Budget Bedroom Makeover Breakdown

When I shared my bedroom makeover, I was so excited I just shared lots of picture, and didn’t chat much. Today, I am going to itemize my bedroom makeover so you can see how attainable it is to get a new look without going broke! I’m going to break down the details of the room from left to right. I’ll be sharing where I got everything, as well as sharing tips on how I shop (which is most often, in my own house)! I hope you find something useful. Let’s go!

• Item 1: My velvet chair really helped set the tone for the entire room. I was yearning for something pretty and romantic and have not had a chance to decorate with pink in a long time, so I did! I found this chair at a tag sale for $9 a few months ago and I set it aside, knowing I wanted to give painting velvet a shot and that I wanted test out Maison Blanche and stretch it’s versatility using it on something new! I posted about the whole experience of painting velvet upholstery here where I shared the before and after chair makeover.

• Item 2: The carved wood piece is from ROSS and cost $8.99. I’ve had it for about ten years and it’s been all over the house! Money well spent. That’s only .89 cents a year. In white, it really plays nice with almost everything. One of the reasons white is so well loved for decorating. This piece i’s sort of nondescript, so it’s very versatile. These are the types of things that can help build your home décor collection. A staple piece you can use year after year.

• Item 3: The antique dresser was bought at an estate sale for $30.00. It’s a true antique. Dovetail joints and real wooden wheels. It’s a prized possession. I believe it had a mirror that matched at one point but I don’t know where it’s at now. I’ve yet to paint it, I’m sort of attached to the odd bits of chippy paint that are left on it. I don’t know why… I just like it. Maybe one day it will wear some Maison Blanche. But not yet.

 

TIP: Getting to an estate sale early is the key. Stuff goes fast and some buyers are looking to fill stores and buy things in lots. I didn’t knock anyone over, but I bee-lined it straight for the dresser, knowing I was most interested in furniture, I looked for those pieces right off. I also bring more cash then I will ever spend, just in case. You never know what you might run into, you might spy that once in a lifetimes find and many sales are run by companies that deal in cash only. I make sure to have empty boxes with packing paper, old blankets and even tie down straps if we find something that needs to be strapped on to the top of our luggage rack. Also, baby wipes make great on-the-go hand cleaners for quick cleans up between sales. A real life saver!

• Item 4: My cowboy hat that I actually wear and love, also from ROSS (you’ll sense a theme here soon) $12.99. Hey, I said everything. No reason you can’t use everyday items to add a personal touch to your decorating.

• Item5: Necklaces, undetermined. Many of the necklaces have sentimental meaning, like Jim’s Navy Dog Tags. I’ve always had those out, somewhere. The shells are from a trip to Hawaii, a string of pearls is from my grandmothers jewelry box, etc… Prices vary. Do I include the trip to Hawaii in the cost of the shells? lol – You get the design aspect though. Use what you’ve got and enjoy your collections.

• Item 6: Dress dummy, free. Technically a mannequin, it was a store display at JCPenny. They were getting rid of it and my sister in law got it for me. It’s got a base, and at one time, I actually used it to display clothing. That was years ago when I sold on eBay. I got super burnt out on it and stopped though. That was SOME garage sale we had! I did have this standing in the corner, and just for the heck of it, I took it off the base and tried it on the dresser. I liked it so it stayed. Don’t be afraid to try something different. The worst thing that could have happened is I would put it back on the stand, and moved one to another idea.

TIP: Retail stores have sales on store displays and you can attend. These are a great place to find display pieces, organizers, small furnishings and decor items. You can ask for the display department and the manager should be able to tell you when and how often they are held.

• Item 7: Pink dish, free. This was a thrift store gift from my mother in law. The stones have been collected over time, since Austin was little bitty! We are always bringing home pretty rocks from day trips and excursions. He actually grew the crystals in science class one year and I thought they were so pretty, I kept them.

• Item 8: Decorative Urn, Goodwill $1.99. These are small but mighty. I would love larger ones, but so far… this is all I can afford. lol. I did get two. So there is always that {winks}. I’ll keep looking though… one day I’ll score some big ones. They can be on my decorating bucket list. Gotta have things to hunt for right?

TIP: The holidays are on the way, the thrift stores get the most stock of any other time of year pre-holiday. People are cleaning out their homes, getting ready for company, buying new furniture, getting new carpet, etc… The shelves are full to bursting. Visit early, visit often.

