My clients Alexander and Tina found a gem of an apartment on the ground floor of a duplex in a great neighborhood, with access to the backyard. Only problem is it’s over their budget!
Like many young families, they decided to sacrifice income to live in their dream neighborhood.
After living in the apartment two years, it still didn’t feel like home and they didn’t have much of a budget to invest into the space.
After reading my thrifty decor series, Tina called me to come to their rescue.
With my help, we changed their drab decor into a super stylish room makeover that proves a little cash goes a long way!
Before:
The Landlords graciously offered to pay for the paint job in the unit. Alexander & Tania chose soothing colors. They also found a sofa which they found comfortable and stylish. They used the bay window area to create a division in the room so their preschoolder Nate coud have his own space.
When I asked Tina in her opinion what was missing to make this room more homey for her family she mentioned window dressing and maybe a rug and a throw.
Not an easy task to find window dressing with a tight budget because this is an 11 foot ceiling! Tina showed me a fabric that the tenants that lived in the apartment before them hung directly from the ceiling. She loved the fabric that reminded her of her mom’s French Provential style when she was growing up.
Ok… That fabric is bossy! It has pattern, color, and it’s not for everyone but Tina loved it for some nostalgic reasons. The fabric became our inspiration for the whole room. Apart from that Tina also had a scroll that her friend has given her back in college that was rolled under her bed!
Rugs are rarely a bargain, but I can always count on The Brick Liquidation Center to get a good deal.
I found this shag linen rug and it was only 149$
That took most of our budget but it was worth it.
I personally transformed the bossy fabric into curtain pannels that leave no one indifferent! I also some inexpensive curtain hardware at Ikea for the installation.
After:
The addition of a few elements: Window dressing, art on the wall, a rug, cushions Alexander and Tina had in another room… All these elements pulled together, created a place with an history, texture and depth.
I suggested using a chest that was left on the side as a coffee table which was genius! Nate’s area was organized but pretty much left the same.
When sowing the curtains, I realized we didn’t have enough fabric to touch the floor. I found some left over fabric in my home that had similar colors but had stripes. The combination is lovely.
Stay tuned to see the transformation in the dining room!
