Decorating: Champagne Taste ... Wine Cooler Budget
I think everyone will agree that decorating your home can be very expensive… I mean, your budget can get blown very quickly with the purchase of just one item you feel like you absolutely can’t live without!! Picture this, you spend weeks looking at ideas on Pinterest and flipping through magazines, and when you finally decide what your decorating style and color scheme is going to be, you’re officially ready to start buying!! Wooo Hooo!!! I mean exciting, right?
So you go to your first furniture store, and before you can even get 10 feet into the entrance… you look at the price tag on an adorable MINI acrylic side table, and almost lose your breath when you see it costs $1300 (guys, this is a true story. I PROMISE, this REALLY happened!! LOL!!)
ANYwho… it was at that point I realized, I needed a quick lesson in mixing high end and more affordable pieces to achieve the romantic/glam look I was going for! I am in the middle of decorating a large 1-bedroom apartment and have been all consumed with making it look picture perfect. I am going to go room by room and share with you the little gems I’ve picked up along the way that way it will be much easier for you! And here’s the fun part: I am still in the process of finishing it, so there is still a LOT left to do, which means you get to follow the journey in REAL TIME! So, starting with the living room, here are a few tips:
Personal Artwork:
One of the easiest ways to make your home warm and stylish is to put artwork up on the walls. I personally am a “the bigger the better” believer, but that is definitely a personal preference. Most automatically assume wall art means expensive designer paintings, but that is not always the case. Pick your favorite family photo, photo of yourself, or your kids… take it to a local print shop, and get it blown up and framed. Before looking for designer paintings that can be really pricey…start there. You will find that is much more cost effective than buying fine art, and big bonus, they are pictures of the people you care about the most! I started with our wedding photo. I sent my favorite pic to a company called Canvas Pop, and this XXL life size photo has become the focal point of our living room wall art.
Couch (But Really, It’s the Pillows)
OK, so your couch is going to be the focal point of your living room. Plan on spending the majority of your living room budget on this item. But don’t worry, this doesn’t necessarily mean you have to spend $3K on just your couch. These days you can get a nice high-quality affordable couch pretty much anywhere, however you are going to have to decide what is most important to you; decorating the couch and giving it your personal touch, or the actual couch design itself. Let me explain. I knew I wanted a basic, solid pink couch that wasn’t too pricey because I really wanted to go all out on the pillows and accessories, so I found an affordable couch at Ikea that has a 10-year warranty (having this peace of mind is great in case anything goes wrong). Since I went “low” on the couch, this meant I was able to splurge on my pillows. Designer pillows can be PRICEY. But the good news is, at any given time there is typically always a sale going on at one of the major furniture stores. Not to mention, I’ve never walked in a furniture store’s clearance section and not seen a pillow. It’s almost like that’s the first item they mark down. Be flexible. Maybe you were thinking a deep rose for your accent pillows, but when you check out clearance, they have blush instead. Be able to make adjustments for the sake of saving money. That was the case for my pillows. When I went to Z Gallerie I noticed the Sapphire Mongolian Lumbar Pillows were marked down 50%!! Even though I wanted navy, I made the adjustment and bought these! The other option is you spend a lot of cash on your couch. Perhaps you’ve had your eye on a specific couch and maybe the couch alone will max out your budget. That’s perfectly ok.. just know you have to be really thrifty when it comes to accessorizing. You will have to make sure you’re watching the sales, or you might have to go with very solid and basic styles to keep costs low!
Don’t Forget the Windows & the Floor
Window treatments and an area rug are two things that can make your living room look very luxe, and the best thing is you don’t have to spend a lot of money to achieve this look. For the window treatments, you have so many options from high end (hiring a professional to install), to more affordable, (buying your own fabric & rod and installing yourself). The possibilities are endless. The main thing to remember is make sure your curtains are touching the floor. If they are too short, it looks cheap and thrown together. And … don’t forget your rug. Even if you have carpet… buying a nice size rug for the living room helps tie the room together! I know this might sound crazy, but I highly recommend checking out Home Depot and Lowes. Most people don’t know this, but online they sell both curtains and rugs at very affordable prices, and if you buy something that doesn’t work out, their return policy is super easy… just take it back to the store! I knew I wanted a nice plush shag rug for the living room, but I didn’t want to pay an arm and a leg for it, so I purchased this Luxe Shag Blue Rug from Home Depot, and it’s so pretty & plush that every time I tell someone it’s from Home Depot, they swear I’m not telling the truth! The best part is it was only $125.
Coffee Table & Décor
Finding a great coffee table is pretty much mandatory if you are trying to achieve the “luxe/glam” look. It is another focal point in the room that helps tie everything together. The good thing is you should have no problems with finding an amazing coffee table in whatever your budget is because there are so many styles to choose from in all price ranges. Once you narrow down the style, (shape, material, for everyday use, just to look at), the top places I recommend to shop for your table are; Joss & Main, Wayfair, Overstock, CB2, Home Depot, Amazon, and West Elm. After you purchase your table, now comes the real work… accessorizing it. I can’t stress this enough. Whatever your center piece is will be a talking point and should really reflect your personality. You can spend as little or much as you want on this because it is really more about the uniqueness and creativity that reflects your style. I, for example, knew I wanted something kind of glam/artsy as the focal point on the top shelf of my table, and for the bottom shelf, I want my wedding album, and a few nice coffee table books that match my interests and color scheme. As of right now, I am still working on this, but remember, this isn’t a race. There is no need to feel rushed when you’re decorating!
Floor Lamp
Last but not least definitely look into purchasing a floor lamp. Floor lamps, like coffee tables, can be found at any of the major furniture stores & online, and are available in all price ranges. My #1 go-to for floor lamps is Amazon. They have a huge selection with options that are a unique and super affordable. I would suggest picking a lamp that isn’t over the top “unique” that way if you decide to change up your style/décor, or even location of the lamp, you will still be able to use it without it looking like it doesn’t below. I purchased this classic arc floor lamp from Amazon. Helpful Hint: Remember, when purchasing a lamp online, you likely will have to put it together, and trust me… some of these instructions are a little tough to follow, so just prepare yourself! However, I definitely think the outcome is worth it!
Remember, there is no rush, you don’t have to have everything complete in a day! Take your time and actually put thought into each piece and make sure it is exactly what you want! I hope these tips have been helpful, and I will share all my tips as I go through each room! Comment below any additional tips you may have!
Love you BYEeeee!!
Mrs. All Pink Everything