Guest Blogger: Keely of Luxe & Lillies

While I'm away, I've invited a few fun bloggers to help me out.  Since I'm always on the hunt for a bargain, I've asked them to share some of their best finds.  Today, I'd like to welcome Keely from Luxe & Lillies.

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The boy and I moved into a temporary place for only 4 months. I wanted to create something we loved living in.. but wasn't too expensive because knew we would more than likely end up selling a lot when we move across the country in a month. We can't paint the walls... or really do anything to change the structure, so I used color, texture, and prints to add life to the room on a budget... here are my tricks!

UTILIZE DISCOUNT RETAILERS

I am a HomeGoods junkie. They get new shipments every single day from all of your favorite stores. I have found everything from Z-Gallerie to Pottery Barn there, with extremely slashed prices! 

Keep your favorite "out of budget" items in mind, and look for them at these stores (HomeGoods, Marshalls, TJ Maxx, Tuesday Morning) every so often, you never know what you will find! Almost all of the accessories aside from the books on my console table (and the mirror in the dining space) are HomeGoods finds!

My favorite find of them all...I wanted the "Mayfair" trunk SO badly, and look what I came across two weeks ago at HomeGoods... for $100!

REUSE + REFURBISH = RENEWED

Keep tabs on Craigslist if you are looking for something special, chances are it will show up sooner or later. So many people sell absolute gems on Craigslist because they have no idea what they've got! 

Slipcovering is a great and inexpensive remedy to furniture that needs a new look. You can get it to be really fitted, or loose shabby chic style in any fabric you like! Its an inexpensive alternative to upholstering. When you are sick of it, or it needs to be cleaned.. it's not hard to change either!

Take for example these wingbacks... they have amazing bones with the tufting and nailhead trim, but would have been about $500 each to reupholster...

If you can get something for a steal that is fixable... fix it! That Mayfair trunk look-a-like needed some TLC when I brought it home, but with a little contact paper it turned out as good as new!

GET CRAFTY!

Look for pieces that you can make your own! Make your own art. Use things you already have. Jars, books, picture frames. Its easy to make simple art (think horizontal lines in various widths and colors), or update frames with some of your favorite prints!  Clean out (or buy at Michaels for $2) some canning jars and fill them with fresh flowers. If you want new furniture, then look for things you can customize. I really wanted comfortable parsons dining chairs. I bought the chairs and ottomans (above) at Ikea for $50 each, and transformed them with slipcovers that I liked, rather than spending the $30 extra for white, it brought another whole element into the room!

P.S.... I bought that table with a pretty beat up bottom for $60... with a new coat of paint it shines!

Hopefully these are tricks you can put to use in your own homes!

Thank You SO much for having me Emily!