It’s another ‘how low can you go?’ – modern farmhouse edition. Same vibe, three price points. Even the highest one is really inexpensive and when I tasked Mel with the ‘under $5k’ challenge she said “impossible”. But, she did it (with $42 to spare) and here’s what she came up with:
Plant Basket | Navy Dot Print Pillow | Sofa | Throw Blanket | Navy Striped Pillow | Floor Lamp | Vase | Side Table | Area Rug | Round Coffee Table | Striped Lumbar Pillow | Accent Chairs | Wire Wall Basket | Media Unit | Wooden Crate | Pillow in Basket | Throw Blanket in Basket
Feels pretty darn happy, fresh and inviting to me. I just used those chairs in a makeover and I loved them, by the way. They were a really good scale for a medium sized room and while they weren’t ‘lay-around-and-marathon-Stranger Things-or-Unreal‘ kind of comfortable, they were certainly good enough for for a lovely conversation area. And my how that boxy sofa looks great in such a warm, country setting.
But while $5k is really cheap for a pretty full living room we (I) thought that it could be cheaper. So she reached into her inner scrapper soul (or, I told her to reach inside my inner scrapper soul) and dug out another version, less than 1/2 of the original:
Plant Basket | Navy Print Pillow | Sofa | Throw Blanket | Navy Striped Pillow | Floor Lamp | Vase | Side Table | Area Rug | Coffee Table | Striped Lumbar Pillow | Accent Chairs | Wire Wall Basket | Media Unit | Wooden Crate | Pillow in Basket | Throw Blanket in Basket
Pretty darn great. It’s a style difference for sure, but for just a little over $2k that is a lovely, pulled together space that you can feel proud of.
But then Brady was like, “Eh, we can get that down even more” (maybe it’s because we are both former Mormons who historically are resourceful and budget-minded, because Brady and I are co-captains of the GO CHEAPER!!! train). So we did:
Plant Basket | Navy Print Pillow | Sofa | Throw Blanket | Navy Striped Pillow | Floor Lamp | Vase | Side Table | Area Rug | Coffee Table | Striped Lumbar Pillow | Accent Chairs | Wire Wall Basket | Media Unit | Wooden Crate | Pillow in Basket | Throw Blanket in Basket
Where was this series when I was so broke and desperate for a room that looked pulled together? If any of you are actually implementing these rooms, PLEASE email us and send pictures. We have lots of people who are saying they are copying, buying and decorating them completely so if you are, send along pics.
What budget room next? Bedroom? Dining room? And what style? You request it and we’ll get working on pulling it together. Nice job, Mel. By the way a few of you asked to break down how we work over here (I’ll write a full post of it, introducing everyone). Mel is one of our interior designers who mostly works on full service or e-design/design agony but jumped on this budget room challenge series under my hopefully not so micro-managey eye because I saw how good and fast she could pull a room together. Thanks, Mel.
In case you missed the previous budget designs, check out One Bedroom Three Tiny Budgets, Designing A Budget Living Room.