When we bought our house almost two years ago, we had a finite amount of money that we had alloted for home decorating. It was to be used for little things like paint, wall hangings, and somewhat important items like, oh I don’t know, furniture. The problem was, we basically had a whole house to decorate. The CPA and I both had previous apartments but not a lot of furniture. So we knew we’d have to look for deals.
First, let’s take a look at what we had to work with.
These pictures show how the living room was “staged” when we first saw it. The real estate company had brought in a little furniture to show what the space could look like once we had moved in.
It’s a great idea really because it helps potential buyers visualize where their items may go and how they may be able to fit into the room.
This is especially important with smaller homes that are limited on space. You have to be more creative in arranging furniture so it’s important to be able to see what may or may not fit.
When we moved into the house, this is what the living room looked like.
Void of any furniture and props, it was a big open room but not a lot of actual space.
We knew we had our work cut out for us. The first thing we did was look at color. Color is an inexpensive way to completely transform a room. We wanted to try something different, vibrant and rich. So we went with burnt orange. Since it was a lot of color, we didn’t want to overwhelm so we painted some of the walls in ivory.
The end result is rich and warm and full of color. It’s amazing what $100 and some hard work will do to a room.
Next we had to decide on furniture. Now this is where it got tricky because, as you probably know, good furniture is not cheap. While we knew we couldn’t shop at Ethan Allen or Arhaus, we still wanted good quality stuff. We also had size limitations to deal with as we had a lot to fit into a small space. After looking around, we went to Crate and Barrel. There we found the perfect living room set.
It was just the right size and comfortable enough to actually enjoy using. And at $800 for the sofa and
$500 for the chairs, we were able to splurge a bit and get the whole set. A few inexpensive pillows to match the wall color and we were done with seating.
Well, almost done. For the past few years, I’ve wanted a club chair. Not just any club chair mind you, but a club chair with rich, buttery soft leather. One that I could sit in for hours while curled up under a blanket, reading a good book. So we looked and looked. We looked at the chairs at Pottery Barn (because you know my love of all things Pottery Barn) and we looked at designer warehouses. But man, these things are expensive!
The cost of this one was $1,999.00 for just the chair, not including the ottoman. The other problem was that the CPA didn’t fit into the chairs we tried. It would have to be big enough to fit all 6’8″ of his frame, yet small enough to not overwhelm the room. So we kept looking. But this time we turned to my other favorite place: Craig’s List.
Now you probably know that finding a specific item on Craig’s List can be tricky, but with a little patience and perserverance, it can pay off.
We found the perfect chair and ottoman. It had been rarely used so it was in like-new condition, it was larger than most and the CPA fit in it perfectly, and it was buttery soft. And the best part? The chair and the ottoman was ours for the low price of $700. A steal when compared to the other prices we were seeing. It has been and is one of our favorite items in our home.
In looking for our dining room furniture, we again turned to Craig’s List. We knew what we wanted after looking at our favorite stores such as Crate & Barrel and Pottery Barn, but we knew we didn’t want to pay those high prices. After waiting a bit, we found exactly what we were looking for.
This glass cabinet is part of the Garrett collection at Pottery Barn. It retails for $1,500. But on Craig’s List, we paid $600. Yes, we had to drive for two hours just to see it and then use a moving truck to pick it up, but it was worth it.
Even better, the matching dining room table was found as part of a closeout sale for $500.
The real reason we bought it is because it collapses to a very reasonable 40″x40″ which is perfect for the small space. But having the extra leaves is nice for when we want to entertain. And you can’t beat that price for a brand new table.
Now for accessories: Let’s talk rugs. While we wanted a nice rug for the lounging area, we didn’t want to pay a lot for it. We could have gone to Crate and Barrel or Macys and bought a shag carpet for $500. But instead, we went to Home Depot and found something similar for $60. A much better deal in my mind.
How about art work? You don’t have to spend a fortune to have nice pieces to hang. Antique stores, flea markets, and garage sales are often treasure troves of great artwork just waiting to be bought. If you want something remniscent of the area, like we did, try a local artist who is just starting out.
This piece is a good as you would find in any art gallery. We found the artist at the local market downtown and he gave us a good deal for around $175.
The painting is beautiful and the detail is exquisite but without the high price tag.
Add a few finishing touches like this centerpiece (candle holders from Yankee Candle) for $15, and a lamp from Ikea for $20, and you’re all set.
The room’s a good mix of Craig’s List buys, new furniture, and inexpensive deals. Proof positive that it is possible to decorate a room on a budget.
What great decorating deals have you found?
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