• Item 9: The White Lamp with Hanging Crystals is from HomeGoods and was $39.99. I never see these anymore? I still think it’s really cute and I’ve never regretted picking it up. Before I used it in this room, it was much more of an antique white, but I dry brushed it with some Magnolia Maison Blanche paint to whiten it up and it now looks great in the bedroom.

• Item 10: The Vintage Pink Dish Drainer was a thrift store purchase for $7.00 and I loved it the minute I saw it. I bought it home and it’s been tucked away from months, I knew I’d use it but was unsure of where or what for? It ended up landing where you see it now. It serves no purpose other then I enjoy looking at it. The pinch of pink is perfect. Follow your heart. Sometimes, things don’t have to “make sense” to be used as decor or accents. This just makes me smile. And that is reason enough.

• Item 11: The Pink Chenille Pillow Shams were $5 for the set. Swear. I got those in California at a discount store called dd’s. They are 100% cotton, so soft, and wash up beautifully. A total score for sure! I didn’t need them at the time, but bought them anyway since, hello, they were $5 bucks!! 

• Item 12: The White Ruffled Pillow was a HomeGoods splurge at $39.99 – I indulged, because I knew I would never sew one like it for myself and the cover zips off so it can be laundered. Forty bucks might not be a splurge for lots of you, but it was for me. I really try to keep the home décor costs down because I have so much, it’s hard to justify spending a lot. Plus, I really like to DIY whatever I can. I like to stay busy and I enjoy the challenge and satisfaction I get when I know I made something. I know I’ll love this for many years to come, so I think it was a good treat.

• Item 13: The Rosebud Duvet and Shams, No Cost. These were a hand me down from my sister in law. When I got these, I knew I was going pink and romantic with the velvet chair. The duvet, being the largest visual element in the room, anchors it with the delicate rose pattern and the colors. I was certainly lucky to have this to work with for free! We give each other stuff all the time when one or the other is tired of it. Clothes, furniture.. all sorts of stuff. It’s great!! We just gave them our dishwasher as a mater of fact. I’ve had the headboard for several years now. 

TIP: If you have sisters, friends, a church group or co-workers that like to decorate. Plan a swap night! You can trade home decor, clothes, handbags, kids. J.K. wanted to see if you were paying attention. This is a fun way to get something new to you at no cost and have some fun too. You can turn it into a girls night with wine or a potluck.

• Item 14: The tiny rosebud floral quilt is from HomeGoods and was under $50. I’m thinking it may have been $39.99 but it could have been $49.00. I can’t remember! Again, this is about 10 years old. My mom and I both bought one. She got tired of hers and gave it to me, so I actually have two. They are really soft and very warm. They work out great to throw over the sofa if you want to snuggle and watch movies too!

• Item 15: Linen Look Lamp Shade, ROSS $5.99 – I find some really cute lampshades at ROSS and they are never more then $10 bucks! The trick with ROSS is going frequently, since the good stuff goes fast!! We’ve got a very nice, clean, well run one 5 minutes from my house. Which is a life saver since I live in a small town and we don’t have many shopping options. That is a blessing and a curse.

• Item 16: Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic Rose Lamp, Target $19.99 on clearance. Just happened to be bopping around Target with my mom and spied this little qt. It’s got to be 10-12 years old now? Time flies! Sometimes I’m using it but often it’s in my home décor and craft storage room [click here to tour it], as it doesn’t always fit with my decorating style.

• Item 17: Little crackled birdie, ROSS $4.99

• Item 18: Soft pink wave dish, Salvation Army, .05¢ – Yes, you read five cents. And I adore it. You know, sometimes… it’s those little, tiny layered details that really add interest to a room.

• Item 19: Bucket of Faux Daisies, HomeGoods $19.99 – Faux flowers are so good for filler and are great for adding height. Plus, when it’s Winter they are a life saver. You can squint and pretend. I don’t often find fake flowers I can live with, but this casual arrangement has stuck around for many years and is super versatile.

TIP: To keep fake plants and flowers clean, spray them off outside with canned air to dust them occasionally. You know, the kind for electronics, like you use to clean your keyboard off. This works for lamp shades too. I’ll use the air compressor if it’s hooked up but the canned air works in a pinch.

• Item 20: Baby Pink Enamelware Reproduction Bowl, ROSS $6.99

• Item 21: Antique Brass Claw Foot Side Table, tag sale $15.00 – This was in pretty rough shape but Jim did some repairs on it to make it more stable. It will be painted in the future, but I’m saving it for an indoor Winter project. When it starts raining, I’ll need something to keep me busy.

