Bhg
  • Shop
  • News
  • Food
  • DIY
  • Garden
  • Travel
  • Renovating
  • Decorating
  • Property
  • Health
  • TV
  • Podcasts
Bhg
  • Shop
  • News
  • Food
  • DIY
  • Garden
  • Travel
  • Renovating
  • Decorating
  • Property
  • Health
  • TV
  • Podcasts
Subscribe
YOU’LL NEED A WEDGE TO HANG THAT DOOR
Watch 6:32

YOU’LL NEED A WEDGE TO HANG THAT DOOR

{headline}

{headline}

How to keep kids busy in the garden

How to keep kids busy in the garden

Skewered charred calamari

Skewered charred calamari

The top 10 most popular dog breeds of 2020 have been announced

The top 10 most popular dog breeds of 2020 have been announced

You can now buy personalised pet wrapping paper

You can now buy personalised pet wrapping paper

{headline}

{headline}

Bunnings are re-releasing its Lego-inspired building block set

Bunnings are re-releasing its Lego-inspired building block set

Kmart releases brand new exclusive Black Friday products

Kmart releases brand new exclusive Black Friday products

Big W announce massive Black Friday sale up to 50% off

Big W announce massive Black Friday sale up to 50% off

{headline}

{headline}

10 of the best plant influencers to follow on Instagram

10 of the best plant influencers to follow on Instagram

Is this the most popular indoor plant of 2020?

Is this the most popular indoor plant of 2020?

What is the correct date to put up your Christmas tree?

What is the correct date to put up your Christmas tree?

Get a real-life mini Christmas tree delivered to your door

Get a real-life mini Christmas tree delivered to your door

The most popular plant trends of 2020

The most popular plant trends of 2020

A cheese festival is coming this November

A cheese festival is coming this November

Consumer watchdog Choice reveals worst products and shops of 2020

Consumer watchdog Choice reveals worst products and shops of 2020

  1. Home
  2. Decorating

Amazing budget Hamptons home makeover

A savvy interior enthusiast shares her top tips. - by Nicola Conville
  • 13 Mar 2020

While there's no denying the appeal of the Hamptons decorating style, the cost can be somewhat prohibitive. However, one savvy interiors enthusiast found clever ways to create the home of her dreams, all on a tiny budget.

WATCH: Four easy ways to Hamptons style

Homeowner Melissa has been slowly making improvements to her "builders basic" home, which she bought 13 years ago. 

"This has been a slow and gradual process over many years," she told Home Beautiful.

"I started with a more specific plan and vision at least five years ago. There’s still more to do, but it is beginning to feel more complete and the vision is coming to life."

Hamptons living room

"Even though decorating brings me great joy, for many years I put off making changes in our house thinking that I would wait until we moved into a ‘forever house’," Mel says.

"I found that this made me really detest what we did have and pick fault with it. With an expanding family and a tiny house that didn’t reflect my tastes, eventually I felt quite miserable and trapped; not to mention guilty for feeling this way because there are plenty of people with much less.

"At this stage it dawned on me that it was very foolish to hold back on personalising the house we are lucky enough to have, at the expense of waiting for an imagined house that may never actually come to fruition."

Hamptons home

Mel and her husband did most of the work on improving their home themselves, although they did outsource the new carpeting and flooring. Everything else is down to clever budgeting and styling.

"I have no specific overall budget, however I commit to make one, possibly two big-ticket purchases each year," Mel explains.

"That means I can save for each item specifically and spread the cost out across a longer period. I would love to get everything done at once or in a shorter time, but that’s just not realistic for us.

Hamptons home

For inspiration, Mel uses Pinterest, and keeps costs down by selling old items to make extra cash, shopping during the sales, and mixing and matching budget finds with more expensive 'investment' pieces.

"I always 'shop the house' first to see what I already have," she adds. 

Her favourite stores for bargain pieces include TK Maxx, IKEA, Kmart, Target, Big W, Bunnings and Pottery Barn. She also sources items from op shops, Etsy and eBay. 

Hamptons home

"I have projects currently going on throughout the house with no set overall deadline," Mel says.

"My situation has helped me to embrace perceived imperfections and feel a lot more relaxed about not needing things to be completely finished in a fervent rush to get there.

"Decorating slowly has brought me great pleasure, mindfulness and a sense of accomplishment when I make progress on my planning."

This article first appeared on Home Beautiful

You might also like:

How to transform your house into a Hamptons home

How to do Hamptons style interiors

Before and after: a stunning Hamptons-style kitchen and laundry renovation

  • Decorating
  • Living Room Ideas
  • Lounge Room Ideas
Nicola Conville
Nicola Conville
Nicola is a writer and editor with more than 20 years' experience in print and digital media. She specialises in health and wellbeing, parenting, travel, beauty, lifestyle and human interest stories.

Get your mag delivered!-Save 29% off the cover price!

Subscribe for $4.95 per issue

Subscribe Now
Get your mag delivered!

Get your mag delivered!-Save 29% off the cover price!

Subscribe for $4.95 per issue

Subscribe Now
Get your mag delivered!

Recommended to you

YOU’LL NEED A WEDGE TO HANG THAT DOOR
Watch 6:32

YOU’LL NEED A WEDGE TO HANG THAT DOOR

{headline}

{headline}

How to keep kids busy in the garden

How to keep kids busy in the garden

Skewered charred calamari

Skewered charred calamari

The top 10 most popular dog breeds of 2020 have been announced

The top 10 most popular dog breeds of 2020 have been announced

You can now buy personalised pet wrapping paper

You can now buy personalised pet wrapping paper

{headline}

{headline}

Bunnings are re-releasing its Lego-inspired building block set

Bunnings are re-releasing its Lego-inspired building block set

Kmart releases brand new exclusive Black Friday products

Kmart releases brand new exclusive Black Friday products

Big W announce massive Black Friday sale up to 50% off

Big W announce massive Black Friday sale up to 50% off

{headline}

{headline}

10 of the best plant influencers to follow on Instagram

10 of the best plant influencers to follow on Instagram

Is this the most popular indoor plant of 2020?

Is this the most popular indoor plant of 2020?

What is the correct date to put up your Christmas tree?

What is the correct date to put up your Christmas tree?

Get a real-life mini Christmas tree delivered to your door

Get a real-life mini Christmas tree delivered to your door

The most popular plant trends of 2020

The most popular plant trends of 2020

A cheese festival is coming this November

A cheese festival is coming this November

Consumer watchdog Choice reveals worst products and shops of 2020

Consumer watchdog Choice reveals worst products and shops of 2020

Bhg
  • About Us
  • Subscribe Today
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
Bhg Magazine Subscribe
  • About Us
  • Subscribe Today
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy

Brands

  • All Recipes
  • BHG Shop
  • Girlfriend
  • Home Beautiful
  • New Idea
  • New Idea Food
  • Practical Parenting

Our Network

  • marie claire
  • Instyle
  • Beauty Crew
  • Who
  • Women's Weekly Food
  • Bounty Parents
  • That’s Life
  • Perth Now
  • The West Australian
  • 7Plus
  • Airtasker
  • 7NEWS
  • SocietyOne
  • Health Engine
  • Starts at 60
© 2021 Are Media PTY LTD
Get more from Better Homes and Gardens

Magazine Subscription Offer

Get your mag delivered!-Save 29% off the cover price!

Shop This Offer
Get your mag delivered!