Since we moved into a blank slate (we had this house built... picked one of three possible models and then added a few options to it), we had white walls, no curtains and plain floors. After closing on the house, we had to stay rather thrifty.
In the front of our house, we have two rooms: the dining room and the "living room". Well, we don't call it that. It's our "book room". Long story there. Basically in our old house, we had a similar front room that started off as holding boxes. Eventually we realized that our books were in that room... so we affectionately called it the "book room" and it's stuck, nine years later, and even transferred to the new house.
This Book Room is now my favorite room... granted, I don't spend a lot of time in there... when I find myself in a reading spell, I will often camp out there for hours on end. {So, maybe it's still appropriately named.} I love the way it turned out. It started off with a simple Ikea loveseat and a Target black leather chair/ottoman. And from there, I decided to stick with a brown/black/white scheme.
I love to look in there and see how my thrifty finds somehow turned out looking pretty sharp.
This was a project of mine done on a thrift-store find. It used to be a Harry and David chalkboard plaque that I paid $2 for. A little spray paint, some burlap ribbon and some Cricut vinyl letters later, it's now a good reminder of all the homes we have lived in, since meeting at college.
One of my cheapest projects ever. Black spray paint on a $1 yard sale chair. :) There is nothing on there now, but I'll often hang a wreath or set a cute pillow on there so that it doesn't look like a stuffy time-out chair. I used it the other day... wow... talk about a posture-straightener! No slouching on this chair, or you'll fall off.
My coffee filter wreath (under $10) on a HomeGoods mirror ($69).
Our Ikea loveseat, four yard-sale feather/silk pillows ($16), a HomeGoods ottoman ($39), and a Home Decorators rug (under $70).
The above-mentioned Target black leather chair and ottoman (under $300, if I remember correctly). That pillow also came from Target years ago, I believe.
The lamps hailed from HomeGoods ($40 apiece... the shades are made of burlap!); the tables are a two-fer package bought at Bed Bath and Beyond around the holidays for $99/2; the vase was a beautiful $2 investment from a yard sale, and the grass... Dollar Tree.
A close-up of the super cute pillows!
A black cabinet bought from HomeDecorators.com years ago. I love it. The frosted glass windows semi-hide my stash of decorating goodies. And I added the kids' names to the drawers... this is where they keep library books, important papers to keep (like spelling lists, semi-finished reports, etc). The decorations were all thrifty finds... $6 Southern Living pedestal, $1 green candle, $3 hurricane glass, Michaels' sale flowers, and $3 mercury-glass candleholders from Joann's (sale).
The whole BookRoom from the front door. This view may change in a few weeks/months. We may be getting a new-to-us piano to replace the black cabinet (which will shift to the dining room). Hiding to the side of the cabinet now is my son's guitar and music stand. We may need to change the name from "Book Room" to "Music Room". Stay tuned for any changes in the next few months.
See, thrifting CAN pay off! I can't wait till Spring Break. I plan to visit a few of my all-time favorite thrift stores that are close to where I used to live in PA. Despite living hours from there when we met in our neighborhood, it was awesome to learn that Lizzie knows the EXACT same thrift stores... she shops them every time she visits her family, too! T-minus two months till I need a load of cash to spend!! Can't wait!
Let me know when you are in Pittsburgh, I would love to go thrifting with you!
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