I’ll speak for myself in saying that my jaw hit the floor when I first saw these reveal photos come through. It’s so colorful yet not overwhelming, cozy yet refined. However, what this room is not is budget-friendly, and that’s ok. We all have different budgets, but that most definitely does not mean we all can’t have incredibly beautiful spaces. It just might take a little longer or a little more imagination:) Now, I will say I am pretty pumped with what I was able to find to create this room for A LOT less than what the space actually totalled up to be.
I want to show you multiple angles again to remind you of what it looks like, so when you see my new options, you can really be blown away lol. Also, this room should be celebrated as much as possible — it’s so good!
Now, I do want to remind you that this is a “look for less,” not a “look for zero dollars”. I absolutely did my best at finding the most similar pieces for the lowest prices. However, someone might scoff at a $70 pillow, which I totally get. Just remember that one of those $70 pillows is more than half off the price of the original one used. It’s a wild and expensive world out there, so hopefully you will find some things you love that are within your budget or have a better direction on what to look for as you’re shopping for yourself. Ok, ready???
Furniture: Blue Sofa | Wood Side Table | Coffee Table | Black & White Side Table | White Chair | Rust Loveseat
Lighting and Wallpaper: Wallpaper | Semi-Flushmount | Horse Table Lamp
Textiles: Green Rug | Black Leather Pillow | Velvet Striped Pillow | Wool Plaid Blanket | Geometric Lumbar Pillow | Blue Throw Blanket
Decor: Large White Planter | Red Marble Tray | Candle | Wood Coasters
Not too bad, right!? It’s hard to know where to start, but I will say that having a rug in our line that was such a perfect, affordable dupe was so exciting. That’s the first piece I pulled. Sure, it’s not that really pretty hide material, but it has a very similar striped look and is much more affordable. For the 9×12, there’s a savings of $1,679! Now, while it’s hard to match anything from Farrow & Ball, we also love Spoonflower when it comes to wallpaper, and I think this wallpaper is so pretty and gives the same feeling as the original (which per roll is $380 per double roll as opposed to $99 for a single roll). I also liked this one a lot. It was pretty impossible to find a dupe for the large ceiling light, so this one is clearly much smaller, but style-wise is definitely in the world. Just check the sizing before you buy because it’s too small for a really big room. Now, I do want to shout out that extremely cute accent chair. The original is vintage and was reupholstered, so yes, it was pricey. But this one is super affordable, comes in other colors, and has great reviews! And speaking of seating, I kept the same loveseat because it’s pretty affordable (even a very similar IKEA version was the same price) and was told it was SUPER comfortable.
I do, of course, want to talk about the pièce de résistance, the blue sofa. The one I chose is from Lulu & Georgia, and while it’s still a very pretty penny, I have yet to experience an uncomfortable sofa from them, and I’ve sat on a few (and own one I love). Plus, it’s stunning, so I feel really good about recommending it. The Sarah Sherman Samuel sofa from the original room is at least triple the price of that one for context. But don’t worry, I did find a few more options that are in the same world and are a little more budget-friendly:
This is an option that actually Mallory talked about with her hand-me-down SÖDERHAMN sofa. However, there is a little DIY element in that you need to buy the sofa from IKEA and then buy the cover separately. For this version, you are looking at $619 for the sofa and $566 for the cover, which comes to a total of $1,185. That’s a much better price point, but I can’t vouch for how comfortable it is.
HYLTARP | Shelby 82” Upholstered Sofa
Now, the sofa on the left is also from IKEA and looks more comfortable than the one above, but I can’t say for sure:) It doesn’t have the ruffled skirt look, but it does give you the general feel. This is also the most affordable option at $1,099. The cool thing is that if you have an IKEA near you, you can likely go sit on them in person. Then the one on the right is a little shorter but has a slightly more pleated look. That one comes to $1,799.
Don’t worry, I wasn’t going to leave out the other parts of the room. I really love this corner on the left. There aren’t a ton of pieces, but the visual impact is so good! Plus, the mix of styles is what really makes it sing, if you ask me. Even if an airplane photo isn’t your thing, an oversized piece like this is such an intentional and cool move.
Furniture: Pedestal Bistro Table | Velvet Ottoman | Arched Hutch
Lighting: Spotlight | Wall Sconce (set of 2)
Decor: Downloadable Airplane Art Print | Large Vase | Faux Tree | Roman Shade
Well, I guess we should start with the airplane print. This is a wildly affordable digital print from Etsy that you can get blown up and printed at any size you want! Of course, I don’t know how much the print or frame will add up to be, but at least the art itself is super budget-friendly. From there, I really tried to find an affordable black stone table, but no dice. If you really want the stone, you can either head to CB2 for the original and pay $1,699 or keep an eye out on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, thrift shops, etc. You could also just go for a similar silhouette, like this pedestal table for $170, and call it good:) Now, you CAN get the exact velvet ottoman because that’s an affordable $130 from World Market! That beautiful black arched hutch Emily chose was $4,200, but I found this one for only $431. It’s also really pretty and has some closed storage and a drawer. This roman shade only comes in one size, so you might need to do some digging if it doesn’t work for your window. Finally, I’m super happy with both of these lights! They are pretty and so affordable (just always make sure to check those dimensions).
Now for the final vignette. Like the rest of the room, it’s beautiful! I think choosing art to go over wallpaper can be really intimidating. Not only do you want it to look good, but you also don’t want to make any unnecessary, unfixable holes due to changing your mind. The trick to this specific situation is that the piece itself is large, so it can hold its own against the large-scale pattern behind it. It’s also a contrasting style and colorway, a colorful abstract against a light, neutral “more realistic” floral design. So so good. But let’s get into the affordable alternatives, shall we?
