small space look bigger with these nifty design tricks.

Make a long-term plan on how to steadily remodel different rooms in your house

Just because you can’t make all the changes now doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get a peek into how your home could look like at its best – and start working towards it! A designer or a stylist can draw a sketch of how your interiors can look once complete. They’ll also guide you on what changes to prioritise first with your money, what changes will have the biggest impact, and what updates are best left to a later stage.

Learn tips and tricks about what materials and items to avoid, and what to look for

If you’re trying to better your den on a dime, a designer or a stylist can offer you advice on cheap but dramatic changes you can make to your room. Buying an item because of a cheap price tag might seem like a bargain, but if it’s made poorly, it’ll look dated or break down within a couple of months.

Save your money until you can get something designed well, and you’ll never have to throw it out. On this note, this article gives a good example.

Repurpose or upcycle furniture you own

A lick of paint, new knobs, and a little bit of reconstruction can change a furniture piece you thought was trash into treasure. A designer or a stylist will also help you figure out what furniture can be updated with time, and what purchases will come with an expiry date.

Get special bargains from small local suppliers and furniture showrooms

This is perhaps the most obvious reason why the money you save from working with a designer or a stylist is bigger than the cost of hiring them.

Designers and stylists partner up with their favourite carpenters, stores and makers to get bargains on their products. If you choose to hire the designer or stylist for more than a house visit, you’ll be benefitting from the same.

Buy and redesign décor and furniture from local stores and showrooms

Something is ALMOST perfect, but not quite the right colour or doesn’t have a feature you were looking for? A crafty designer can totally change the look of a piece with a few modifications.

Get connected with local interior designers through our Service Seeking Engine!

Our team at House Malta is always on the look-out for spaces, places, and things that are being built up, torn down, modernised, restored, or re-purposed – be it by a big team or a one-man(or woman)-army.

DO YOU HAVE A STORY, A PERSON, OR A PLACE IN MIND?

Send us a message on our Facebook page or via email, info@house.mt.