Hark and Osborne: Designing Within a Budget

One thing clients always ask us is how to pull off a designer look without breaking the bank, while at the same time not scrimping too much on quality furnishings. No matter how wealthy, every client we work with at Hark + Osborne has a budget, and we love the challenge of working within different limits. Oftentimes in the beginning, clients don’t fully understand what kind of money it takes to renovate and furnish rooms. So, to prevent sticker shock, we like to create a working budget for every item needed, whether it be lighting, millwork, furniture or a combination of all before we actually start the specification process. That way, everyone is on the same page and we don’t waste time (and our clients’ money) specifying the wrong items in the wrong price range. We really try to give our clients the best designed rooms that fit within the desired budget, which can force us to get really creative with sourcing and selection in order to get the desired results (which for us is the client praising us up and down and referring us to their friends)!

For this particular room pictured here we had a blank slate for a great room that had just been added to the back of a house overlooking a gorgeous pool with a natural stone terrace.

Photos courtesy of Hark + Osborne

The client wanted a coffered ceiling and a raised, natural stone fireplace so that you could see the fire from the adjoining kitchen. For the color scheme we referenced some of the natural materials used outside by the pool. We specified a black/brown/grey stain for the wide plank white oak flooring and a crisp white paint to highlight the coffer detail on the ceiling. This allowed us to paint the walls a warm grey tone to balance it out. For the furniture layout we looked at several layouts using sectionals and sofas but settled on two twleve-foot-long sofas flanking the fireplace, as it allowed us to create two different seating zones as the room was so long and narrow. We then chose two wing chairs on the opposite end of the room, flanking the wide doorway, creating a second conversation area with a large bench/chaise bridging the two different seating areas.

When it came to furnishings, we started out with knowing the young clients wanted some kind of bold statement, so we decided to use a bold, trellis-patterned drapery with casual grommeted headers on nickel-plated rods. We chose a handsome slate grey and sand-colored linen/cotton-blend fabric from Villa Romo that was budget-conscious at $47/yard. From there we chose a thick wool herringbone-patterned rug in a cool, sandy tone to anchor the room that was actually roll goods suitable for wall-to-wall carpeting but then surge-bound to a create the 26′ long rug. This was a great way to save money on such a large rug. This rug was still not inexpensive at $6,500, but we explained to the client that the value was there due to the thickness of the 100 percent wool weave. We had it stain-treated by MWI Fibershield to help protect from pet, kid and “entertaining” stains. 

This young family has three young children, pets, and like to entertain often so we kid-proofed the entire room. Instead of turning to fabricating custom twelve-foot-long sofas at great expense that would have blown the client budget, we opted for Restoration Hardware slipcovered single bench cushion sofas in outdoor fabric that looks and feels like fine linen but is actually made of polypropylene and can shed the worst of stains. The bench/chaise is also in the same outdoor fabric. We added an eclectic mix of custom fabricated, printed pillows for the sofas from Romo and Schumacher for a monochromatic contrast. Two nickel reading lamps are on order for the end of each sofa flanking the fireplace that will add just the right amount of sparkle to the room. We found inexpensive ottomans from West Elm and specified them with charcoal-grey polyester in a linen-look weave that has been tufted and can take a beating from feet and children.

They can be replaced years down the road when the kids are older with possibly a pair of square wood coffee tables. The price point of the ottomans also allowed us to balance out the cost of two custom, hand-made, blackened steel and upholstered wing chairs from Casamidy in Mexico. We specified these chairs (pictured here) with a solid wool fabric from Zinc for the back and a patterned Romo fabric for the inside and seat cushion creating a one-of-a-kind look that we were all thrilled with. An inexpensive nickel and stone-topped tripod table is the perfect place to place a book and/or drink. Once we add artwork with picture lights and accessorize a long row of bookcases (not shown) the room will be complete for fall entertaining and enjoyment.

-Hark + Osborne

Hark+Osborne specializes in eclectic contemporary and updated traditional-style design and are currently working on restaurant and residential projects as far south as New York City and as far west as Park City, Utah. Amanda Hark and Jeffrey Osborne can be reached thru their website at hpluso.com.