Everything is a high/low project: Part Two

In case you missed part one, this is where I take some of my favorite pieces and show you how expensive taste doesn’t have to leave you with an empty wallet. As always, you don’t want to compromise quality, because the only thing worse than being pained by your credit card statement, is being pained by an item that breaks three months in because you wanted to save a few bucks.

Home Office

Low\\ Tabletops Free (Re-purposed, originally from Ikea) | Drawer Unit $80 @ Ikea

As mentioned in the original post, the home office was where we were going to try to cut some costs after a few splurges in the other spaces. But in the end, it reflected our style more than any other pieces we had considered. The biggest savings were that the tabletops were actually laminate tops i lightly sanded and painted over with white. We added the Alex from Ikea at $80 a piece, and voila! For $160, we had a brand new work space for two. It made the most sense after browsing our optoins, like this table:

High// Desk $899 @ West Elm

While a nice clean design, this desk from West Elm is $899, and still made of laminate. Even if I didn’t have the tabletops on hand, it would have only been about $60 per tabletop, putting me at $140 per desk. So you have to ask yourself, is it worth 6x the cost? Most likely not. Your furniture shouldn’t be a burden on your wallet (or on your conscience)!

Master Bedroom

Low// Nightstand $107.99 @ Overstock.com | Lamp Base + Shade $27 @ Ikea | Dresser + Pulls $188 @ Ikea | Upholstered Bed Frame $639.99 @ Overstock.com

Another great way to keep design interesting is by mixing and matching. Know where to spend a little more, then save on pieces you know are pretty similar. If the piece is going to cheapen the whole design, it’s not money saved; it’s a loss on all of the other pieces. One bad piece can ruin an entire space, so never settle. It takes time and patience to finish a space. If you start to fill the space with pieces you don’t love, you’ll be annoyed when you have to spend again when you finally find that piece. Just wait – it will turn up.

High// Nightstand $254 @ West Elm

High// Lamp $269@ Ethan Allen

High// Dresser $1,099 @ Crate and Barrel

high// Upholstered Bed $1,849 @ Room & Board

Master Bedroom Low: $1,100

Master Bedroom HIgh: $3,996

MASTER BEDROOM SAVINGS: $2,896

Sometimes you can feel like you’re only buying furniture once in a blue moon, so it is worth the splurge. But wouldn’t it be great to have a beautifully furnished room and a vacation to say, Hawaii? Because that’s what you can do with all of those savings. Plus, if you get sick of the look a few years down the line, you shouldn’t have to feel guilty for wanting to change it up a little. Take the time to do your research and it will pay off – literally!