Living Room Reveal

I just can’t wait any longer.  I still have about five projects left to really complete my living room, however I thought  since it has taken me since November I would show you my progress to date. Get ready and grab a cup of coffee this is probably the longest post in history with way to many pictures.

   This room was assembled over a significant period of time and and on a super tight budget.  As I collected stuff, as I could afford it, I put it away until after we were able to get the couch and and assemble the room.

 

Well this is how the far wall looked before.

 

Here is the after.

 

You can see more about my gallery wall in this post here.   As I have mentioned about 1000 times before. the couch is from Ikea.  Since we live 4 hours from the nearest one, we decided to plan our vacation around getting a couch.  So we rented a U-Haul for $100 to get her home.

We have a hitch on our truck already.  Also since we were already 4 hours away we splurged and drove an extra 10 miles to NJ, where the tax rate is 3.5 % versus the 8.5% in NY.  The Couch was $399. plus $14 for tax.  The tax in NY would be $34. so we saved $20.  Even with the U-Haul I don’t think that I could have done better locally on a couch and we looove it!  Not to mention we had such a great time we can’t wait to do it again next year(minus a new couch).

Three of the pillows are new and from pier one.  The two solid blue were on sale and the bird pillow was on clearance.  The cream color pillows are from a garage sale and were $3 for the pair.   The dark brown ones(there are two) are from the thrift store, thy were .99 cents each.  I made the other two and you can read about them here and here.   The blue table in the corner was one I had.  I simply took a can of Krylon blue ocean breeze to it. The lamp that is sitting on it came from a consignment shop, it was $25……way more than what I usually send when buying second hand.  I even left it in the store and went back the next day with my daughter to ask her opinion.  She said you will never find anything else like it, you love it and it’s cool.  SOLD!!!

On the coffee table I have a large vase from the thrift store.  I filled it with thrifted shells and the flowers are from the dollar store and Wal-Mart.  The vase was $2.99 and the flowerers were $4.00 for all of them.  The tray was $1.00 from a rummage sale and the mirror was .99 cents from the thrift store.  I had everything else.

I remade the lampshade with one I got at a rummage sale for $1.00.  That is the third lampshade the lamp has had.  I even tried to buy a brand new shade and hated them all, including the one that is currently in my trunk waiting to be returned.

 

One of the projects that I have left is a trefoil design that I saw at the DIY Newlyweds.

This is what the coffee table looked like when we got it.

This is the left side of the room.  The shelf was bought a few years ago at an auction.  It was on the other side of the room and I my husband moved it.  I had everything on it except the milk glass cake stand and the clock that is sitting on it.  The clock came from an estate sale for $5.00 and the stand  was $1.99 from the thrift store.

 

Our entertainment center armoire…….a craigslist find from a couple of years ago for $100.

This cabinet holds some of our toys.  I picked it up at the antique shop for $75.00.

This is directly across the room from where we were.  The window and shutters separate our entry from our living room.  The cabinet also from the fabulous Craig was $20.  The chair on the right is a wing chair from the thrift store for $15.00, it is a Broyhill the blue on is a swivel rocker it came with it’s mate and matching ottoman for $50.00 also via craigslist.

Inside the cabinet.

We would have a lot more room without the children’s table and chairs, but there is no other place for them and they use it everyday.  This room is very multifunctional.  There are 8 of us in 1100 square feet of space!   That is total for the whole house.

The floor lamp is from Marshalls and was $39.99 on clearance.

The small brown rug was on clearance for $24.00

I really do live how it has turned out.  It is so peaceful to just go in there in the evening and hang out, surrounded by stuff that makes me smile.  I am also really happy that it came together for such a small price.

On a side note because I love to shop.way to much and I need to clear out some stuff.  So I can buy more.  I have decided to open an Etsy shop, to pass along some of my treasures.  So stay tuned to see what I have in store and if you see something in my home that you may like just ask it may be for sale.  Here is the link to my new Etsy shop.

Well I hope that you like my living room as much as we do!

 

Linking up to:

The Thrifty Home -Penny Pinching Party

Somewhat Simple-Strut Your Stuff Thursday

Tales from Bloggeritaville- Thrifty Thursday

My Thrifty Gallery Wall

Well as I have said over and over again without showing you before, I have re-done our living room on the CHEAP!  One area I am very happy with is my gallery wall.  This is a room that has many functions and requires a lot of furniture so there is not a lot of wall space left for my pretties.  So after seeing all the beautiful displays at The Inspired Room gallery wall party and at Nester's, I decided to take the plunge.

Everything up here has meaning to me.  It was also all bought very inexpensively, I made it or it was something that I had that I re-did.
The large mirror was from an auction at a mansion that was built by Theodore Roosevelt’s secretary of war.  It was originally gold.  I paid $7.50 for it.  It was especially nice because my husband and I went to the auction for our anniversary……without the kids!

