THE Space

This living area of my apartment has to be the best part of waking up in the morning and walking out of my bedroom. It is something that in order to get perfect, I had to be very patient. As they say "Rome wasn't built in a day" so I suppose if I want Rome, I have to wait for it to build over time. This is not, by any means, the finished product. But it is a very complete beginning. I will do a complete tour of the space when it is indeed complete but for now here is my favorite wall!

Well, I guess it is more than a wall, it is very much a chunk or section of my living room. One thing I love about this space is how much money I saved in creating it! I am just going to jump right in and tell you where I got my couch. Believe it or not, this futon was just $200 from Walmart. Yes, I said it, Walmart! I ordered it from their website because it's not something you can find in the stores. It only took a couple of days to arrive and it was really light and easy to put together. The cushions come all attached in a thin box (it kind of looked like an ice cream sandwich pulling it out). The legs came in a zippered pouch in the back of it! Which makes it super easy to move later on. It is surprisingly comfortable too. My main concern was not comfort, but seating and I got both! It opens up to about the size of a full bed, possibly a little thinner. The fabric is a wonderful faux leather and is super easy to clean. Pen comes right off!

Odds and Ends: The lovely little fluff on top is from IKEA. It was $30 because it is real but I know that they have fake ones for $12 as well. ( I honestly bought the real one because it reminds me of my dog and I really miss him!) The candle is from ZARA HOME. My exact one is not listed on the website (I got it about a year ago) but the link brings you to something pretty close and I am kind of jealous because I like it better than mine! The criss crossed vase is from a garage sale - sorry. 

The trunk is from a consignment shop, which here is a couple of bargain tricks for consignment shops - when you sell at consignment shops, some will give you a discount if you have sold a couple of things.This $60 trunk was $35 after I sold a few things there. 

Bargaining tip: If you think a trunk is overpriced, look for things like: initials, if the inside was painted at all, or if you see some sort of ledge about 5 inches from the opening (the purpose was for a shelf that it was made with) and the shelf is missing then all of these things can all bring down the price! You can sound like a historian knowing these things. Offer them a little over half (trunk was $95, you offer $50) and then work it down to maybe $70 or $80 - always offer lower than you will actually pay. If it isn't in your budget, forget about it. If you love it, check on it again in a week, if it is still there is it worth less now and try again! Or just wait till something better in price comes along.

The marble tile is from Lowes for $4! It is literally a floor tile. This is how you avoid over priced marble at the store. One of my favorite things about Lowes is how much you can recreate trends on a much smaller budget. Always check Lowes for things like this before buying, even at TJMaxx.

The photo wall has taken much time to develop (no film pun intended). Not only am I very particular about what of my art goes on my wall but also, I generally do not want it to have any context. It is just a pretty picture. My home is not somewhere for me to talk about me and brag about my latest projects. My home is a comfortable conversation space where we can talk about wine and movies. I have no problem sharing my thoughts, if asked, but I don't want the questions lingering on the wall. 

Frames have accumulated from IKEA to Hobby Lobby, I do not think that I have ever spent more than $15 on a frame. I am trying to get my derrière to the printing lab to fill some more frames that I have here shoved in a corner that I got at yard sales and have spray painted. Walmart also has fantastic prices on frames. Never spend the money to have things framed at craft stores! It is such a waste of money.

If you find yourself with the most beautiful frame that you cannot live without but it has no glass - have no fear! Lowes is a magical place where you can buy plexi glass (it is super light and thin) and ask them to cut it for you for whatever strange size you may need. Then just super glue the plexi into the frame and let it dry over night. In the morning use ACID FREE tape (it will avoid eating at the photo paper) to attach to the back of the frame. And voila!

As you may already know, apartments don't really like when you put nails and things in the wall so I buy these little babies! They are velcro command strips. You simply make two kiss, remove the backing and attach them to your frames, then the wall. They hold up to 9 lbs (4 kg)! Which is insane! But I love that I never have to wait for things to stick or dry, it is so instant!

I hope this section of my apartment finds you inspired to bring home the bargains! As well as help your life stay simple and easy.

Best,

Michelle