Creating an elegant and comfy space is so affordable. With all the available thrift and antitque stores today, the options are endless. A vision and a few dollars will take you a long way. This is a shot of my living room now. Below it is the before (circa. 1994), which was mother's doing. Sorry it's a little blurry. This was my parent's home and I ended up here after they passed. As you can see, the change is very dramatic.
As many of you, I love the thrill of the hunt and finding just the right treasure is always so much fun. And, an awesome bargain is the cherry on top, right? Let's start with a few specific photos and I'll talk about them.
First up is the washstand and the dog prints above it. The washstand was a Goodwill find and cost $12.99. I always look for solid wood and this one happened to be in pretty good condition. I like that it has a drawer and shelves, giving me the option to change the shelf decor periodically. The dog prints were an estate sale purchase. The prints were in a pile of papers that looked like they had been in that pile for years. $1.00 each and it turned out that they are original prints and signed by the artist. I googled them and they happened to have a value at about $150 each. Who knew? I don't have a dog, but I do like dogs and find they add life and personality to a room. The next challenge was the frames. I didn't want to spend a lot on frames, so I found these at Hobby Lobby on sale for less than $20 each. They came as stained pine, so I painted them black and used a little rub n' buff to give them a more regal look. By the way, if you haven't used rub n' buff, you're missing out. Google it and see the many uses and colors.
This chair was another great find that I picked up at Habitat for Humanity. Thankfully, I have a store very close to my home, so I frequent it at least weekly. I always walk out with a little something every single time. Anyway this chair was just waiting for me and it is practically new. Sometimes I think I know what I am looking for and this actually wasn't it, but it is a great style and works well in my living room. $40 bucks... a steal. In placing the chair and upon further inspection, the tag on the bottom said IKEA. Well, I googled it and found the exact chair and it sells for $450. I'd say that was a good day, wouldn't you? The cute olive green quilt over the arm was $5 at Goodwill.
Next up is this ladder. The ladder trend had me good and I wasn't gonna stop looking until I found one. Well, I found many, but was unwilling to pay an arm and a leg for it. This one finally popped into my path and it was $25. Score!
Here's my Goodwill coffee table and it came to me all bright and shiny. I sanded and painted it to get the look I was going for. Turned out pretty darn cute, I'd say for $10.00.
This eagle lamp was a Marketplace purchase. How all American is having an eagle in your home? I love birds and eagles are so stately. This lamp is heavy as lead too. I found the perfect shade when I shopped my own home. I love the element of metal. Cost $20.
I just had to have this desk. I had another vision for it and really wanted it to be down to its bare wood. Guys, I stripped the heck out of the legs and it just would not show bare wood. I can only assume that the paint, which was several coats deep, had sunk right into the wood. I painted her and distressed it. I especially love the wheel feet and I spent $50 on this one on Marketplace. No regrets! Little accent lamp from Goodwill for $5. Chair from Habitat for $5.
This mirror came from Goodwill and I was contemplating painting and then decided to hold off. Sometimes, I need to slow down and not paint everything in sight. In this case I am glad I waited as I love it so much. It is not old, but it looks old. I call it new/old. Another $10 find.
I have two of these pictures. When I saw them at Goodwill, my heart skipped a beat. I picked them up and they were as light as a feather. I was unsure of what they were made of, but I learned something new that day. The frames are made from a plaster mold. It was a process that was used in the early 19th century. I had no idea, but I love the pair and they were the PERFECT size for this wall. $10 each.
Ottomans are the best seating accessory. Not only do they double as a makeshift table, but they are great when you need extra seating. Again, Goodwill for $5. And don't forget the texture this little guy brings to the room.
I inherited this desk from my parents. It is Ethan Allen. It's acturally pretty cool because the top opens up, creating a square game table. I've used it both open and closed. Anyway, the chair is another $5 Habitat find. What can I say? The chairs just kept showing up for me.
Lastly, I struggled with the window treatments in this room for years. I'd always had curtains in different styles until it occurred to me that this application may be a better choice. They are perfect for this room and add a lot of texture and filtered light. I spent $150 for all three of these and I could practically install them in my sleep.
In conclusion, I am pretty pleased with this room. There are a few other accessories I didn't mention... like books and pillows, but you get my point. And, I didn't do this overnight. It started out with rearranging the room and looking at a lot of pictures on Pinterest and Instagram, which definitely gave me inspiration. Sometimes, when I am thrifting or antiqueing, I may see something that I love and have no idea where I am going to place it, but I do know that it will find a spot in my home. You just know when you know. I hope this post has been inspiring for you and will encourage your own creativity. Total cost of this room. UNDER $600. Bam!!!
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