This afternoon I was standing in my living room and I remembered a post I wrote three years ago about how much I spent on my living room…floor to ceiling. The total was $758 and that included paint, refinishing the floors, the curtains, rods, lighting, furniture and accessories. I was always pretty proud of that. Now that I’ve been moving old things out and new things in, I wondered if the room was starting to move away from the budget-friendly space it once was. I looked at each piece and realized that most of it was still free, from Craig’s List, a yard sale or antique store.
I’m not going to do a full cost breakdown of all of the accessories, which gets a little tedious, but I thought I would share what I spent on the furniture and big pieces. The paint, lighting, curtains and floors are the same as they were in my previous cost breakdown.
The end tables are the same, still $10 for the pair at a yard sale. The piano is also still the 100 year old yard sale left-over my husband got for me for free.
The new sofa was $100 on Craig’s List and I put an additional $120 into fabric and upholstery supplies. The mirror was free from my uncle. The dresser under the window was $100 off of Craig’s List and the bench was $25 at an antique store. The sea grass rug was purchased with Joss & Main referral credits, so it was free. The French chairs were the big splurge at $150/piece and the dress form was also $150 from an antique store.
I bought the over sized clock face on clearance at Hobby Lobby for $50 and gave it a makeover. (I know it’s turned the wrong way in this picture, but it’s right in the room now.)
My fav way to shop too! And you have such a gift for putting it all together!
Wow! Really $1250 is still unbelievably inexpensive to furnish a room. You are always an inspiration!
Didn’t you just purchase a leather sofa from the room?
That is in a different room.
Could you tell us the price of the leather sofa? Thanks.
Craig’s List is my favorite resource too (or the only resource we can currently afford…) It’s amazing what you can find there when you are patient enough to wait for just the right pieces. Thanks for sharing ox
You’ve done such an amazing job of creating a beautiful space for not a lot of money! You are a master of patience, creativity and hard work.
Hi
We are a new business, just set up last year in Cornwall England, we came about through our love of simple country pieces and flat chalk paints, we work from home ATM as the expense of a shop is not viable for us, (maybe one day) anyway just wanted to say … we love your blogs and find them really informative and engaging, keep up the good work.
Regards Gavin and simon ( country pumpkin )
Amazing! Next could you stop by my house 😉 It looks fantastic!
Fotini
so awesome and inspiring, but for those of us with no creative talents (who need to scour craigslist for things that don’t need improvements/fixing up) do you think the same advice still holds true?
It all just looks so beautiful and inviting, Marian! Can’t wait to see what you do with the horse.also can’t wait for the new ironstone postings- maybe I’ll get lucky this time and be able to buy something before it all sells out!!!!
What a great challenge! I know people who are proud to say how much they pay for their expensive things. I’m proud when I do a project that will cost me almost nothing. Bravo!!!
Good job! I can list my donated items (from family) and my yard sale finds in my head, around my house. It is nice that they have a ‘history.’ I’ll take a conglomeration rather than a “show room” style home, any day. Ugh. Just please don’t take me to the local furniture store and say ‘pick it all out’. How horrid.
-Trish
Maybe when you post new items in your shop, you could remember those of us on the blog who may not do face book. The room looks simple, but grand. Thanks
Excellent article. You remind me to let things evolve and change in a room.
Rome wasn’t built in a day! It does take time to decorate especially when needing to keep things within a certain budget. It takes me years to get it all done, then it seems within six months we move and start all over again! I love it!
Enjoy your Sunday afternoon with your family curled up on your new sofa…in the other beautiful room 🙂
I also shop Craigslist, yard sales and shops for great finds. I enjoy breathing new life into something old and ugly. I love following your blog for inspiration. It helps all of us to sometimes think outside of the box and see how something can be repurposed or changed up for a fresh new look. I often tell people to go shopping through their house all look in the closets, storage containers, sheds, other rooms, etc. to gather things on hand to create a fresh new look. Girlfriends sometimes ask me to come over to help them give a room or two a fresh makeover. Once said to my friend, now let’s go shopping. She looked at me and replied that she had no money. I laughed and told her I meant through her home. It’s amazing what you can do!
Keep the inspirations coming, Marian!
