Cassandra White wanted a new look for her Lake Stevens rambler.

Over the years, she had tried to create designer interiors by painting, changing furniture, adding accessories and moving things around.

“You look at pictures of these grand houses,” she said. “I thought, ‘There’s no reason for me not to have that same look, but on a budget.’”

White worried an interior designer would be expensive and wouldn’t listen to her ideas or would push her into buying more things.

“I have a small home, and I didn’t have a big budget,” she said. “What designer is going to want to work with me?”

That’s when she approached her friend, interior designer Kelly DuByne of Lake Stevens.

DuByne said she could help White and her husband, Michael, reinvent their main living and dining space within their budget of $5,000. After everything was finished, costs totaled $4,840.

No part of the project cost more than $700, except for DuByne’s hourly labor, about $1,000 for her work, which started about two years ago and ended in late 2008.

Instead of focusing on replacing furniture or remodeling, DuByne built on the rooms’ strengths, highlighted family heirlooms, and rearranged and repackaged existing pieces for a new look.

Though the project started well before the recent stock-market sag, DuByne expects to be doing more projects on tight budgets in the new economy.

“This is really my favorite type of project,” DuByne said. “There’s a lot more thinking that’s involved. These days, many of my clients are trying to reuse items they have while adding a few new things.”

Recasting a rug: Hoping to make the living room more inviting, DuByne suggested cutting a large existing rectangular rug down to a smaller circle, a service she knew a local carpet company offered, complete with fresh binding on the newly cut edges for about $120, far cheaper than buying a new rug.

Now, instead of seating spread out over the large rug, furniture is clustered in a cozy circle in front of the Whites’ wood-burning fireplace.

“We needed to make it more intimate,” DuByne said. “Round is kind of fun.”

Cover up: White’s dark green living room sofa had tears in its upholstery, but it was in great condition otherwise. DuByne found a sturdy, cream-colored cotton slipcover at Pottery Barn for $125 to not only refresh the look, but also to brighten up the space with a lighter hue.

Photo opportunity: Though White had matching frame sets for her many family photos, they were scattered around the house. DuByne suggested displaying them all on three wall ledges from Pottery Barn for $125.

It was a move that created a balanced look and cleared clutter off a nearby console table with a decorated top.

“I love the floating shelves,” DuByne said. “It’s more of a focal wall.”

Window treatments: White had struggled with all kinds of window coverings on her own in the past and didn’t like any of them.

“I realized I had spent so much money,” she said. “I just felt like the windows were naked without something.”

DuByne, who specializes in window treatments, created custom valances on the windows flanking the fireplace. She placed them slightly higher than the window tops to create the illusion of larger panes.

DuByne also provided a custom valance over another window near the dining room and embellished the window seat below it with a comfortable cushion and pillows.

Reupholstering: DuByne helped White choose fabric for two beloved antique chairs passed down from her grandparents. White had a friend reupholster both of them for about $300, a steal for work that would normally cost about $2,000.

Elevating art: When it came time to update the entry, DuByne suggested moving a large coat rack and bench to the other side of the hallway. That created a large open wall, where she suggested White display her daughters’ art work.

White loved the idea of a professionally framed gallery for 11-year-old Mia and 8-year-old Carly, whose creations now add color and personality to the entry.

“I remember each of them bringing home these pieces and just the joy on their faces,” White said. “They have a story.”

Shadow boxing: The White entry is also home to three new shadow boxes featuring her grandmother’s engagement picture and gold locket, and her grandfather’s watch, Navy photos and military medals.

Two more shadow boxes are on display in the dining room. One showcases White’s grandmother’s serving utensils. Another shows her husband’s grandfather’s carving set.

White had kept the items tucked away. When she saw what DuByne had done by working with a local frame shop, she was amazed what could be done with her keepsakes and her children’s art for about $700.

“I couldn’t believe it,” she said. “That’s my family history.”

White said $5,000 might seem like a lot for a makeover, but she believes the improvements will save her money because she won’t be using trial and error to remake things on her own.

“In the long run, it’s better to hire an interior designer,” she said. “I never would have been able to put any of this together.”

Sarah Jackson

425-339-3037 sjackson@heraldnet.com

Project budget

$1,000 interior designer’s labor

$700 fabric for upholstery

$700 fabric, labor for window treatments

$700 art framing, shadow boxes

$500 blinds in TV room

$300 reupholstery labor

$160 two lamps

$125 Pottery Barn ledges

$125 Pottery Barn sofa slipcover

$120 rug cutting and binding

$100 decorative pillows on sofa

$100 additional accessories

$100 bench, pillows

$60 Pottery Barn throw on couch

$50 paint for TV room, window seat

TOTAL: $4,840