This was a frame that I picked up at a yard sale for .50 cents that I painted.  It had no back so I cut a piece of cardboard to fit it and cut a piece of a worn vintage tablecloth for the inside.  The mirrored bird came in a set of three with three words as well for $7.50 they were on clearance at Marshalls.

The vintage postcard is of Thousands Islands.  My husband and I had our honeymoon there.  I made the rope ball.  The shelf used to be gold, it came from the thrift store.  I got a pair of them for .99 cents.

This is a quote from my favorite author, Jane Austin.  The frame is from the thrift store.  It was 2.99.

The clock was the one we had.  I took a vintage history book I bought at an estate sale for $1.00 and decoupaged  a few of the pages to it.  The ironstone platter was $2.00 at a yard sale and I cut out the vinyl with my Cricut.


The vintage letter “B” came in a set of 3 (another larger B and a R) for $5.00.  It came from the flea market in Brooklyn that Nate Berkus mentions here.  I made the small mirror with a thrift store mirror, some paint and a stencil.    All the framed pictures of my children I have bought at yard sales for under a dollar each and then painted.


More vintage postcards.  These are of New York City.  Our favorite vacation destination.  The quilt was $15.00 at a estate sale.  They are hanging from an old crib rail.  You can read more about what I did with the rest of the crib here and here.





This is the page of a map of Europe that I got in an atlas for $1.00.
Well I hope you like my gallery wall as much as I do.
Linking up to:
Thrfty Thursday at Tales from Bloggeritaville

http://www.theshabbychiccottage.net/2011/06/my-office-and-guest-house-sneak-peek.html

Beyond the Picket Fence under $100 party

Some Of My Best Yard Sale Finds Ever!

 

When Nester announced that she was going to have a linky party for the best yard sales ever, I thought all right I am going to get right on that and be all ready to link up.  After all I have a week to write my post.  Well here we are the day of the party and the link has been up for over 3 hours and I am just starting my post now!

 

Oh well, I love to yard sale so let’s get on with the show and no more complaining!

First of all I would like to share some information about how I got started going to yard sales.  My first experience going to yard sales was in my early 20’s.  I was dating a guy whose mom was an immigrant to this country from Poland.  She was the nicest and generous lady, but she came here with NOTHING as many immigrants do.  Her and her husband spoke no English when they came here.  However with hard work and by being thrifty they made a life for themselves and their two children.  They owned not one but two houses, had two cars and were able to go on vacation.

Since I saw this as all good I was open to the idea of going to yard sales, even though it was contrary to the way I was raised.  I am still trying to convert my mom and dad!

Fast forward a couple of years.  New boyfriend who would become the husband, and like me he was raised that other peoples used stuff was inferior.  In fact his two favorite comments were: “IF it were any good they would keep it” and “I am not going to wear other peoples used stuff”.  Well when we were expecting our first child money was tight.  Due to health reasons I had to stop working early.  I needed stuff for the baby and I like expensive things.  So knowing I could get nicer things that were gently used I started yard sailing again.  He was very against this, but I was not easily deterred.  I would come home and make him look at all my treasures and show him how nice  they were.  He could not argue with the “new” looking baby  clothes and stuff.  I would sometimes find something for myself or the house(this was before my DIY days).  He would say that’s fine but don’t buy anything for me.  Well one day I was at a huge neighborhood sale and I found a pair of men's shoes in his size barely used in the box for $3.00.  I brought them home and presented them to him and he put them aside for about a month.  Then he needed a pair of shoes and brought them out.  They ended up being his favorite shoes.  He wore them into the ground and I had won him over in the process!!!!!!  Now he is my greatest yard sale buddy and has actually taken time off from work to go to a  big sale that we know will not disappoint.

Which brings me to some of my favorite finds.  Bet you didn’t think I was ever going  to get there!

 

I bought this vintage 1920’s set of suitcases last year for $5.00 for the set.  They are worth over $250 dollars.

 

I love red transferware and I found this huge set last year for $20.00 It is worth get this,  over $1000!!!!!

The corner cabinet that they are displayed in is also a favorite of mine.  It was $25.00.  My husband found it 4 years ago.

I just love this little guy.  He now holds office supplies.  He was just a quarter.  You can read more about him here.

This typewritter was $2.00 and you can read more about how I got it here.

OHHH and I love vintage jewelry!  This was $2.00 including the box.

My chandelier was $5.00 and the shades were .99 cents each ( the shades were from the thrift store though).

The buffet was $30.00.

Our coffee table was $25.00.  More on that in a future post to come soon.

This étagère was $30.00.  It is made of cast iron, it is a vintage piece that the previous owners redid.

These hutches were also $30.00 for both and have a little desk in between that connects them and a chair.

Well this is just a sampling of my favorite finds.   My favorite I don’t have a picture of and it is long gone.  It is those shoes and all that they represent for me.  Well I can’t wait to see what you all have found!