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Sunday, October 23, 2011

Chic Surroundings: Frugal Style

My first exposure to frugal decor was in a magazine my mother got, perhaps Ladies Home Journal. My father worked at an ad agency at the time (Kenyon and Eckhart, mentioned on Madmen) and the magazine was a freebie that my mother--not much of a reader--never opened, as far as I can remember. Anyway, I remember a feature on furnishing a room where most of your budget went to a single high-ticket item: one was a piano, one was a rug, and I can't remember the others. Perhaps that article was the origin of my belief that you can always cut your spending to afford what you want. Like my trip to Europe!

I've been trying to improve my home for a while. It is a slow process, exacerbated by my frugal mindset. It would be easy enough to go to any of the elegant shops around town--even my little town--and pull out the credit card.

The internet is a great source of inspiration. It turns out zillions of clever people post their budget ideas and projects on-line.

Have you ever seen Copy Cat Chic?

Or--for the DIYer--a burlap ottoman slipcover. The handy Miss Em swears she can make this.

Any other good resources?

4 comments:

Duchesse said...

Burlap is cheap and cheerful, but if the creator is using that ottoman to sit on or rest bare legs on, not very comfortable. You might also scout out secondhand curtains, which contain yards and yards of recyclable fabric. Ebay is another source for fabric for smaller projects.

We once lived with a botched grasscloth-papered room because the paperhanger who refused to correct his error on his nickel- so she left up the horrendous job for at least a decade, showing everyone his work.

Frugal Scholar said...

@Duchesse--Funny story. Grasscloth--which my mother had on one wall back in the day is once again au courant.

Shelley said...

The Inspired Room
Funky Junk Interiors
Transformations Home Stylist
Nesting Place

are all frugal in one way or another. The thing is, decorating or re-decorating involves loads of decisions, which I find hard and you've mentioned you do as well.

What is it you are wanting to change? The fabrics? The furniture? The accessories?

Also, what are you prepared to ditch? That's where I get stuck. I don't want to get rid of much and there's not room for anything new if I don't. I'm focusing on painting and wall arrangements for now. We're definitely going to shop in the loft first...

Reichel Broussard said...

Thanks for the mention! :)