'Some people might consider hiring an interior designer to design a nice-looking kitchen,' said a spokesman for Poh Joo Hardware Engineering. 'But if they don't cook a lot, that kitchen is going to be a white elephant, and they could have spent more on an area they use more.'
GO BASIC IN THE BATHROOM
If you are not fussy, stick with the basic built-in shower set that comes with each home. New sets can cost between $200 and $700.
Also consider if you really need hot water for your bathroom sinks. Plain cold-water taps can cost as little as $20 but taps that mix cold and hot water can go for $120 to $180.
DIY HOME FIXES
A cheap and easy way to transform a room is to paint the walls. Doing it yourself will keep it to just paying for paint and brushes. Go with a rich or deep colour tone on one wall and a lighter tone on others for depth. Another simple and cost-effective way to brighten a room is to hang panels of cloth like quilts as artwork on the walls.
FLOORS GALORE
If you're in love with the idea of wood flooring, go for bamboo as it is a cheaper alternative to parquet. It costs about 10 to 15 per cent less than parquet and is more durable.
USE LEFTOVERS
If you've re-tiled your bathroom, keep leftover tiles to create a wall feature in another room. A feature wall built from scratch could cost anywhere from $500. Plus, you've already paid for the tiles, so reusing them is a clever, economical thing to do.
What to expect with your budget:
UNDER $5,000
What to expect: Enhancements like having walls painted, or a change in lighting. Bright House Lighting's December Recession Package offers lighting ($388 and up for nine lights with installation) or rewiring (starts from $1,188 for a 3-room HDB flat). Get a free ceiling fan or heater. Call 6785-1233 for details.
UNDER $25,000
What to expect: An Ikea homefurnishing consultant says that you can really get the works on this budget - depending on the size of your home, of course. This can include built-in cabinets for the kitchen ($1,000 to $9,000 at Ikea), new curtains ($1,000, including tailoring) and even new flooring ($2,000 to $5,000). Call 6786-6868 for details.
UNDER $50,000
What to expect: A Ritchie Creative Design consultant says to redo the whole house. Ceiling works and parquet flooring can be budgeted at $8,000 to $11,000, and air-con units for $1,500 and up. Do up the living room and bedrooms for $12,000, the kitchen for $10,000 and bathrooms for $7,000 and up. Call 6469-4833 for details.
