The Look for Less

It's been awhile, but I'm back with my Look for Less series! In this series, I take a fabulous design and try to get the same look on the cheap. And I like a challenge... so today, I'm trying to emulate this amazing vignette pulled from the pages of Lonny Mag.

My thoughts are that with two major pieces of furniture, art and an area rug, if this look could be recreated for ummm say, under $1000, we're doing really good. Capish? The challenge is on....

desk, $69.99: although West Elm no longer makes the yellow version of this Parsons desk, you could always pick up the inexpensive option at Target and paint the laminate a high gloss yellow (don't know how to paint laminate? check out my Ikea hallway shelf painting tutorial!).

vase, $79.95 (and you could probably find for cheaper at Home Goods!)

faux hide rug, $199: While gorgeous in so many spaces, I just can't bring myself to buy or source the real thing! This faux fur source is wallet-friendly and makes the animals smile : )

rhino, $49.95

abstract art, $95

photography, $20

vintage mirror, $10

bowl & artichoke, $6.95

chair, $279 (wouldn't it be sweet to find an old chair at Goodwill and dress up to look like this one! would definitely help on the budget side of things!)

paint to create striped wallpaper look, $30

= $839.84

BOOM! Under budget! I love when that happens : )

Like I said before, not bad for two major pieces of furniture and an area rug! 

What are your favorite "look for less" sources?

PS. Wanna look like the coolest, accessorized kid on the block?

Don't forget to enter the Stella & Dot bracelet giveaway!

The Look for Less

Wow. I go away for a few days and my little blog world has exploded! When I checked my emails earlier today, I realized that Ten June was featured a few times at the end of last week by some absolutely fabulous blogs. Thank you to Courtney, Brenda and the girls over at the CSI Project. I am thrilled that two of my rooms (our office and master bedroom) were chosen to be in the Top Ten at the CSI Project this weekend. How fabulous is that?!

And, it looks like I've got a bunch of new followers, so welcome to everyone! I can't even believe that after only a few months of blogging, I have 100 followers! As I've said before, I truly appreciate how kind and supportive everyone in the world of blogging is. It is more than fun for me to share my little world and all of the projects that go along with it. Thank you for reading!!

While on our road trip this weekend (by the way, I still love my Bulldawgs even though we didn't win!), I was flipping through a copy of one of my favorite magazines- House Beautiful- when I remembered a fabulous dining room that I'd seen on their website not too long ago. Voila. Beautiful little dining room nook.

image via

How perfect would this setup be in a small space, like an apartment? While I'm not quite sure how much this little ensemble actually costs, I'm going to go ahead and make the assumption that  most of these pieces are high dollar finds. The article does point out the the table is from CB2 and I found that it is priced at an inexpensive $199. Even still, it's my style to take a high cost look and get it on a low dollar budget. So, I'm going to try and recreate this entire look, on the cheap.

Ta da! What do you think? Let's break this down.

Canvas curtains: $59.98 for two, World Market
Dining table: $199, CB2
Vase: $11.95, Crate and Barrel
Paint: $30ish a can (depending on your local store), "Jade Garden" by Benjamin Moore
Cherry branches: $5 a bundle at Hobby Lobby
Upholstered chairs: $160.99 for two, Target
Mirror: $249.95 (although I've seen it for on sale for $89 at my local store), Pier 1
Sheepskin rug: $59.99 for a 3"x5", Overstock.com
Ikat pillow: $31 for cover, Etsy

If we use the sale price on the mirror, we can get this entire dining room ensemble for about $650.

I chose to "splurge" on semi-nice curtains (you could go a lot cheaper with Ikea or Target curtains but I think a heavy curtain makes a better statement here), the dining table and the mirror. As you can see, the mirror I chose is not exactly similar to the one in the House Beautiful inspiration photo, but I could not for the life of me find a similar mirror for a good value (have any of you seen a mirror like this on the cheap?). Plus, I have been eying this honeycomb mirror at my local Pier 1 and I think it fits the space well. Lets hope it keeps its $89 sale price for awhile!

I chose to go the inexpensive route on most of the small accessories, including the rug. I'm not a huge fan of real hide rugs and so this faux sheepskin alternative suits my fancy a bit more... not to mention it's less of a dent on the wallet. I think the screen on the wall is a painted canvas, but I'd suggest (instead of buying a screen) to simply paint the entire accent wall the beautiful Benajmin Moore color. It is a gorgeous pop of color.

I simply love style that mixes classic and contemporary pieces. There is something so timeless, yet fun, about a look like this. And when you can get the look for less, it's even better.

Have you created any looks for less lately?

PS. In case you missed it, check out my last Look for Less post, where I recreated a West Elm entryway for about $600.

Linked to:
Skip to My Lou
Making the World Cuter
Blue Cricket Design

The Look for Less

Let's just be honest here. For me, finding a bargain on home decor is kind of like winning the lottery. I love it like a fat kid loves cake. Or as much as I love cake... which is a lot.

I've shared some of the bargains we've found and put into use in our house- for example, our living room is filled with fabulous Craigslist, Target, and Ebay finds. But I thought I'd try something a little different today.

Today, I'm going to try and get this West Elm look:



image via West Elm

...for less! How gorgeous is this West Elm Parsons Console? This is the perfect little vignette for any entryway or hallway, but the table and ottoman alone are each $349... that's almost $700 smackaroos! I don't know about you, but even though I adore West Elm, that figure (PLUS whatever the accessories cost!) is not exactly in my budget. So, let's get this look on the cheap.

Ok, work with me here, as this is my first mood board and I really have no clue what I'm doing! After digging around for a couple of hours online, I think I've found some pretty nice alternatives to the West Elm look. And the sticker price? I can do the entire vignette for approximately $600. Yeehaw! Who wouldn't want to get the whole kit and kaboodle for less than the West Elm furniture alone? Here's the breakdown.

1. Overstock.com desk: $176.99
2. Ikea ottoman: $129.00
3. World Market pashmina: $25.99
4. Pier 1 rug: $79.95
5. Etsy recycled wine bottles: $25.00 each (account for two)
6. Ikea bottles: $9.99 for three
7. Pier 1 mirror: $129.99 (on sale!!)
_______________________
TOTAL: $601.91

And there are always some free alternatives to any of these fun items. Add in a couple of your favorite hardbacks (or the prettiest ones!) from your library and stack them up on the desk or on the ottoman. Or opt to recycle some of your favorite glass wine or sparkling water bottles instead of purchasing anything new (you can see where we did that, here!).

Like I said, it's always fun to get a deal and create a look for less! What do you guys think? Have any of you found any good steals lately?

Linked to:
Blue Cricket Design