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."

A Toast to Our Housewarming Gift!

"Home is where your heart wine fridge is."

I learned that valuable lesson after my parents recently bestowed our housewarming gift upon us.

Check it out...

And let's not forget the handy-dandy drawer that doubles as a bar-serving surface:

 
Did you know that this kind of combo wine fridge/bar/cabinet even existed? After doing some research, there is really only one manufacturer producing a wine fridge show piece like this within this specific price range (aka - under 500 bucks), but I bet you'll start to see others come to the market with something similar.

(Search Google Shopping for "wine fridge cabinet" if you want to peruse what's out there.)

For us, this beauty solved two issues -1) we never seem to have enough wine in the fridge to accommodate unexpected guests (and its ironic that two of the recurring, unexpected, wine-drinking guests are also the ones who bought us the gift), so now we can just pack all our white wine in this puppy and not think twice and bottles taking up valuable kitchen fridge real estate and 2) we needed to fill some extra space in the dining room, but didn't want anything too large, so this slender piece is a great addition that serves multiple purposes.

Love it!

So if you've always wanted a wine fridge, but don't have the space to slap a naked fridge on your counter or on the floor, consider checking out a wine cabinet like the one that we now proudly call our own... you don't need to renovate your kitchen to make it fit and it's really something unique.

Cheers!

And thanks again, Mom and Dad!

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.