Friday, June 3, 2011

High Style, Low Cost Ideas with La Maison Boheme!

Whohoo, it's Friday! And I am sure you know what that means. . . Another fabulous design-enthusiast/blogger/friend of mine has stopped by to share some ideas with you! I'll let her take it from here. . .
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Hi, I'm Sarah from La Maison Boheme and I'm so excited to be here at JPM! Like many of you out there, I'm always looking for ways to feather my nest without spending a lot of money (or any money at all). I want to share a little corner of my living room with you today. Every thing in the photo below was either found on Craig's List, a re-purposed hand-me-down, purchased at a discount store or a thrift store find that needed a little DIY love.


When I want a new look, I go shopping in my own home. I look at existing pieces that are under-utilized, tucked away in a closet or out of date and try to renew them. For instance, I recently made two throw pillows for my sofa by using two cloth napkins backed with an old green curtain. I really liked the look of the Suzani prints I was seeing in all the magazines, but couldn't afford the hefty price. These napkins were purchased on sale at Cost Plus World Market. I ended up with two pillows for under 7 dollars.


The side table was purchased via Craig's List. All I used was a little wood glue to strengthen the table, a can of old red paint hiding in my shed and a spray can of polyurethane (Miniwax) to seal it all. My total cost was under 20 dollars for the whole she-bang. Now, it's one of my favorite things in the room!




The possibilities are endless. Next time you see a look you love, start at home and go shopping in your own cupboards and drawers. Taking your old belongings in their current incarnation and seeing their potential takes some practice, but can be very rewarding. And if your project turns out to be a big mess - the only thing you've lost is a little time and an old piece of something that you weren't using anyway.

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Thank you so much for stopping by, Sarah! If you aren't already farmiliar with her blog, it's quite spectacular. It's filled to the brim with bohemian eye candy, interiors and inspiration. In fact, I was so inspired by her suzani napkin pillows, I went out and made one for myself earlier this spring! 

Happy Friday, everyone!