I know everyone out there has a different budget. There’s plenty of you who are hard-core bargain hunters and others who are totally happy with saving up for the occasional splurge while looking out for the best prices for everything else. And of course, there are still others who have gotten to the point in their lives where things are pretty comfy but they still don’t mind saving a few quid when they can.

As a little background, this post came about for 2 different reasons. First, my brother and I were chatting about a new place he’s just moved into and so I had shared my recent blog post with him which pulled together a design “for the modern man”. He remarked the price point on some of the items he liked were far too high so, I encouraged him to keep an eye out for items that would give a similar look but at a cheaper price bracket. He then suggested I should do a blog post where you can kit out a whole room for around £1500.

While I was thinking about this idea, I saw that Emily Henderson did a blog post sharing how to style up a studio flat at three different price brackets. I loved the post and decided I would challenge myself to do something similar. So I figured I’d take one design of a living room (glam of course because that’s what I like!) and then reinterpret very similar items at three very different budget points.

The result is what you see here in this post. I wanted to do a living room where almost everything was included. So each version of the room shares the following: A blush pink sofa, a deep burgundy chair, a round marble and brass coffee table, a brass ceiling light, a colour block rug, a black & white stylish photographic print, a faux monstera plant, a nice looking candle, a shelving unit, a bar cart and a couple of cushions (one leopard print, one floral print). So let’s have a closer look at each one…

This post may contain some affiliate links. You will never pay more when clicking on these links but I may earn a small commission as a thank you from the brand for the referral. All pricing accurate as at 25 May 2018.

The Budget Glam Living Room – Total Price £1488

Print and Frame / Light Fixture / Sofa / Rug / Coffee Table / Bar Cart / Faux Monstera Plant / Leopard Print Cushion / Floral Print Cushion / Arm Chair / Candle / Shelving Unit

We’ll start with the budget living room which, honestly, I can hardly believe has come in just under £1500. One of my favourite places for totally on-trend and well-priced pieces is, of course, H&M Home. Honestly, you can’t beat it for accessories. It’s where that amazing ceramic candle comes from (which will totally rival a much more expensive option and you can continue to use it long after the candle is spent) as well as that gorgeous floral cushion and that fabulous rug. The sofa is a dream buy – a stunning 3 seater sofa in rose velvet for £600 from Made.com. I’ve got my eye on the 2-seater for our living room because it’s just such a good price for such a beautiful piece.

I struggled to find a brass shelving unit that wouldn’t blow the budget but then I remembered IKEA’s Vittsjö which, for a mere £65, gives you plenty of storage space. If you wanted it in gold, simply spray paint it. I thought the coffee table was a great price for getting the look of marble and brass without the high price tag – just £132 from Wayfair. So many good prices on that website (the bar cart is from there too!) if you know what you’re looking for!

Premium Living Room – Total Cost £3427

Print and Frame / Light Fixture / Sofa / Rug / Coffee Table / Bar Cart / Faux Monstera Plant / Leopard Print Cushion / Floral Print Cushion / Arm Chair / Candle / Shelving Unit

Next up is the ‘Premium’ living room which is basically what I would consider mid-range and the kind of purchases you might consider once you are ready to replace some of your IKEA pieces or items you may have had for a good few years that need an upgrade and your ready to invest in some higher-quality pieces. Another sofa and chair from Made.com which honestly, have some incredible pieces at the moment – that sofa is a total show-stopper with its elegant tufting – talk about Parisian chic! I’m also rather in love with that little gorgeous dark burgundy number with the brass legs and I was delighted to see they are now carrying it in this lush burgundy velvet. YUM.

I’m also a bit of a sucker for a gorgeous candle and you can get some really high priced ones (see the luxury room below for proof) but for under £50, you really can’t go wrong with Jo Malone. The candles smell glorious and the scent carries beautifully through a room which you won’t always get with cheaper candles. And what about that stunning bar cart for £200 from Homearama – it’s a GREAT price for something so glamorous.

Luxury Living Room – Total Cost £6637

Framed Print / Light Fixture / Sofa / Rug / Coffee Table / Bar Cart / Faux Monstera Plant / Leopard Print Cushion / Floral Print Cushion / Arm Chair / Candle / Shelving Unit

So this is basically my ‘budget? what budget?’ room. High-quality pieces that are very much investments. I would always encourage you to splurge for one or two items in a room (and a splurge for you might mean something from the ‘premium’ board, we’re all different here) and this particular moodboard is full of splurges. From the Roberto Cavalli silk cushions to that completely indulgent velvet sofa that looks like it’s come straight from a Hollywood starlet’s dressing room. And check out that L’Objet candle – £225 (ouch!) but the design is such a talking point. I have a stunning candle from them – the quality is outstanding and would love to invest in another. You wouldn’t even have to burn it if you didn’t fancy it, just leave it out and let it do the talking for you!

I actually could have gone higher and lower on a few items but I liked this particular mix. For instance, you could look out for original pieces of art which of course, will bump up the budget but it’s such a good investment. And there are plenty of spectacular vintage rugs out there that will run you well over £1000 but it’s something that can be passed down through the generations when it’s very high quality. The chair from Sweetpea and Willow is another favourite – I would adore something like that in my home as it’s just such a statement piece.

A final thought…

There’s nothing that would keep you from dipping in and out from each board to create the living room that’s totally within your own budget. What I would always suggest is finding that one really special piece and build the rest of the room around it. So you might have fallen for that beautiful brass shelving unit in the luxury board so you might want to check out H&M for cushions and accessories to keep some costs down. Or perhaps you love the rug and light fixture from the Premium board but you can save money by getting the sofa from the Budget board.

In the end, it’s all a bit of a balancing act to get the room of your dreams. Every budget will be different but by looking out for pieces that will give you a similar look for less, you can save thousands of pounds decorating your home. I really enjoyed putting this post together so I hope you liked it too! Would you appreciate more posts like this where I share similar items at different price brackets? Any particular pieces from any of the boards that you’d like for yourself? Have you mixed and matched from different price points in your home? Let me know in the comments!