Everybody deserves a home that they love and feel great in. Afterall, confidence begins at home!™ Great design, and feeling great about it, isn't a matter of budget...it's a matter of style! You can make your style work on any budget. My four-part Design Insider series "Design on a Budget" will help you define your style, make a budget, put the plan into action and tying it all together with the finishing touches! The goal? Create a home that you love on any budget.

Design on a Budget, Part 2: Creating a Budget?

Budget? What’s a Budget? Last week's Part 1 of Design on a Budget focused on self-reflection and the search to find your tastes and personal style. Once that is established, it is time to move on to the technical...the budget! Step-by-step: Creating Your Budget

• The first question you have to answer is how much you do want to spend? You can have a beautiful home that you love without breaking the bank, so be honest!
• Now, draw a floor plan! You don’t have to be an artist, just make a rough sketch of the room or rooms you want to design or spruce up.

• What do you want to change? What do you need? Write a list of everything you want! Go room by room and leave NOTHING out!
• Now the hard part, estimate each and every item, regardless of how small and inexpensive it may be (especially small items…they add up!).

• As tempting as it may be, don’t try to cut corners! Make sure all of your estimates are REAL.
• Total every item on the list and make sure that it fits your budget.
• Take a drink and RELAX! Everything doesn’t have to be done at the same time-PRIORITIZE!

Design takes time. Once you get through the more technical it is time for the fun...shopping! Next week, part three of Design on a Budget is all about how and where to start shopping to create the home of your dreams!