Happy Easter!

Top 10 Sources for Furniture Bargains

I found this article and added some of my own thoughts regarding good sources for furnishings on a budget. Being a wise and thrifty shopper just makes sense and the treasure hunt is very fun.

1. Garage Sales

There are bargains galore at garage sales. If you don’t know how to shop them, just ask around and you’re sure to find a friend or relative who would be happy to show you the ropes. Cash will get you the best bargains as will showing up early or just before closing time.

2. Flea Markets

Not for the faint of heart, these are often mega events with booths for refreshments as well as furnishings. Expect to bargain with vendors for the best prices. Take a buddy and wear walking shoes since you’ll spend the day on your feet. More must-haves: water, sunscreen, a tape measure, plastic bags, lots of cash, and a rolling cart.

3. Online Auctions

You can look for bargains day or night on Internet sites, with eBay as the granddaddy of them all. Do a bit of price research before you bid, searching for similar products and noting the bids as well as the asking prices. Pay attention to condition of products as well, and ask questions before you buy. After is too late. Check out the rating of the seller as well. Don't forget to check out the shipping prices which can be prohibitive on large items. Some eBay sellers are using low prices to hook you and then charging way too much for shipping. Craig's List is great for large items as you can shop locally and then pick them up yourself. Consider PayPal to insure safe transactions online.

4. Local Consignment Stores and Thrift Stores

These retail outlets offer furnishings and décor items that are shopworn or used. Items maybe in excellent condition or they may be damaged or heavily worn. Look often at these types of sources, since inventory can change dramatically from week to week. Sometimes just a little attention to detail, a coat of paint, or a good washing and you will have just what want for next to nothing!

5. Free Sources

Nothing will stretch your budget farther than accumulating items that cost nothing. Whether you trade with friends, find items left by the curb, or get donations from family and friends ~don't say no. Jim & I got almost everything we own as someone else was casting them off. A little elbow grease and you can have a real treasure. This can be a great way to get started in a first home or trade out items you no longer love. Also in my business when people offer me something for the warehouse I always try to accept it even though I may not totally love the item. You would be surprised how often I do this and land up finding the perfect place for that item in one of the homes we are staging for sale. If you decide later you don't want something you can always donate it yourself~but let it pass through your hands first. You just never know...

6. Damaged Furnishings and One-of-a-Kind Sales

Retail stores have a back room filled with furnishings that have been damaged, returned, or are last season’s merchandise. Items are sometimes marked down on a regular basis, by week or by month. Call your favorite furniture stores to find out how they sell these less-than-perfect items.

7. Rental Furniture Outlets~Cort Furniture has some outstanding bargains.

Rental companies in your area may have a warehouse of furnishings that are no longer rentable. Look for used furniture in the phone book or call these businesses to inquire how they dispose of used furnishings. Don't forget the want-ads either.

8. Salvage Yards

Though you may not find furniture in a salvage yard, you will surely find an ever-changing assortment of windows, hardware, moldings, and parts to create your own unique furnishings. Take a look. You may just find an interesting piece or two to use as wall art or as parts for a shelf, table, or bookcase.

9. Warehouse Outlet Sales

Large retailers may have an annual warehouse sale of furniture and appliances in your area. Watch the newspaper for these events or ask a salesperson how to find out about these sales.

10. Local Estate Sales and Auctions

Look for these in local newspaper classified sections. Attend the “Preview Day” whenever possible, to check if you are interested in any of the items. It will also be your chance to examine the items close up and ask any questions about them. You may also have time to research prices and determine how much you are willing to pay.

Decorating as Art and Science

I think we would all agree that decorating is a matter of personal taste. We all like different things and we all enjoy creating our individual spaces based on our likes and dislikes. This is what makes decorating so much fun and adds an endless variety for the eyes to behold. That being said, why do some people have so much trouble with their spaces?

We might all agree that some of it is just simply questionable taste. As an example, if you are decorating with velvet paintings of Elvis, etc..you may be the only person you know who likes that and if you go in realizing this~ then fine. Go for it at your own risk!


Some of the problem may simply be budget. Everyone can have a gorgeous home if they can have whatever they want. I have only had a few clients with this option. However, it is very possible to have a wonderful room on a small budget if you know how to put it together. It does not matter so much what you have as much as it matters what you do with it.

I had a client that never bought anything for her house because she thought you had to spend so much money to make a space look good. She grew up in a very wealthy family and married a person with an average income. To her way of thinking unless she could have the very best, she didn't get anything. She was absolutely shocked when she went shopping with me for her home staging. She found that her house could look fabulous with inexpensive accessorizing. This opened a whole new world for her when her house was sold and she started decorating her new home.

