An Outdoor Couch Worth Bringing In

The pace at which I'm decorating the new house you would think there was cash prize waiting for me at at the end... except there isn't... and I'm actually spending cash. Oh well.

So I moved onto the sun room recently and was on an intense hunt for a couch, but not just any couch... an outdoor couch. Because that room isn't temperature controlled, I wanted something sturdy, yet cozy, but still trendy... kind of like me. Okay, so I digress..

Anyway, during the onset of my search, I only  had only two options - 1) cheap, patio-like furniture that looked more like a park bench than a cozy couch or 2) entirely too expensive, chic outdoor seating that cost more than the "real" couch in our family room.

But then I found IT - the exact kind of couch I wanted at the exact price I had in mind. I got it online at... wait for it... Walmart.com.

I know, I know, either you're gasping in shock that I would find something legit enough at Walmart or you're gasping in shock that I would buy something that is only reasonably priced because of child labor. I get it. But I searched high and low and Walmart was the only source that had the full package I was looking for. Do you forgive me? Maybe you'll feel better if you see it...

So here is the couch assembled "as-is" before I accessorized it (those pillows came with it):

(BIG shout out to the hubs for putting it together... it took him two hours of sweating and swearing to assemble this bad boy.)

And here it is with some finishing touches from a successful trip to Homegoods:

And here is the view of the couch from the family room... because the rooms are attached, I wanted to have a color flow. The patterns and textures I used in the sun room are more "rustic" and natural, but their colors flow with the colors in the family room, so it really visually extends the entire living space.

Ah, success. And who would have thought this room would be inspired by Walmart... now if you excuse me, I need to go make a donation to "save-the-children."

Fixture Fanatic

Born in 1975, our home may have made it through the 80s without leg warmers and outrageously large bangs, but it still has remnants of bad decor from decades better left forgotten.

Still on my mission to spruce up our new digs on a limited budget, I turned to my favorite technique - updating lighting fixtures - to help me modernize some spaces that were just rubbing (and in some cases, "fanning") me the wrong way.

Let's begin in our master bedroom, which housed the biggest, most dated offender. Behold the 1986 brass ceiling fan:

Quite the beauty, eh? Somehow our modern bedding and furniture just didn't mesh with the basket weave inlay of the fan blades.

When I hunted for a replacement I really wanted to hang a dramatic chandelier or a trendy light surrounded by an even trendier drum shade. While I fell in love with quite a few fixtures, there were three problems... 1) all the fixtures I found were not only dramatic in looks, but in price... 2) I have pretty much taken over the house and I don't think the hubs could bear to sleep beneath hanging crystals, which would probably strip him of his manliness as he slept... and 3) both the hubs and I turn into furnaces when we sleep, so having a ceiling fan is the only way to realistic keep cool under the covers.

So now I was on the hunt for a functional ceiling fan that had a trendy, semi-masculine look that still would give me the elegance of a modern chandelier or shade. Easy task, right? I was surprised when I found the solution at Lowe's of all places, for $180... check it out...

This fan is "exclusive" to Lowe's, made by their house brand, thus the low price.

Pleasantly surprised by the lighting selection, I thought it was time to replace these hall lights...

(Which aren't THAT bad, just not our taste and weren't jiving with the rest of the rest of our decor)





Into these:

Modern, different and 80 bucks. Gotta love it.

So today's lesson? Don't stay in the dark and remember what a dramatic impact the right (and inexpensive) lighting fixture can make.

Cheap Art Workout

I recently embarked on a 3 mile journey and braved the elements (aka 50 degrees with a slight wind) to create some cheap wall decor... I'll do anything to save a buck and shed a pound.

I have been wanting to put up some art in our front foyer and I felt like we needed something more personal than an "off the shelf" print could provide.

So I trekked through our new town taking what I deemed "artistic" black & white pictures of local landmarks and places that are important to me and hubs. I then snagged some really inexpensive frames from Kohl's - I got $50 dollar frames for 15 bucks with a sale and additional discount - and VOILA! I have transformed our foyer into a high end gallery (for a low end price) that will surely earn an "awwww" from our visitors when they learn that the pictures include the church we got married in and the place where Adam proposed.

So you take this...

 And add this...

To get THIS...

Okay, so I'm no Picasso, but I do really love how special these pictures are and they look pretty chic..

This photo idea also works really well for a special (and inexpensive!) gift. For example, when my sister was building her house, I hopped the construction fence and snapped black & white shots of the walls going up. I then put the pictures in a frame that has now been hanging in her house for more than six years.

So do you feel the burn?? Get out there and snap pictures that mean something to you and create wall art that will surely make your house a home.

Behind the Curtain

Nothing screams "finished room" quite like drapes. And nothing screams "I created a great look with a killer deal that I want to brag about" quite like... well... me.

