What To Splurge On & What To Save On At Home, According To Interior Designers

Whether you're furnishing a room, an apartment, or an entire home, chances are you're operating under some sort of budget. Even if you have some cash to play with, you don't want to spend so much on home goods that you can no longer afford to leave said home. However, we understand you also probably don't want a house full of nothing by Ikea. (No shade, of course, to our beloved Ikea.)

Just as your wardrobe contains equal parts trendy Zara buys and long-wear investment pieces, your home can be an artful mix of high, low, and in between. A luxe rug can make an inexpensive sofa look high-end, while vibrant wall hangings will make those functional curtains seem less staid. It's all about balance, baby.

But if you've never, for example, picked out a couch or furnished a kitchen before, it can be hard to know where cutting corners will work and where they just won't. (Don't worry, once your first home-assembled bookshelf or bed frame spontaneously breaks apart, you'll know all there is to know.) To help guide you in the direction of high-low home heaven, we asked interior designers for their advice on where to save and where to spend. Feel free to adapt as necessary for your home, budget, style, and priorities.