There may also be some marital issues involved. Husband and wife can have extremely different tastes or they don't place the same value on decor. Working with couples to determine what can work for both is one of the aspects of being a decorator or designer. (2 parts designer ~1 part psychologist.)


There are a countless number of reasons for a room not feeling welcoming, inviting or relaxing.

I think the one thing that people do not realize is that not only is your definition of art involved in good design but there are also design principles that affect every aspect of the space. These principles are based on science and math. As an example, if you do not select and address a focal point in a room no matter what you have in the room, it will not work to your satisfaction.

There are principles of color, lighting, furniture placement, etc. that simply work well every time. Through education and experience a person can learn these principles and greatly improve every space they decorate. The principles of art are more subjective.

This is where the assistance of a trained professional can really help you. I have learned that it really doesn't matter what my personal style is or what I like when working with a client's spaces and furnishings. By following the principles of design, knowing how to use scale, colors, textures, patterns, and accessories ~any room can look and feel great.

The Subjective Aspect of Art
(what each individual finds attractive)
&
The Exacting Aspects of Math & Science
(ironclad design principles)

~Can Create a Perfect Environment~

It is All in the Balancing Act

Quiz

Here is a fun quiz to see how much you know about interior decorating. I found it on my IRIS Members Only Newsletter and Jim and I had fun answering the questions. We missed 2.

Click here to take the quiz.

Let us know how you liked it!

What Is IRIS?

All About IRIS

"Is it your dream to have a home that functions with practicality on a daily basis yet greets guests with a warm and inviting ambiance you are proud to show off? If your decorating attempts have left you dissatisfied, or you just can't decide where to begin, don't despair! There is an answer that is easy and more affordable than you might have imagined: it is called "interior redesign."

We've changed the rules of traditional interior design. Our Redesign Specialists know what a challenge it can be to decorate your home yourself, especially with the items already in your home that are so familiar to you. Whether your style is charming and cozy or ultra-sophisticated, this unique design service can help you achieve your goals without spending a fortune - and the outcome will amaze you.

Interior redesign is a new decorating philosophy. Simply stated, IRIS^Ò members can show you how all the necessary ingredients for a well-designed space exist in your home already. Our approach is based on tried and true techniques and the concept philosophy: You can have a beautiful, comfortable, and inviting home that is easy on your wallet and you can have it in just one day. Your rooms undergo a stress-free transformation with the finished product being a stunning new look - at a tremendous savings to you!

Redesign Specialists do not judge your belongings and it is not our goal to sell you products. We combine our unique skills and professional training with an eye toward balance, scale, texture, and color, interpreting your lifestyle into the design. This attention to detail, along with our interest in enhancing the architectural elements of the room, is what creates the look that makes your house a well-designed home." IRIS Website

Preventing and Postponing Procrastination

Over the years I have noticed that people seems to accumulate so much stuff that when moving time comes they are beyond overwhelmed. I have often thought about the many years we have lived in our home and the thousands of times I have enter our door with bags of stuff I have purchased. Often times far less leaves the premises each week. If we do not have quite a bit going out, simple mathematics tells us eventually we are going to be creating a path to get from one room to another. And, that is often what I see when I go into a home to do a staging or redesign consultation.

Recently I entered a home that was out of control in this department and it reminded me once again to spend more time each day just reordering my home. Often times we will look at something like a pantry or closet or something that needs doing and actually spend more time putting it off than it would require to just jump in and do it. So yesterday I reorganized my pantry and my bathroom closet. It took some time but not nearly as much as I had envisioned. It was such a freeing experience.

Now I know exactly where all my grocery items are and what I actually have to work with in preparing meals. This will save me time and money and also free up my to do list and fretting about it.

My husband and business partner, Jim, has a saying that I think applies to having certain lifestyles. He says, "Be careful what you get use to." This applies to so many aspects of our lives, but for our purposes here it is so easy to just overlook the clutter and disarray and then get use to it. In that getting accustomed to something, we often do not realize how much it slows us down and interrupts our accomplishments, saps our energy, etc. I have found that once something is in order, it is easier to maintain it than to spend time tripping over or looking for your stuff.

For most of us ordering our lives is a daunting task. For my clients I recommend a few things. You have to sort through your things one by one and make a decision. Keep it, toss it, or donate it. It is a long process for most of us and you cannot "eat the elephant in one bite."

Try to stay focused on one room at a time, or one closet, one drawer, etc. Set your kitchen timer and clean out a silverware drawer in 15 minutes. Flitting from room to room or project to project can be counter productive and frustrating.