Love the dress form. Very good budgeting!
You are a continual source of inspiration and ideas, I loved it then, and love it now too 🙂
xo, Tanya
twelveOeight
Your space is beautiful and inspirational as always.
~willa~
Just perfect – And at a great price – Hope to score some new items soon – God Bless and I need the inspiration more than ever.
So nice that you are able to show folks the breakdown of expences when decorating on a budget. Great job! Just love your new sofa. I have one thing to ask you….I am so drawn to your beautiful blue drapes…did you make them or where did you buy them?
I have been inspired by you lately to post on Craigslist to pay for new items I want. A couple of things laying around unused paid for the Frye boots I “had” to have in December. Now I’ve got my eye on the rug! It doesn’t hurt when I can reason I made the purchases with money from things I wasn’t using. Thanks, as always, for being a source of inspiration!
I love that horse ~ but every time I see a picture of the room, I want to turn him (her) facing the other way, towards the dining room 🙂 like he (she?) is looking at the wall with nothing to see (poor thing….) It does have a cute horse-behind, though… !
That’s an amazing room for less than $1300. Most people spend much more than that on a sofa let alone a whole room. Not to mention the room has been featured in your book and a national magazine to inspire everyone.
Thank you for sharing with all of us.
Way yo go Marian, in fact this is the only way to furnish a home. Real wood, classic design, beautiful paint and colors, good taste stellar fabric choice, and excellent collection of accessories. I can hardly wait to get to my retirement home in Colorado and decorate my home like you did.(probably summer 2015) As you say, “good design does not have to be expensive.” I truly agree. Recycling past treasures is so much fun, and you never know what you will find, especially on CL. Time and patience will pay off and you will enjoy the finds as much as when the original owner purchased them Thanks so much for sharing your talents and design with all of us. I love all of it and want that horse. Keep of the good work. God Bless You.
Love Linda from the OC
Way yo go Marian, in fact this is the only way to furnish a home. Real wood, classic design, beautiful paint and colors, good taste stellar fabric choice, and excellent collection of accessories. I can hardly wait to get to my retirement home in Colorado and decorate my home like you did.(probably summer 2015) As you say, “good design does not have to be expensive.” I truly agree. Recycling past treasures is so much fun, and you never know what you will find, especially on CL. Time and patience will pay off and you will enjoy the finds as much as when the original owner purchased them Thanks so much for sharing your talents and design with all of us. I love all of it and want that horse. Keep up the good work. God Bless You.
Love Linda from the OC
I have to brag…I just made the best Craigslist score of my life this afternoon! Pottery Barn Manhattan leather sofa for $150! I was searching for something used as it is going to be the kids’ couch and was hoping for leather. Just happened to check a few minutes after the listing posted and jumped on it. My husband picked it up today and I’m still silly over it. It’s so fun when home decorating is a hunt!
That’s the Craigslist score of a lifetime!!!
Hi Marian, I have so much enjoyed reading your blog and am getting the courage to now refinish some of the pieces I’ve collected over the years from garage sales, thrift stores, etc. I tend to do a bunch of picking up and then am fearful to begin the rejuvenation process for fear of failing. Thanks for the inspiration to get started. I also have enjoyed your book tremendously … glad to hear a voice that I can not only relate to, but be inspired by! Quick question … I have a great corner unit that I purchased from a yard sale taken from a 1920s home. I wanted to refinish it because it has so many layers of paint and was too shabby for even a shabby chic look. BUT I’ve been told by several people that I should be fearful of sanding because it’s probably covered in lead paint. What are your thoughts on that in general and is wearing a protective mask what you would suggest. God bless you as you create your beautiful home for your husband and sons … and I wish you every blessing on your and your husband’s new endeavors in 2014. His Peace, Diana
What about the tan leather sofa cost? Thanks.
Beautiful, and a bargain! Looks, like a million!
I need to come shop at your antiques stores. NO way could I have bought that dress form for less than $300 and that bench would have been at least $75 here in TX. The flea markets wouldn’t have been much cheaper, either. This is why we LOVE shopping on the east coast – so much stuff, so little money!
Bravo!! The room is stunning…! and i love hearing how you found things and redid stuff… makes it sooo much more interesting!
Cindy