• Item 22: Green Thrift Store Books $1.00 – We’ve had these (and others) forever and every time I think I don’t need them anymore, I end up using them somewhere.

• Item 23: Wood Shutter, Habitat For Humanity $5.00 – H4H, I highly recommend. Not only do you find great treasures, you help support a wonderful cause. It’s a Win-Win!! Also someplace to visit frequently. Jim loves it too so we go together on Saturdays whenever we get a chance. It’s always fun to poke around.

• Item 24: Pink Wreath, Katrina Kathleen’s Home Décor and Gifts $29? I don’t recall exactly but I do remember that I got the matching garland as well If you’re ever in the North Bend/Coos Bay area it’s a darling shop right on HWY 101. It’s full of home décor, lamps, pillows, furniture, art, etc… Something for everyone. I also sell my Maison Blanche paint at this location, so you can pick that up there as well!

• Item 25: Ramsign plaque, free. I was fortunate enough to receive this as compensation for hosting a giveaway when I first started blogging. I selected a special date, Austin’s birthday!

• Item 26: Gem Studded Ginger Jar, ROSS $7.99

• Item 27: Another Urn, Goodwill $2.49 – I just ripped the disgustingly ugly fake plant out of it! Instant improvement.

• Item 28: Pink Kissing Ball, Katrina Kathleen’s Home Décor and Gifts $5.99

• Item 29: This wasn’t part of the makeover, as it was in the room previously, but I thought I would share it’s cost anyway since it was fairly inexpensive and I did paint it to make it over. White Mirrored Chest, Furniture Store in CA, $399.oo – Originally an ugly green. (why it was on sale for $399 I’m sure) I brought it home and promptly painted it white and added the crystal knobs.

TIP: When shopping for furniture, or most anything these days, try to look at shape, size and functionality. You can always change the color if it’s a good, quality piece and the price is right. This goes for lamps and lots of home décor items as well. Try to see past color and pattern to the body of the piece.

In total, I only added 4 new purchases for this room refresh makeover:

• The Velvet Chair, tag sale $9

• The Vintage Pink Dish Drainer, thrift store $7.00

• The White Ruffled Pillow was a HomeGoods splurge at $39.99

• The Antique Brass Claw Foot Side Table, tag sale $15.00

total =$70.99

My personal, non professional decorating thoughts… what works for me in my everyday decorating is using a key piece or two to get me started and base my look on. Be it one new purchase, or in my case, a hand me down duvet cover. Instead of finding some out of reach inspiration picture with no base in what I own or is attainable, I’m content to use what is within my budget and what I have on hand. I also like to begin with a clean slate, deleting any existing decorator items and even small furnishings I don’t plan on using with the new look, out of the room before I start. It helps to start fresh.

Then shopping your home gathering items that might fit the vibe you’re going for and swapping and switching makes it affordable to fill in the gaps. It’s also easy to make changes to existing or low cost items with paint or fabric. This is a great ways to get a new look without spending more then you can afford. Like painting my $9 chair, instead of buying a brand new one, especially when it’s simply for decorating purposes and isn’t necessary seating. Don’t be afraid to use things in unexpected ways. Like a dish drainer in the bedroom. haha. I feel like this made the room “me” and added interest too! Not too mention, I simply like to look at it. I don’t think there really are any decorating rules. I mean, there are not decorating tickets… and no decorating police, right?

And, at the end of the day, enjoining your home is really what it’s all about.

The photo in the upper left corner is what the room looked like when we bought the house.

Solid concrete walls and floors, no closet for me, old rotten wood windows, no flooring… it was sad.

There was also a divider of sorts in the middle of the room. Apparently, the previous owners had two kids sharing this room. With it’s old drafty windows, broken French door glass and it’s flooding issues. How nice right? Poor things!

I can not imagine giving my kid the worst room in the house. Who knows, they were teenagers. Maybe they liked it?

So, back to the f word. Flooding. That was a joyous discovery we made after we put brand new carpet in. If I blogged back then I am sure it would have taken up a post or two… not fun.

But, we repaired, replaced and made it our own.

All new windows and trim, closet doors, paint from top to bottom, carpet, light fixtures, out lets and covers, pretty new wood French doors and a closet for me.

Now it’s Home-Sweet-Home and we certainly love it.

Every bit of work we’ve put into this home has just made it that much more “ours”.

If you’d like to tour the entire cottage please [click here].

Thanks bunches for stopping by! Shannon 

PS-If you’ve got any thrifty tips. I’d love to hear them.

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