I like to keep similar things together like brushes and combs, hair equipment, make-up, etc. The little bins just keep it from all running together and gives us a place to return the item to after using it.

One or two projects at a time is enough. Find some containers to group items according to their use. Yesterday I went through our over the counter meds and organized them all into kits by putting them in plastic bags. All the cold meds in one bag, all the flu meds together, etc. It is much better than rummaging though all these half used boxes and bottles of stuff when you are sick. Now we can just pull out the plastic bin and get what we need without disturbing every things else.

Organization is maintenance once you get to a point of being on top of things. I know we have heard this before but the goal should be to 'have a place for everything and everything in its place.' Honestly, it makes such a difference in what else you will accomplish each day. The important thing is just get started with some aspect of it and once you feel the difference you will be motivated to continue. Every woman, no matter what stage of life she is in, is busy. That is just part of the culture we live in these days. Rarely do we have huge amounts of uninterrupted time. We have to learn to seize the moment and do things bit by bit.

I didn't take any before photos as I had no idea these projects would become a post until this morning. But I do have the photos of the results from this morning. I feel a sense of accomplishment just looking at the pictures! Little things can make a big difference in how you feel. Again, your environment sets the tone and mood for everything else. Feeling good, decluttering and accomplishing more by working smarter ~ is the goal.

It is hard to clear out many years of accumulated junk when it is time to redesign or to relocate. Also all the clutter makes cleaning so much harder. One day at a time is a good motto. Make it a way of life.

Then you will have time to do the fun things..for me, I love watching movies. Jim built this 'just the right size' shelf and I organized all of our DVD & videos alphabetically for easy access and more time to relax and kick back at the end of a busy day.

This is a quote from the book, Eat, Pray, Love that I really like.

"The beauty of doing nothing is the goal of all your work, the final accomplishment for which you are most highly congratulated. The more exquisitely and delightfully you can do nothing, the higher your life's achievement."

For me, what that means is that the end result of your hard work is having some leisure time to just relax and do nothing. And to that I would also add, in a lovely and peaceful environment.

Enjoy the view!

From Drab to Fab ~ Continued

In this continuation of the previous house ~ I want to show you some of the other rooms. Laura did a fantastic job on the little girls' bedroom and adjoining bath. The bathroom was wallpapered so we had them remove that. Wallpaper is a real problem when it comes to selling houses. No one like to remove it, especially new homeowners. For many, wallpapered walls are a deal breaker. If you are staying in your home it is fine, just make sure you prepare your walls properly as you will need to take it off before you sell.

After the paper was removed in the house, we asked the homeowners to paint the bathroom and bedroom the same sandy beige color. Neutral colors are a must for selling. Again no new homeowner wants to start having to paint right off the bat! In this house painting the bedroom and bath the same neutral color really helped to unify the space as it was originally a white bedroom with a green bathroom.

Bedroom and adjoining bathroom should always be coordinated.

The before photo speaks for itself. (Yawn!)

Laura did a superb job of making this room just come alive. It just looks like some little girls would have so much fun here. The bathroom is really cute with two shades of pink ballerina towels and some great art, fun flowers and some fragrant soaps and lotion. Now it looks like a suite instead of two disjointed rooms. Note how the new paint warms the room and highlights the baseboard trim. This room also has white plantation shutters on the large window and the paint really sets that off as well.


This home had a gorgeous kitchen as you can see. It was all ready for the final touches that it never received until it was time to sell. How sad! So many people never get the house the way it looks and feels best until it is time to leave. We should all stage our homes for living, or hire a redesigner to help us, so we can enjoy living in a home that makes us feel good. When we feel good at home the sky is the limit as to what we can accomplish not only there~ but everywhere else.


We asked the homeowner to cover up the pale green paint and to coordinate the paint with the adjoining family room which is latte paint with red & white furnishings (See the previous post for the photos.) The accents in both rooms are now red, black and white. The colors and accessories did wonders to connect these two spaces and make them feel like one very large room. The latte colored walls were selected to warm and soften the vivid black, white and red. By having it in both rooms the visual flow is uninterrupted. The flow in a home is very important to make it feel more spacious, unified and together.


I have included these two photos to demonstrate the importance of having something on your large flat surfaces like a table or an island that is tall enough to fill some of the void that is created by them. Tables should always have some kind of elevating center piece. It may be too tall for dining but can easily be removed and replaced when the kitchen is cleaned up at the end of the meal. Note that the red really brings some energy and life into the black and white motif. Red in naturally enlivening and I have learned that when using other colors you have to find the "kick" in other ways. I'll show you what I mean in my next post with some photos and commentary on a beach house we staged.

Bon Appetit! Enjoy to view!