Get the High End Look, Skip the High End Prices
Posted in Your Home, Your Money on 07. Sep, 2009
I love getting my catalog for Pottery Barn Kids. It’s so much fun to look through it, and I both daydream and drool at the same time. There have been a couple of times I’ve ordered (small) small things from their catalog, but I mostly enjoy flipping through it for the ideas. I love creating a room for my kids that looks like it’s inspired by a catalog (of course it’s a much messier version…) without the high cost. There are a few ways to do this.
Color is key. Sometimes, the best thing about a room is the colors and the combinations of those colors. You can have a sharp looking room just by combining the right colors, and in the right proportions. One way to know for sure that your color is just right is to get inspiration from designers. One thing I love about Pottery Barn Kids is that they tell you exactly which colors they use in the pages of their catalogs. These beautiful colors by Benjamin Moore can be found by going to potterybarnkids.com and searching “fan deck.” This is a great way to see the colors in actual rooms, and get ideas about decorating around that color.
Do it yourself. You’ll save money as well as have some creative flexibility if you do certain projects yourself. The easiest project with the quickest reward is spray painting, whether you are painting picture frames, an old piece of furniture, or a shelf. Pick a color that is in your child’s room, and have fun with it. I like to find the random, old picture frames we no longer use and then spray paint them to match not only the room, but each other. Having a bunch of coordinated pictures hanging in your nursery, the same shade as your crib bedding, is one of the easiest ways to pull off a catalog look without the high price. Another fun project: If you have a sewing machine and know how to use it, try picking a great fabric and making your own curtains, duvet cover, and pillow shams. Using the same fabric will really bring the look together, and sewing it yourself will save you a bundle.
Choose one piece from the actual store, and build around it. I found some awesome bedding from a very nice children’s store, and bought coordinating things for my two girls, who share a room. The colors were lavender and light green, so I worked from there. I took the colors from their bedding and repainted their room a light shade of lavender, bought a light green balloon shade from Target, and a can of light green spray paint from Home Depot. I spray painted a shelf and some other things, and suddenly it looked like it all went together. Although I only purchased the bedding from the store I liked, I felt like those changes made the room look like it was straight out a magazine.
Check out Etsy. Now, if you haven’t heard of etsy, first read my post about this wonderful site (insert hyperlink to my other post). If you are looking at a page from a magazine and see some sort of décor that you love, try finding that same décor other places first. Oftentimes, you can find things from a private seller who has their own small business, selling virtually the same product for a fraction of the price. A good example of this would be vinyl wall decals. These are amazing, and give a room such a tasteful, unique feel to it. These appliqués are inexpensive and come in many types and colors. In my daughters’ room there are butterflies, an owl on a branch, and a monkey hanging from a branch. I guarantee you that I paid much less for my decals than someone who saw them in a magazine and ordered them from a larger company.
Look on eBay. I found a quilt that I wanted for my daughter, but didn’t want to pay the high price that the store was charging. I ended up finding the exact same quilt on eBay, and it was brand new in the package. Not only was the seller offering for less, but they were offering free shipping as well (which is good for me, since I don’t live close to any major malls). I was able to save $10, which may not sound like much – but it adds up.
If you can think of any more shortcuts to creating a well put together room at a low cost, please let me know and email me at tips@momscheetsheet.com.
- Grace
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