As you know, our family room is on its way to becoming the first official room that is "done" in our new home. I toiled over the crown molding, I slaved over the accent wall and I pulled muscles moving our furniture. When its all said and done I'm left with a heart full of pride a back full of aches.

The only thing remaining in the room that needed to be done was dressing up the sliding glass door. A nice set of curtains can really transform any room in your home, and I had been anxious to put up the drapes I had recently bought online... and yes, I bought my drapes really sight unseen... I live on the edge. 

[Side note: Who is anxiously awaits the opportunity to hang curtains?! I dreamt about this moment... I'm not even kidding.]

Let's do a little "before and after," shall we?

So this is a "before the before:"

This was weeks ago mid-paint job and note the brackets along the the top of the door frame. Those once held 1984-quality vinyl, vertical blinds that knocked me off my step stool as I pried them off the wall...







Now this is the "before" just moments before the big reveal:

What's important to note here is A) I take bad, inconsistent "before" pictures really negating the whole purpose of "before and after" pictures and B) yours truly spackled the holes left behind from the vertical blind brackets and then sanded and painted over the repairs... I know, please take a moment to marvel in my handiness.



And here is the AFTER:

Better yet, from the drapes to hardware, this entire window makeover cost only $150. Let's face it, you can easily spend $150 on the curtain rod alone if you shop at the wrong places.

Where is the RIGHT place to shop for your window coverings, you ask? The best kept secret in rich-looking, but cheap-costing window treatments is JCPenney. Probably don't think of them often for home decor, right? Don't underestimate this store or its website!

[Another side note: the drapes I bought were 95 inches in length - aka - long. By hanging curtains well above your window or door frame, you elongate the room and create a really modern look.]

So that's all I got for today, folks. I have taken you behind my deal-finding curtain by revealing the curtains I found for a deal... wow, I'm getting poetic with all this home improvement, aren't I?

Discount Dining

I'm a little nuts. When it comes to moving into our new house, I will not rest until it feels like home.

We have only been in the house for three days and I have already almost unpacked everything, which includes cleaning cabinets, lining shelves and washing newspaper residue from all our dishes. Within moments of opening the door, I unburied my favorite candle that was our last home's signature scent and proceeded to walk around the entire house like a witch doctor wafting the familiar smell into every room. I shampooed carpets, dusted corners, ran laundry and organized closets. And again I did this all in 72 hours with the hubs not getting in my way as he feared that he too would either be shampooed or put away on a shelf.

Part of my obsession with making this house our home included making sure we had a few "completed" rooms as soon as possible. I hate living in boxed up clutter and have found that even one pulled together room makes the insanity of a move a little more manageable.

The room I focused on was the kitchen mostly because we had recently purchased a new kitchen table that I was itching to see in action. I'm not sharing this with you because I want to brag how efficient I am (okay, maybe I want to toot my horn just a bit), I'm sharing it because what you're about to see was done with less than $920, and something THAT good can't be kept to myself. So here is the new dining spot in our eat-in kitchen:

My mom is the queen of "smart shopping" and has passed on her love of deals and how to hunt for them onto me. I'm no crazy couponer, but I do appreciate a well priced find and this dining spot is a great example of how even on a budget, you can get quality items at a discount... you just have to know where to look.

Here's the breakdown:

Table =$460

• This is a legitimate 250 pound, solid wood table. You can't see it in the picture, but it has incredile inlay detail. The piece was originally $1200, but it was a slightly damaged floor sample that the furniture store was looking to move quickly so they could bring in new spring and summer lines. With a little Minwax, this table will be as good as new.

Hanging lamp = $60

• So chic, right? I found it at World Market and not only was it on sale, I also had a coupon that I received as part of being a World Market Explorer member. Membership is free and you don't have to carry around a lame membership card - you get deals and discounts emailed to you and just print coupons from your home computer.

Chairs = $97/each

• They are a faux distressed leather and just plain cool. We also found these at World Market and took advantage of the store's "Friends and Family" sale.The chairs did need to be assembled, but that's what the hubs is for.

Placemats= $2/each

• Believe it or not, I got those at Wal-Mart. I actually love Wal-Mart for their home decor. While a bit sketchy at times, consider the store for more than cheap toiletries... I've purchased everything from throw pillows to rugs to picture frames from there and you can't beat the price.

Tulips = Free

• One of the joys of moving into a new home is that you get visitors who bring you stuff... these tulips were a gift from my mother-in-law and nothing says "home" quite like fresh flowers. 

So that's the breakdown of my discount shopping finds and if you are embarking on a new move, to avoid your own break down, remember to try to complete one room in your house within the first few days of your arrival to help you feel more in control of transforming your house into your home.