Wallpaper and Lighting: Wallpaper | Gold Sconce | Black Table Lamp
Furniture and Curtains: Curtain Panel | Curtain Rod | Dresser
Decor: Downloadable Abstract Print | Glass Modern Sculpture (set of 3) | Ruffle Bowl | Black Vase
I added the wallpaper in again because it’s pretty, and this graphic needed it:) But let’s truly start with the curtain rod. For $44, you get a rod that can go from 28″ to 150″, which is wild! The curtain isn’t exact in color, but it’s very pretty and in the same world for sure. Now, if I’m totally honest, I am extremely partial to the original lamp that Emily used. I’ve seen it in person, and it’s truly so awesome and commanding. However, it is $279, and this perfectly great one I found is $127, which is a hefty price difference. Either would look real good. The piece of art is another digital download from an EHD favorite, Juniper Print Shop. They have options for them to print and/or frame then send to you, but that is obviously more expensive. I also really like this one! The dresser that is in their home is one they’ve had for years, so we don’t know where it’s from. But I do think this is a pretty great dupe for under $350. It’s not as wide, which could be either better or worse for your home. So if you need something longer, this one from Article is so awesome (but not as inexpensive, FYI).
So what do y’all think of these? Would you want more? Do you want more from this particular home? Let me know!
Love you, mean it.
*Decorated by Emily Henderson (me!)
**Photos by Kaitlin Green
Ok, here’s how to get truly large art for cheap. Jess did an amazing job, but there’s one more step to getting that impressive, large scale art on your walls. (My credentials: I’m super cheap and I love giant art). #1: Scour thrift stores for large frames. They will have ugly-a** art in them, or potentially need a paint job, but you can genuinely get something for 1-10% of what this room’s original frame probably cost f. THEN, the beauty of the digital downloads Jess sourced are that you can print them to any size, so just print them to the size of the frame you bought (lots of online vendors like Vista Print or even FedEx/Kinkos! #2: Ikea has these frames that are meant for the canvas art they sell (like the ubiquitous NYC skyline scenes or that rope bridge going into a jungle, that every post-college apartment has!). It’s called the BJÖRKSTA – it doesn’t have glass/plexi, but it’s meant to work with canvas type art. WELL, amazing places like Juniper Print Shop and other vendors have started selling prints on a canvas like paper that will work with that frame specifically! Juniper Print Shop has a whole… Read more »
Your TED talk was great! A good reminder to good hunting for cool frames at the thrift store
Yaaassss!
You absolutely captured the mood and feel of this room with these more budget options. I love this room and I love this post. Amazing job! There’s a bunch of items in this post I’ll be considering for my own home.
Miss Jess this is fire! Wow you pulled together the vibe of this room on more approachable prices, I love it all!
This is a really amazing look for less. The original room is amazing but out of budget for many. It’s inspiring to be reminded that we shouldn’t let budget stop us from having a truly beautiful home. More of this please.
Good tips for the budget conscious
On the subject of budget conscious, did I miss the Caitlin/Jess bedroom reveals? I don’t remember seeing and nothing comes up in search. Emily’s sponsored makeovers for her family and friends are fine, but I miss the more eclectic reveals of the team.
The bedrooms are a long time coming and I do recall this was one of the things that came out of the survey last year.
Echoing the excitement for the long-awaited staff reveals
Does anyone know where the original horse lamp, not the dupe, is from?
Yes, I love this room and added what I could find in the original reveal’s comments. Here’s a screenshot of the comment:
Thank you so much, Vany!
Looks like Jonathan Adler, Lia – they are having a sale right now!
The Kichler Sago 40″ 3 Light Semi Flush Is a good dupe of the big light. Not $100 but a lot less than the Urban Electric one.
This is SO helpful! Please do this for their dining room. I have been wondering how I can copy it!!!
I think you knocked it out of the park! I love all the swaps and your commentary is always fantastic! So well done. ???
Such great-looking interiors; each showpiece is unique and placed at the right spot. Love it!
Maybe this is obvious to everyone else, but it is something that was an aha for me a couple years ago – I think the Lulu and Georgia sofa that Jess shared here will be comfy because it has a cushion, whereas the Sarah Sherman sofa in the original room had a tight, uncushioned seat and Emily mentioned it was firm. I noticed when I was sofa shopping that no cushion = less cozy/loungey. LOL – I guess it’s obvious but it took me a minute to put that together.
Thanks, Jess, for doing the leg work for us! This my living room has many similarities to this beautiful one. I want to fit the bistro table and one orange stool in a corner of my room (my space isn’t quite as generous). I’ve been eye a couple of stencils on Etsy that may not be too far from the lined-drawing floral look.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I am currently helping my daughter and her fiance decorate their first home and they have been admiring this home so your post is PERFECT! I think you read my mind. I have been spending so much time searching for similar styles with the hope of recreating the look and you just made my job so much easier. I love it! Please continue to do more.
Would love to see more of these kind of posts. I may be dating myself, but back in the day, the Metropolitan Home magazine had this as a regular feature. The high-end space and the dupe for less. Would love to see some of these for Amber Lewis and Jessica Helgerson!!
Fascinating! I’d love to hear about the trade-offs when going with the more affordable options. If I were the homeowner, I might be wishing I’d spent less on my living room after seeing this!! So, what do you really get for spending the additional dollars? In some cases I’m sure it comes down to larger sizes and better quality materials / more durable craftsmanship, but what else??