Bargain Decorating, part 1

Decorating a room “on the cheap” thrills me almost as much as Nordstrom's Anniversary sale. I don’t mean buying cheaply made furniture and accessories. (In the long run, cheaply made furniture costs you more most of the time.)


My bedroom may be my favorite endeavor to date.


I bought this vintage chest of drawers from a local seller on eBay for $113 (including two matching end tables). It is solid hardwood, very sturdy, and well-constructed. I refinished it and added new knobs for $50. The frames on top came from a second-hand store, after which I painted them to match ($2 total).













This nightstand (I have 2 of them) came from a garage sale for $10 a piece. Refinishing and new knobs totaled $10. The lamps were on display--the last ones left. I bartered with the store manager to get them for $11 a piece.





















My curtain rods are made of electrical conduit ($3) and cabinet knobs ($3 each). I used hooks from the hardware section to hold the rod up ($1 each).











Curtains from Ikea ($19 a pair)























Bed frame: $500 from Overstock.com








My mother-in-law had given me these prints (unframed). They were an odd size, but I happen to find these frames (which were the right size) on clearance at a craft store for $1.50 each. They had other prints in them that I took out and tossed. I painted the frames to match the bed ($1).





Tips:

• Think outside the box. I happened to see the electrical conduit at Home Depot, and decided it would work for curtain rods by cutting with a hacksaw and sticking cabinet knobs over the ends.
• Take one step at a time. I didn’t decorate my room overnight. I took my time having a vision in mind. Then when I came across a great deal that fit with the vision, I snatched it up.
• Affordable, quality, new furniture is hard to find in retail stores. But there are solid pieces out there that will stand the test of time. Look past the surface (it can be refinished to your liking). Look for furniture with dovetail joints (definition), that’s sturdy/non-wobbly/heavy, and is made of solid wood. Pull drawers out and look inside and underneath to determine the quality of the piece.
• Be flexible. I had my mind set on a chaise lounge chair for my bedroom. However, when I decided a loveseat from the living room didn’t work in there, I moved it to my bedroom instead of a chaise.

Including the loveseat, this room cost $975. Home decorating doesn't require breaking the bank!