Budget Bungalow

I recently came across this "Budget Bungalow" in Better Homes and Gardens and felt really lacking in my decor skills.

This place is so pretty and the owners, incredibly resourceful. So I vowed to try and spice things up this weekend at my place. Here's the home that inspired me:

This home technically didn't have an actual foyer, so they just added a table, mirror, and lamp to create an pretty entryway.
The living room is so nice!! I love love love the carpet. Here's some insight into what was used - the scrap piece of tin on the wall was from someone's garage. The chair is a recovered hand-me-down which they paired with Target nesting tables and more expensive Williams and Sonoma lamp.

You may have noticed the beautiful fireplace.. well they covered the wall above the mantel in grasscloth, which they simply stapled on!! It adds an interesting textured background for a vase assortment!
Is there a feature of your home that you hate, but can't afford to remove or replace? Work around it, as this owner did when they used added a painted shelf over the ugly radiator in the room. Oh and the drapes?? Are simply hemmed pieces of menswear suiting fabric!
This dining room is super cozy and I think it has something to do with the colors. That's the easiest way to impact a space, so choose a color and make a feature wall in your place!
Loved the art huh? Me too!! Oh and it was cheap!! Salvaged from an industrial area. Whata agreat way to add an intersting detail to a space!!

I love these floating shelves. The simple collection of black and white items, ensures nothing is competing with the artwork.

I also love the vintage throwback created with the bar cart!! The silver pops against the accent wall, and they've added even more interest by creating artwork themselves on pre-made canvases!!

This family room is exactly what you want in a family area. Warm, inviting and comfy. They added the panelling, beadboard and trim, as well as the coffered ceilings. Plus they just painted over the old wallpaper!

Don't think you can afford intersting accessories? The framed wall piece is a construction paper collage! The other frame features a wallpaper scrap. The coral is actually sea sponge that they spray painted.

** I am definetly inspired to get creative with my home this weekend!!**

I heart a real home

I love seeing people's homes in magazines. Mind you, I am talking about real homes, with real people. Not those million dollar deals, that had an endless budget, and decorator assistance.

But homes, with nice young couples, working on a realistic (or non-existent) budget, who probably did most, if not all the work, themselves.


Better Homes & Gardens featured this beautiful Craftsman :


What a cute little house, I would love to see this decorated with a bunch of pumpkins for the holidays!!



This room is great, but so easy to create. I love the color scheme!! It reminds me a lot of my own living room.

I love how they accented the fireplace by painting the detailing a contrasting color. Oh, and the artwork above? Yeah, they painted the stripes on black mattes!

What an elegant dining room!! They splurged on their chandelier, but scrimped when it came it furnishings - those chairs are vintage finds, recovered!!

I am loving the look of this (walnut?) sideboard!! Exactly what I am looking for, in my space. What made the most of this room, was the use of paint, which they accented with chair railing. As well, they used silver paint directly on the wall, to make the 3-D art pop.

The guest bedroom, is exactly how a guest bedroom should look, cozy, comfy and unfussy. Oh yeah, they also made the headboard themselves!!! Including the fabric-covered buttons!
I love how the stripe fabric adds a masculine edge, when paired with the salmon colored bedding and neutral but floral pillows~